☀️ physical clutter = mental clutter

I think we've all felt it even if we didn't know the exact research:
mental clutter creates real cognitive load — and that load quietly drains your energy, focus, and follow-through.

If your brain feels buzzy, scattered, or weirdly tired lately, it’s probably not a motivation problem.

It’s a too-many-decisions problem.

One of my favorite low-effort fixes is something I call the Chopping Block Basket.

Here’s how it works:
Pick one small basket, bin, or tray and put it somewhere visible.
Anytime you don’t know where something belongs — mail, chargers, sunglasses, kid clutter, random life debris — it goes in the basket.

No sorting.
No organizing.
No decision-making spiral.

Why this helps (real science):
Every unfinished decision adds to your cognitive load — the mental energy required just to function. Reducing visible clutter lowers decision fatigue, which frees up energy for creativity, focus, and follow-through.

This is why people like Steve Jobs famously wore one color shirt and simplified daily decisions — not because they loved minimalism, but because decision fatigue kills momentum.

And here’s the important part:
You don’t need to eliminate clutter to feel better.
You just need to contain it.

Behind-the-scenes moment:
Last week during my daily easy wins Instagram challenge, I shared several tiny habit ideas and paid attention to what actually helped people.

The one that quietly outperformed the rest?
The Chopping Block Basket.

Not the most aesthetic. Not the most ambitious.
Just the one that immediately reduced mental load.

Which tells me (again):
👉 People don’t need more motivation.
👉 They need fewer decisions.

If you want to peek at the post, you can see it here.

This big-picture, friction-reducing approach is the exact philosophy behind what I’m teaching in my free workshop this Friday:

Habits That Stick: The 3-Step System for Real, Sustainable Change

We’ll talk about:
• why motivation fades (even when you really want change)
• how to design habits that lower mental load instead of adding to it
• how small, aligned systems create momentum without burnout

You can join live, listen while walking, or half-pay attention with coffee.
No prep required.

👉 Register here for Friday’s workshop

For now, try the basket.
Let it do some of the thinking for you.

See you soon 💛
Katie

PS: If your only win today is putting one thing in one basket instead of overthinking it — that counts.

Free Live Workshop:

Free Live Workshop: Habits that Stick! Friday Jan 9, at 12 noon CST! Save your seat here!

Listen in:

🎧 Catch up on the newest Podcast Episode! Shailey and Katie's Lemonade Stand.
Listen on Apple or Spotify

One-Size-Does NOT-Fit-All! Ever wonder why some people thrive with strict rules… while others immediately want to do the opposite the second a rule exists? In this episode, Katie and Shailey dig into why motivation isn’t one-size-fits-all—and why so many wellness plans fail simply because they ignore personality.