Clear Space, Calm Mind
Spring is here, bringing warmer weather and longer days that inspire a fresh burst of energy and motivation. For many of us, spring cleaning is a chance to refresh, reorganise, and clear space for the months ahead. Here in Australia, where the summer holidays blend into the New Year, I often use this time for a reset too. One of the rituals of Chinese New Year is cleaning the home to sweep away bad luck and make space for good fortune. I love that idea although I rarely achieve as much decluttering as I hope!
The mental benefits of cleaning
It’s not just about tidiness. According to psychologists, cluttered spaces can increase stress and anxiety levels, while clean, orderly environments can help us feel calmer, more focused, and in control. Clearing physical clutter can free up mental space, resulting in clarity of thought and emotional ease. (Ref: Psychology Today)
In yogic philosophy, the principle of saucha is one of the niyamas (social codes) that teaches us to keep the body, mind, and surroundings clean. When we declutter, we’re not just organising our homes — we’re creating mental and energetic space for focus and balance.
Personally, decluttering helps me feel lighter and less overwhelmed. That said, it’s takes me ages to declutter. The hardest part is resisting the urge to simply throw things away when so much of what I have could be exactly what someone else needs, or could impact the environment negatively. For more insight into our waste culture, I highly recommend this Foreign Correspondent story and the War on Waste series.
Things that work for me (and maybe for you)
I’ve learned that finding good systems reduces the stress that comes with sorting, donating, and disposing. These are the services that make decluttering easier for me but check your local council or government website to see what’s available where you live.
Many councils provide online waste guides showing how to dispose of tricky materials.
My council offers mobile e-waste, problem waste, and bulk waste pickups, plus recycling bins for small items like batteries, CDs and DVDs at local libraries.
The neighbouring council even has a problem waste drop-off station at Macquarie Centre — very convenient on a shopping trip.
The NSW EPA lists community recycling centres (CRCs) and chemical cleanout events across the state.
I’m also a big fan of local Facebook Buy Nothing groups. I’ve passed along hearing aid batteries, old CDs, appliances (many op shops won’t take them anymore), and leftover plastic cutlery from family gatherings. You can find your local group by searching Facebook with your location and “Buy Nothing.”.
Other places to check out:
Banish — I’ve picked up great tips from Lottie’s Instagram.
Planet Ark’s “Recycling Near You” — an great Australia-wide guide to recycling programs.
When I’m short on time
Making recycling work for me often means balancing time and money. When I don’t have the time for multiple drop-offs, I’ll pay to have items picked up or mailed to a specialist recycler. Here are a few services I’ve used:
Upparel: For clothes, textiles, and shoes, especially unwearable ones. Upparel sort, donate, or recycle what they collect.
After: Another textile recycling service I’m considering as I sort through clothing from relatives.
BRAD (Banish Recycling and Disposal) program: For tricky small items — pens, markers, dental waste, bottle tops, bread tags, toothpaste tubes, coffee cups, soy fishes, and more.
Whirl Recycling: For electronic waste, including laptops, with secure data destruction.
A document shredding service: For sensitive documents, I rent a bin every few years to securely shred accumulated papers.
What goes where? Sorting it all out
Once you’ve determined what you’re keeping, donating or getting rid off, the next question is where does it all go? Here’s a breakdown of where I send different household items, based on my experience.
Clothing, textiles and shoes
Good-quality clothing can go to charity bins, resale, or programs like Fitted for Work.
For worn textiles, use H&M and Zara collection bins or paid options like Upparel and After.
Other stores also offer clothing recycling but usually only take their own brands.
Zara, Upparel and After also accept shoes. Another alternative is TreadLightly that have collection points for sports and “active lifestyle” shoes.
Small plastics and packaging
Items like bread tags and plastic bottle caps, though recyclable, are too small for kerbside bins. I recycle them (and lots of other items like the soy fish and sprays or pumps from cleaning products) through Banish Australia’s BRAD Program.
Blister packs
I used to recycle blister packs through Banish Australia’s BRAD Program or my brother would take them to the local community recycling centre. Now that Chemist Warehouse offers blister pack recycling, I find it more convenient to drop them off. (And now there’s more room in the box for the BRAD program.)
Batteries and electronics
You can drop “common” everyday single-use and rechargeable batteries at some supermarkets. Just remember to tape the terminals to prevent fires.
I use Whirl Recycling for secure disposal of computers and accessories.
Officeworks also takes audio and technical accessories, storage devices and stationery.
Books
Good quality books go to Lifeline or your local op shop.
General reads or classics can go to Street Libraries.
Outdated or damaged books can be repurposed. For ideas, see Waster’s guide to old books.
Paper
Paper clutter is probably my biggest challenge! I highly recommend the Simplify Days “Clearing Paper Clutter” workshop. It’s typically offered a couple of times a year and is often free.
For large volumes, rent a shredding bin to securely destroy old documents.
In summary
Spring — and the fresh start of a New Year — are ideal opportunities to refresh both home and mind. Mindful decluttering not only clears space but also supports sustainable living and a circular economy. So, whether you’re tackling one drawer or an entire room, use decluttering as another mindful practice to help calm your mind and clear your home.