Even though I’m into minimalism and simplicity, my room is still a mess. There is always a pile of clothes on the floor next to my bed and on the chair, my son’s unwashed milk bottle, books, and plush toys scattered on the bed, and unsorted things on the working desk. On top of that, my room is dusty.

The problem is that there is too much stuff. This small room is shared between me, my wife, and my two kids. Another problem is that we don’t—okay, I don’t—find the time to clean and sort the stuff.

I should make a daily routine to clean my room. I should get rid of the unwanted stuff. And I should be mindful before I add things to my room.

But the most important part is the daily routine and a daily reminder to clean my room. Start small, at least by emptying the dustbin and wiping the desk every day. Then gradually tackle the rest.

I saw a video in which a Zen monk said that our environment, especially our room, is a reflection of our mind. If your environment is in chaos, most likely your mind is in chaos. And if your environment is neat and clean, your mind is calm.

I believe this is true. I’ve had the experience of living in a clean and neat room versus a messy and dusty room. I can say that it really affects my mental state.

The goal of cleaning up your room is to clean your mental state and make space for tranquility. And I think that is also the goal of minimalism.