Sometimes my brain can be one, gigantic unorganized bedroom. I personally feel that if my room is messy, so is my mind. (And most of my worst weeks are because I forget to clean and organize my sock drawer of thoughts.) Here are 5 tips on how to do some spring (fall?) cleaning in that head of yours!

1) Put away and/or throw away the thoughts that you keep pushing back into the deepest parts of your brain.

Sometimes stress comes from thinking about what you have to do and you forget how easy those tasks probably are. Think of your thoughts as if they were balled up papers, dirty dishes and clothes (and anything else that is usually scattered amongst your room.) Once everything is put into place your room (and your head) will feel less like a tornado, and you will feel a weight lifted from your shoulders.

2) Dust all your scary thoughts into the trash.

Buildup of dust is incredibly unhealthy, it blocks sunlight and makes the room…well icky. Bad thoughts do the exact same thing to your brain. Once you dust the air is cleaner, sunlight creeps in and the feeling of hope re-appears. This step is tricky (especially if the thoughts have been there for a while), but once they’re gone life gets much easier.

3) Write down the worthy thoughts.

This one does not really apply to cleaning your room, but writing is always the best thing to do when your brain is over-capacity. From listing your daily chores to writing poetry, it will help you prioritize what thoughts matter the most. It will also show you that what you have to get done is not as hard as it seems.

4) Go through old memories.

When I have to clean my room I also end up finding my box of memories. I spend hours reading old notes and looking at old pictures. If you take the time to remind yourself that life is not all that bad, you will feel more positive and productive.

5) Remind yourself that cleaning is never a "one-time thing".

People clean their rooms (brains) hoping that it will never need to be cleaned again. But this is a mistake that should not be taken lightly. Think about it. You use your brain 24/7 (even when you're sleeping). How are you supposed to stay positive, productive and organized every single second of your life? That is just impossible. You should expect to clean your room and your thoughts a lot, because how else will you function? Cleaning your mind is just as important as cleaning your room!

Some people are just better at keeping themselves in order, it’s okay if you are not one of those people. I am guilty of forgetting to clean my mind every once and while and it causes my lack of motivation.

In fact, this problem drove me to this very article. I procrastinated on my school work and other daily things. It made me question why I am in college, why I work at my job so much and so many other things I make myself do. But I cleaned my room and my brain, and now I have the motivation to keep going. I hope you do too.