Embracing “Beginner’s Mind”: A Fresh Approach to Decluttering and Organizing Your Home

As it turns out, organizing your house in real life isn’t really about fancy containers or color-coding, although those can be fun. The true essence of home organization is understanding our daily routines and fine-tuning our behaviors to consciously shape the life we desire in a very practical way.

Our fast-paced lives are rife with clutter.  This is just how we live now.  But I find it ironic that clutter creates a barrier between us and the serenity we crave.  Why would we do this to ourselves when what we want is to be happy?  Perhaps it’s because decluttering and organizing can feel disheartening instead of inspiring.  I mean, who wants to spend their free time overwhelmed with the weight of past decisions, emotional attachments, and a myriad of “what-ifs”?  I’m guessing not you.  

I just happen to be one of those weird people who goes about her life ruminating on various topics.  And recently I’ve been thinking about the possibility of approaching these daunting tasks with a sense of wonder and openness instead of overwhelm.  What would happen if we shed our preconceived notions of our needs and adopt the philosophy of “beginner's mind” in our homes?  This just might encourage us to see our possessions and spaces from a fresh perspective, freeing ourselves from the deeply ingrained beliefs that often influence our behaviors without our awareness.  

It might behoove us to ask ourselves: Are our belongings causing us to feel stuck, anxious, and overwhelmed? 

Or is it the other way around?  

As in: Are the difficult emotions of shame and “stuckness” actually originating from a deeper place within us, causing us to accumulate things to maintain a sense of safety?

Basically, what I’m asking is: Does feeling stuck make you feel safe?  

Where does the loop of clutter begin?  

I’m not sure we can answer that question in this blog, but I am sure that no matter our age, we can always learn more about our inner workings, which is why adopting a 'beginner’s mind' can be a powerful catalyst for positive change. By rethinking our assumptions about cause and effect and questioning these loops we get into, we open up new ways to heal and embark on the journey of growing into the life we want and becoming our true selves.

What is Beginner’s Mind?

Originally rooted in Zen Buddhism, beginner’s mind, or shoshin, refers to the practice of approaching a situation with openness, eagerness, and a lack of preconceptions.  When we apply this mindset to decluttering and organizing, we allow ourselves to step outside the confines of our habitual thinking and emotional baggage. This shift can lead to transformative insights and a more efficient process in our lives and psyches.

The Clutter Connection: Why We Hold On

It’s important to pause here and note that our belongings often symbolize memories, achievements, and aspirations. They can evoke nostalgia or represent past selves and it makes all sorts of sense to be hesitant to let these things go.  Yet, as time goes on, these attachments can make us really STUCK.  That’s right, sometimes the things we unconsciously assume are still important to us can create roadblocks to our future by putting a wall of items that have long lost their purpose between us and our potential. 

By shifting our perspective, we can begin to see our possessions not as extensions of ourselves but as mere objects with potential utility and evaluate them anew, returning to a place of conscious choice. 

Cultivating Awareness

To fully embrace beginner’s mind, we first need to step back and observe our space without judgment.  Please, I beg of you, make this moment a no-shame zone.  Coming back to neutrality is the whole point of honest evaluation.  

When you sit in a room filled with clutter, just notice how it makes you feel. There is invaluable information on offer when you tune in to what your body and nervous system have to say.  Are you bummed out?  Does your heart rate go up?  Do you have anything close to a desire to create while hanging out with this old stuff?  Slow down and take your time as you relearn to be present with the things in your home that have become invisible by sheer force of habit.  Try to evaluate things from the perspective of how you feel. 

Somewhere beneath this mess is a clear path to all of the possibilities of your life, if you can approach this inquiry with playfulness, openness, and a bit of bravery and grit.  It’s just stuff, remember?  The only power it has is the power you endow it with.    

Questioning Assumptions

Often we hold onto items because of ingrained beliefs: “I might need this someday,” or “It was a gift, so I have to keep it.” These are assumptions, and assumptions are invisible.  They lead to cluttered spaces filled with things we don’t truly value.

The beginner’s mind invites us to challenge our beliefs. Instead of adhering to societal expectations or past decisions, let yourself make choices right here and now based on who you are in this moment, not who you used to be. 

It’s true, gifts are wonderful.  And sometimes we are given something so useful and so delightful that it becomes a part of our lives. But the most meaningful aspect of a gift has already taken place in the exchange between people, within the giving process.  That’s where the magic happened: in the past.  So if the gift does not serve a purpose or make your heart flutter now, let it go and cherish the moment the exchange happened instead. 

Essential supplies are also great to have.  The problem is, it’s possible to say “I might need this someday” about literally everything in the universe.  That’s because life is a series of complete unknowns.  Hanging onto things out of fear is a trap.  So make these decisions wisely and be strategic about what you might need in the future.  Be brave and allow for the risk that you may be wrong and that’s okay.  You can handle it.  That’s right, you can handle the future.  There’s no need to hang on to everything as a buffer against the unknown.

Enjoying the Ride

So, as I said before, decluttering and organizing are not just about the pretty pictures; the whole process is about your real life and the processes you employ to make yourself happy.  When we approach our homes with a beginner’s mind, we invite ourselves into an opportunity to update, reboot, and create authentic growth.  By shedding the weight of past decisions and emotional attachments, we can create space for new possibilities and experiences.

So, take a deep breath, let go of preconceived notions, and give beginner’s mind a shot. Your journey toward a more organized, harmonious home starts with the simple act of seeing your space at this moment. Embrace the adventure, and enjoy the freedom that comes from letting go. You might just discover that, in the process, you’ve also found a deeper connection to yourself.

Love You! ~Sarah