If you have been studying Spanish for a while, you are bound to have a collection of Spanish grammar books, jotters filled in with exercises, handouts your teacher has given you, reading books, perhaps an old fashion dictionary, and even an array of Spanish links in your computer. Whether you keep your Spanish stuff on your desk, in a bookshelf or a drawer, if it’s been lying there for a long time, so long that you cannot recall what grammar points, or vocabulary holds in those pages, then you’ve got clutter.

How too much clutter can affect your Spanish

It can put you off studying

Clutter can affect your mood, making you feel uncomfortable and even irritable. Not surprisingly, in such a state of mind, you won’t feel like studying. As a result, you will spend as little time as possible working on your Spanish.  

You cannot focus

Clutter can distract you and prevent you from focusing on your Spanish. This means that learning any new grammar point will involve more time and effort on your part.

It could give you the perception that Spanish is harder than it is

Because it’s taking you so long to learn the language -you are not focus-, you may feel that you are not good at it. Consequently, your self-esteem will diminish and you may end up giving up your Spanish.

A reviewing hurdle

Reviewing is essential when learning Spanish. Going through your books and papers helps you clarify any grammar issues, and it reinforces the stuff you’ve seen so far. But how can you do any revision if you’re lost in clutter?

How to declutter

- Go through all your Spanish stuff and put aside the books and papers you are not using right now.

- Throw away the old jotters and papers full of exercises. You can recycle them.

- Go trough your old books and see if there are any grammar charts that seem clear and interesting to you. If so, do as one of my dear students does, go to a printers shop and get them photocopied to a size A5 and get them bind. This way you’ll have your customized small and easy to carry “Spanish grammar book”.    

- Just keep the stuff you love or need.

I’ll talk to you in the blog  : )

Photo Credit

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