A Zen Approach to Clearing Clutter

You know you’ve stepped into a Zen space when your surroundings reflect an overall sense of harmony, simplicity, and order. All the details of the room blend together, creating a continuity that instills calmness. The space feels open and light.

Luckily, you don’t have to be a master Zen Buddhist to use Zen solutions to organize, lighten, and enjoy your home. All you need is the desire and will to simplify your space, along with some tips like the ones provided for you today by Adon Solutions.

Setting aside a little time to create order in your home now will save you time and peace of mind in the long run.

We all know how the story can go. Maybe you’ve been meaning to de-clutter your place for months, but the papers keep piling up, and the laundry still lies in a pitiful clump on the closet floor. Miscellaneous items keep cropping up on your bookshelves between mounds of new books you keep meaning to read that are now in danger of spilling over or breaking your shelves—whichever comes first.

You start to half-heartedly sort through a pile of clutter, but you can’t decide what should stay and what should go. You tell yourself that you will get to it later, but later keeps getting pushed farther into the future. Eventually, the disorder starts to clog the flow of your home and weigh on your mind, cluttering your daily life.

A famous Japanese koan that underscores the importance of empty space is recorded in a well-known Zen story from the Meiji era (1868-1912). The story goes something like this:

A university professor came to Nan-in, a Japanese master, to learn about Zen. When the professor arrived, Nan-in served tea. He filled his visitor’s cup to the brim, and then he kept on pouring. The professor saw the cup overflowing and exclaimed, “It is overfull. No more will go in!” “Like this cup,” Nan-in replied, “you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?”

In Zen philosophy, the empty space is more vital than the objects that occupy the space. The key to Zen decor is minimalism. To cut through your clutter and create more space and serenity within your home, try using the following tips.

1. Start refraining from making impulse purchases that will clutter your home to begin with. Ask yourself if the item you feel tempted to buy will truly enrich your life or go unused.

2. Collect some boxes and mark some of them for things you decide to keep and some of them for things you will give away.

3. Set aside increments of time and tackle one thing at a time. If you start to feel overwhelmed, break everything down into even smaller micro-movements. Before you know it, you’ll have gotten a lot done.

4. If you can’t decide whether to keep something or not, ask yourself: Why am I holding on to this item? Is it a family heirloom or a precious keepsake that has sentimental value? Have I used or worn it within six months? Is it something would complement what I envision for my future? If the answer to the last three questions is a resounding “no,” you probably won’t regret donating (or tossing) the item.

5. Keep things tidy, airy, and light. Replace heavy drapes with sheer or airier curtains; replace busy patterns and bright colors with simple lines and soft, neutral colors. Find a consistent place to keep things and try to put storage items out of sight to maintain as much clear space as possible.

Follow these tips, and before you know it, you’ll have declared your home a Zen, clutter-free zone, complete with room to breathe and space that’s free at last!