Get Rid of Clutter!

You can do it! And no, this does not mean throwing everything into a closet! If you are the typical American, you probably have a great deal of stuff. From clothing to collectables, photographs, CD’s and tapes (or worse, records and eight-tracks!), books, sports equipment, hobbysupplies, tons of kitchen gadgets, a bathroom cabinet filled with old prescriptions and makeup and on and on…the list is endless. Getting rid of things you no longer use or like is essential. You might be holding onto stuff for sentimental reasons. My neighbors have an ancient boat and an old Dodge Caravan that have been sitting on their property as major eyesores for years. My neighbor admitted to me that he is holding onto the boat for sentimental reasons—that it was his family’s boat. To that, I said nothing…but I have sworn that the next time the subject comes up, I will say: “OK, then fix it up, use it and have new memories—or, take a photograph of it and dump it!” The truth is, saying that an object has sentimental meaning is usually just an excuse not to deal with getting rid of it. Besides, how many times are these revered objects actually looked at; most of the time they are simply gathering dust in the garage or in a closet. You might have to get tough on yourself. Meanwhile, I am serious—if a never used object has meaning to you, take a picture of it and save the memories in that manner. Actually starting an organizing project might be the toughest aspect of the job. I know people who have groaned about their messes for years, but are so overwhelmed by the seemingly insurmountable work that they are rendered incapable of doing anything. Instead of focusing on your entire home, decide what single space in your house bothers you the most. What space haunts you in its need for an organizational overhaul? The space could be as small as a single junk drawer in your kitchen or as large as your two-car garage that is filled with several generations’ worth of cast-offs. If the prospect of organizing is akin to a trip to the dentist, start with a small space. If cheap psychological tricks—like rewarding yourself for a job done—work, employ them. Conversely, do not try to organize a space so large that the project could take weeks—forcing you to look at depressing piles of things waiting to be organized or removed. Take that large space and divide it into easily managed projects. Until you feel confident with the skill of organizing, focus on projects that you can complete in a couple of hours. You will feel good about your work and how the newly-arranged spaces feel, thus giving you a sense of self-assurance that will make your bigger jobs a welcome challenge. /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Excerpt from the award winning book, Harmonious Environment: Beautify, Detoxify & Energize Your Life, Your Home & Your Planet, copyright 2007. My next post will discuss specifics.