Dealing With Clutter

By Jessica Hoelzel
 
When faced with the task of dealing with clutter, oftentimes people either:
1) Deny that clutter exists
“I don’t have that much stuff, really.”
“Oh, I know what’s in there…I think.”
“I need all this stuff.”

2) Conveniently “forget” about it, or push it out of awareness
“Clutter, what clutter?”
“I don’t see anything out of the ordinary.”
“Oh, is that where that stuff went? I forgot I had it.”

3) Put off dealing with clutter until a “better” time
“I’m going to organize that when I’m off work this spring.”
“As soon as I get caught up on housework, I’ll get to it.”
“One of these nights after I get the kids to bed, I’m going to tackle that.”

4) Do not know how to deal with it, and are paralyzed by it
“I have no idea where to start.”
“There is just so much to go through.”
“I can’t do this on my own.”

Do any of these comments sound familiar to you? When you embark on a clutter-clearing endeavor, the first step is realization – realizing what you are actually doing, compared to what you want to be doing. Knowing that, and wanting to change something is the start.

Break out of old patterns and begin anew!

Here are some sure-fire ways to break out of these clutter patterns, take action, and regain some control over clutter.
HINTS:
Start with one room at a time. Go through the steps below for each room, then start over with the steps again and go through them all for the next room.
If you want BIG results, and are feeling “gung-ho”, choose the most cluttered area first.
If you are unsure and nervous, begin with an area that’s not-so-bad first to ease into it.
Keep an electronic or paper journal to keep all you reflections, assessments and plans in one place – and don’t bury it under a pile of clutter!

Do some reflection
After reading the styles of dealing with clutter described above, think about what your tendencies are in a particular area:
Is your style similar to one or more of the categories described?
Do you want to deal with clutter in a different way? How so?
What is your payoff? What is your compelling reason for wanting to change?
How will your life – your home, family, work, etc, you be different if you deal with your clutter in a different way?

Do some assessment
To get clear on what specifically in your environment may be affecting you in negative way, unconsciously or consciously, step into that area and ask yourself:
How do I feel when I am in here?
What do I see around me?
What is bugging me or making me uncomfortable?
What do I want to do – what is my vision for the space?
What support do I need to make it happen?
How much time will I need? (HINT: Then double your estimate.)

Design your reward
Design one big reward, or small rewards along the way as you make progress. These will give you added incentive, and are a nice way to nurture yourself. What appeals to you? Reward yourself with a night out, a good book, dessert, a new electronic or new pair of shoes, for example.

Do some planning and set up your time
Get your calendar out. Find a few three-hour chunks of time. Make an appointment for yourself and your clutter. Remember, this is for you – so adjust your perception around it to be that of commitment. And you are going to honor your commitment to yourself. If you have trouble sticking with the dates you’ve scheduled, go back to your reflection and assessment notes for motivation. If necessary, make your reward bigger or more enticing.

Three-hour chunks of time work best to make a lot of progress and not get burnt out. If you feel inspired to go beyond that – by all means do so – your momentum is likely to build once you see changes being made, so channel that drive. Starting is the hardest part, but begun is half done!

Stay tuned for:
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