Key Takeaways
- Clearing a small corner of a room, one very simple action at a time, can feel easier than a full “big clean”.
- Moving bags away from heaters, cables, and outlets makes a space safer as well as tidier.
- Emptying bags first and deciding what to keep later helps reduce stress during decluttering.
- Simple, steady progress can gently lift mood and energy, especially when life already feels heavy.
- Even a short language moment, such as a few Dutch phrases, can turn a routine task into something a little more playful.
Story & Details
A quiet room in late 2025
In December 2025, a small bedroom with light wooden flooring sits almost empty. Most of the space is clear. The eye goes again and again to one corner of the room. Two soft backpacks lean near a wall heater, close to plugs and loose cables. A pair of black gloves rests on the floor. A folding camping table carries cups and a jar. Tall plastic storage boxes stand under a window, already in neat stacks.
The person who lives there feels that this corner is “all that” which needs to change. The task seems small on paper but heavy in the body. A full clean feels impossible, so the plan becomes very simple: do one tiny action, pause, look at the result, then decide on the next action.
First moves: safety and space
The first goal is safety. The bags move away from the heater and from the outlet. They travel across the room and settle beside the stack of storage boxes. Air can now flow around the heater. The outlet is no longer hidden behind straps and fabric. Already the corner feels calmer.
Gloves and cables are picked up next. They no longer lie where feet will step. They join the bags on the far side of the room. The centre of the floor becomes open and safe to work on.
A large blue plastic bag is opened wide. It waits on the floor as the rubbish bag. Nothing clever, nothing symbolic: just one clear place where trash will go.
One backpack, many tiny tasks
A black backpack is carried to the centre of the room and unzipped fully. The grey lining opens like a mouth. Inside sits a single roll of paper. That roll comes out and rests on the floor, away from the rubbish bag, because it might still be useful.
A used cup is next. This item is clearly rubbish, so it goes straight into the blue bag. The sound is small, but the feeling is strong: something has left the space for good.
Hands sweep through the backpack, pressing into every corner, checking for hidden objects. When nothing more is found, the bag feels almost weightless. It returns to the wall and rests beside the other bags, now empty and ready for another day.
The heavier bag
The orange and black duffel bag takes its place in the middle of the room. The zip opens from one end to the other. Inside there is no clear shape, only soft forms. A black plastic bag comes out first and lies on the floor as a separate object. A pale, almost white bag follows. Through its surface, something yellow can be seen. It comes out too. The duffel bag is still not empty.
A pair of slim work gloves appears from the bottom of the bag, then the matching glove for the other hand. The gloves are laid flat next to the bags. At this point the floor holds several clearly defined items instead of one vague mass of “stuff in a bag”. The duffel can now be fully checked, pocket by pocket, until the inside is completely bare.
The important point is this: during all these steps, there is no rush to decide what to keep, donate, or throw away. The mission is only to take things out into the light and group them where they can be seen. Decisions can come later, when the body feels calmer.
The hidden order of a small room
Around this central work, the rest of the room quietly tells its own story. The plastic storage boxes are already organised. Some hold clothes, others different kinds of gear. The camping table serves as a mini kitchen or work spot. The space is not a “messy life”; it is a life where one corner has lagged behind.
By working only on that one corner, the person avoids the trap of perfectionism. There is no need to turn the entire home into a show home. The goal is much simpler: make it safe to walk, easy to see the floor, and possible to find what is needed without dread.
A tiny Dutch language moment
As the bags empty and the floor clears, the mind can play a little. A short Dutch mini-lesson fits naturally into this kind of day. Simple phrases are enough:
- “Ik ruim mijn spullen op.”
- “Ik maak mijn kamer netjes.”
- “Stap voor stap wordt het rustiger.”
Each sentence describes action and change in plain, everyday Dutch. The words match the mood of the room: small moves, clear verbs, and a focus on calm. The language moment turns a slow chore into something slightly curious and even a bit fun.
Why tiny steps work
Research from different health and psychology sources links clutter with higher stress, more tension, and trouble focusing. Several studies suggest that even modest decluttering can help people feel calmer, more in control, and better able to think clearly. Large projects can feel frightening, but very small, well-defined tasks tend to feel possible. A cleared patch of floor or an emptied bag sends a simple message to the brain: change is happening and it does not have to hurt.
In this room, the proof sits in front of the door. Where there were bags, gloves, and cables, there is now bare, warm-toned wood. The heater is clear, the outlet is visible, and walking across the room is easy. The rest of life may still be complex, but this one corner now gives a steady, quiet welcome.
Conclusions
A heavy cleaning day is not always realistic. Energy goes up and down, moods shift, and even a small room can feel like too much. The tiny-task method offers another route. Moving one bag, opening one zip, or dropping one cup into a rubbish bag does not look impressive on its own. Joined together, though, these actions change how a room feels and how a person moves through it.
There is also gentle power in turning a simple task into a learning moment, whether through a few Dutch phrases or a new way of looking at clutter. Safety improves when bags step back from heaters and outlets. The mind rests easier when the floor is clear. Bit by bit, a room that once felt like a weight starts to feel like a place where it is possible to breathe, think, and maybe even start something new.
Selected References
[1] WebMD. “Mental Health Benefits of Decluttering.”
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-health-benefits-of-decluttering
[2] National Geographic. “Being organized can actually improve mental health. This is why.”
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/premium/article/organizing-clutter-mental-health
[3] Mayo Clinic. “Mayo Clinic Minute: Mental health benefits of tidying up.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uEtwyq7dfJ0
[4] Rogers, C. J., et al. “Exploring associations between clutter and wellbeing.” Journal of Environmental Psychology.
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0272494421000062
[5] Healthline. “How to Declutter and Why: Benefits, Methods, and Tips.”
https://www.healthline.com/health/how-to-declutter-and-why
Appendix
Backpacks
Soft bags used to carry personal items. In this story they hold a mix of paper, cups, gloves, and other belongings until they are emptied and stored safely beside the plastic boxes.
Decluttering micro-step
A very small, clear action that reduces clutter, such as moving one bag, throwing away one cup, or checking one pocket, instead of trying to clean an entire room in one go.
Dutch mini-lesson
A short set of simple Dutch phrases about tidying and calm, used here to bring a playful, language-based pause into an otherwise practical task.
Heater corner
The part of the room near the wall heater and the electrical outlet, where bags and cables first gather and where safety improves once these items are moved aside.
Rubbish bag
The large blue plastic bag that waits open on the floor so that obvious trash, such as used cups, can leave the room quickly and not return.
My Diary - Leonardo Cardillo 