Spring has sprung, and while everyone else is busy channelling their inner Marie Kondo, I am focusing on the real mess—my brain. Ha, ha!
At the moment, my brain is more cluttered than that drawer full of odds and ends! I’m talking about half-finished books, paintings and other creative ideas I just can’t shake. Yep, if you're like me, it’s time to grab your mental mop and have a tidy-up.
According to some clever clogs at Princeton, clutter plays havoc with your head. They discovered that "multiple stimuli present at the same time compete for neural representation," which is just posh talk for “too much stuff makes it hard to think” (McMains & Kastner, 2011).
If you’ve been wondering why your brilliant ideas stay buried under all that mental noise, it’s because it’s time for a spring clean. Here’s how to declutter that brain of yours:
Brain dump with journaling: Think of your journal as the compost bin of your mind—chuck everything in there. Whether it’s random thoughts, to-do lists, or that argument you’ve been replaying in your head, get it all out. Free up some mental space for more important things, like deciding what’s for tea.
Be mindful and meditate: Don’t worry, you don’t need to be a Zen master for this. Just sit down, close your eyes, and focus on your breathing. When your mind inevitably drifts to whether you left the oven on, gently bring it back to your breath. It’s like swiping away the mental clutter that’s piled up like junk mail on your doormat.
Tackle the to-do list: Your never-ending to-do list is probably one of the biggest culprits of mental clutter. Try the "two-minute rule": if a task takes less than two minutes, do it now. For bigger stuff, break it into bite-sized chunks. Finishing even one small task feels like finding twenty bucks in an old coat pocket—satisfying and surprisingly energising.
Organise your creative space: Let’s be honest—creativity can thrive in chaos, but there’s a limit. Clear off your workspace, put away those half-used paint tubes, and organise your tools. A tidy space might just spark that next big idea. Or at the very least, you’ll stop losing your favourite pen.
Set boundaries on information overload: We live in the age of too much everything. Limit screen time, mute the notifications that aren’t about takeaway delivery, and take regular breaks from doomscrolling. Curate your feeds to focus on content that doesn’t make you want to hibernate until Christmas.
Practice saying ‘no’: Mental clutter isn’t just about stuff; it’s also about commitments. Stop agreeing to things that drain your energy. Saying "no" more often will give you the freedom to say "yes" to what actually matters—like finishing that novel, painting, or enjoying a guilt-free nap.
So, roll up your sleeves and start decluttering that mind of yours. With a little spring cleaning, you’ll make room for fresh ideas, inspiration, and maybe even some peace and quiet.
How do you like to spring clean your mind? Share your suggestions in the comments below!
x Victoria
Love cherry blossoms?
Check out my new Nocturnal Cherry Blossom Journal, available now from my store.
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About Victoria Hall
Victoria Hall is an English-born, Australian-based writer and illustrator. She is the creator of three picture books for children, Penny Prickles at Coogee Beach, Eggy Peggy Has Lost Her Leggy and The Fairy Beasts. For more updates, follow Victoria on Instagram or check out her bio here.
References and further reading
McMains, S., & Kastner, S. (2011). Interactions of top-down and bottom-up mechanisms in human visual cortex. Journal of Neuroscience.
Williams, Florence. (2017). The Nature Fix: Why Nature Makes Us Happier, Healthier, and More Creative.
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