The real magic of Marie Kondo’s infamous tidying method is that it has little to do with tidying at all.

Rather, when you dramatically slim down the belongings that surround you, you begin to think more clearly – and identify what it is that you really want in life.

Because the clutter that we live with not only physically weighs us down, it also creates mental baggage.

In an age of unprecedented stress, it’s an unseen burden that we could all do without.

Brain fog is a form of cognitive fatigue that’s becoming widespread among younger generations of today.

Characterised by an inability to focus clearly, and a head that feels like it’s “filled with cotton wool”, psychologists believe it’s an early warning sign of burnout.

One fifth of millennials now report symptoms of concentration-loss and memory problems, while our capacity to focus has dropped by 12% since the birth of the digital era in 2000.

So, how can Kondo’s method help? According to the Japanese tidying guru, we only hold onto items for two reasons: either attachment to the past, or fear of the future.

Neither of these motivations are particularly healthy, because they prevent us from staying in the present.

Kondo your mind: how decluttering can help with brain fog