Spring demands a big mental purge. #family #organize #manage

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. ~ Babe Ruth #quote

Every strike brings me closer to the next home run. ~ Babe Ruth #quote

Spring is our family’s season of desperation.

“In life you need either inspiration or desperation.”
~ Tony Robbins

You know the season.  The one that has more obligations than time.  The one where you sleep less, eat out more, and pray that you didn’t forget something. But you did.  The one that makes you most anxious, most frustrated, and most happy. And there is a rumor floating around that this season makes you a better person. If you survive.

Our family’s spring desperation is brought on by baseball. As in, three sons playing baseball. We need to make room for baseball and all that spring brings. Big room. We need to declutter.

Most decluttering tutorials tell us how to rid our lives of stuff, which is definitely a good thing.

Declutter: to simplify or get rid of mess, disorder, complications, etc.

But desperation calls for something that addresses the anxiety beyond mere environmental decluttering. Desperation calls for purging:

Purge: to clear of guilt, to cause evacuation from, to make free of something unwanted

Spring encourages me to dig deep. I’ve already purged chocolate from my life. Need I say more? No, but I will say, for example, that my desk is a mess. Desperate times demand a functioning and attractive workspace. Yet, I’m tempted to procrastinate and avoid organizing it because of our wild schedule. I need to purge my mind of misleading thoughts that are coming between me and my awesome desk. Overcoming the psychological barriers to cleaning your messy desk encourages readers to:

Exercise emotional agility: to surf the wave of the urge as it comes up, rather than immediately get pushed over by it. This technique helps dieters and smokers resists temptation–and could help clutterers navigate the anxiety they have of letting go. This leads to a bigger conclusion: to not believe every worry, emotion, or want that our brain regions throw into our minds.

I can imagine myself surfing the wave of spring anxiety right to the desk of my dreams.

As they say in baseball, I need to keep my head in the game. How to free your mind: 15 decluttering tips shares great suggestions on how to keep focused. For example:

10. Do less. Take your ‘to-do’ list and cross off half the things on it. Just pick a few things to get done today, and focus on those. Let the rest go away. If you do less, you’ll have less on your mind.

11. Go slower. Seems kinda weird, I know, but walking and talking and working and driving slower can make a very big difference. It’s kind of like you’re saying, “I’m not willing to rush through life, no matter what artificial time demands others are putting on me. I want to take it at my pace.” And as a result, your mind is less harried as well.

12. Let go. Worrying about something? Angry about somebody? Frustrated? Harboring a grudge? While these are all natural emotions and thoughts, none of them are really necessary. See if you can let go of them. More difficult than it sounds, I know, but it’s worth the effort.

Ready? Do less. Set? Go slower. Let… Go.  To make room for spring, baseball, and peace of mind.

Do you have a desperation season?  What is your spring like?  Any baseball fans out there?  Tell me more, please 🙂  

Sending Arizona sunshine your way ~~~~~~~~ Angie Mc

20 thoughts on “Spring demands a big mental purge. #family #organize #manage”

  1. ThrEE on bball?? Aye yaya.
    Bravo, you purged chocolate. I didn’t touch it for…a decade? And then I found a brand that’s completely free of refined sugar. ^^ But I didn’t go crazy.

    Well written. Upbeat but thoughtful post.

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    • Wow, thank you very much for the positive feedback! Yes, thrEE baseball players. My little guy is pictured and I have 2 sons who are playing high school varsity 🙂

      Oooooo, what is the name of the chocolate you enjoy? Just curious 🙂

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  3. Oh yes, that urge to just sweep your arm across the desk and be DONE with it all! Start fresh with a clean slate. I know that feeling. 🙂

    It’s good to take stock of things periodically, and get rid of those things that we don’t need anymore, that no longer serve us.

    Here’s to your peace of mind, Angie! *hugs*

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  4. Angie… I hope flowers and new beautiful things come together with spring… I bet you are already getting ready to enjoy the new season. Best wishes and enjoy your friday and weekend ahead, Aquileana 🙂

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    • Thank you, Aquileana! Yes, the weather and desert flowers are GORGEOUS this time of year. That’s, in part, why the tempo amps up! We’re all moving quickly because we know that serious heat will be here soon 🙂 Happy weekend, friend!

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  5. It is hard for me to think what it would be like to keep other people – a family – uncluttered and organized in addition to *myself.* If they were messy and wanted to hoard, I don’t know what I’d do.

    De-cluttering/organizing have become central to my life. I am convinced the outer state of a person’s life reflects the inner.

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    • You are soooo right, Colette. Our outer state reflects out inner state. And, even more exciting to me, our outer state can lift up our inner state…make us better, make living better! Coming from a background of, what I call, environmental chaos, it was a thrill to learn that order in my environment helped me to be a better person, helped me to be happier. Nice.

      As for other people, there is a push-pull for sure. Our house rule is that group space trumps personal space. In other words, any space where we gather needs to be attended to first and in a way that all can be comfortable. So, yes, there is a varying degree to how much order people need (for example, most teens feel no need whatever for an orderly bedroom!) yet, if we’re going to be comfortable in a space together, then pick up your socks and put them away right now 😀

      At the time I’m typing this in my living room, I’m glad to report that there is only 1 book laying on the floor, 1 dog toy next to the couch, and 1 lego guy pointing a fierce weapon at me. I’ll take that. And, no I will not look at my teen son’s bedroom because I value my peace 😀

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  6. Clean desk, I need to clean my entire office to include my supply closet. I’m at that ‘place’ where I can no longer deal with being a manager of the stacks of paper – they’ve taken on a life of their own. Then, there’s the stacks of file folders demanding attention, tumbling towers of books continuing to make their way home with me – when will I read them [good question] and back to that supply closet – I’m afraid to open the door for fear of what will fall out and get me! Angie, you hit a home run with this one:)
    The best news of spring for Tom and I is that after 9 frustrating months, he has a correct medical diagnosis and is out of the wheelchair! He sat in the garden while I worked today but said he was getting anxious to start doing a few things. Simply having him up and outside on his own power was indeed a blessing.

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