Struggling to keep clutter in check on an ongoing basis? It’s a common problem for many people, but one that can be managed. Physical clutter often leads to mental and emotional clutter and the feeling of being stuck in our lives. By clearing the clutter, you can give yourself the space, time and freedom to take on new challenges and adventures.
Below are a few suggestions to help you keep clutter at bay.
Give Everything a Home
When your items have no place to live, they end up on all the surfaces of your home. The hidden spaces in your home are the key to clearing the clutter on the surfaces. Start with one cabinet, drawer or closet at a time. Sort, purge and categorize items so you know what you actually own. Keep only the items that will fit in the space.
Select Proper Storage Solutions
Often people will purchase an organizing solution because it’s looks functional or it’s cute. Then, before long the unused organizing solutions are piling up as part of the clutter. Organizng is a process and organizing solutions should be purchased AFTER you have sorted, categorized and purged your space. You don’t know what you need to organize the space, until you know what you have in your space. If you go through this process your stuff will tell you what it needs in terms of storage.
Learn New Skills
Not everyone is born to organize. Getting organized is not an innate skill for a lot of people. The good news is that it’s just a skill that many can learn. Organizers call it “skill transference” and we teach clients to organize on a regular basis. If you still struggle, then consider a maintenance plan with your local organizer.
Make a Lifestyle Change
Sometimes getting organized is about making lifestyle changes. There are many people who are just not used to putting their items away; who were never taught how to organize or clean. We see this a lot with young adults who get their first apartment and have a sudden interest in keeping it neat and organized. Changing or creating new habits and can take some time and practice, but well worth the effort.
Buy Less Stuff
You can’t organize yourself out of too much stuff. This is the number one reason many people struggle with clutter. Things keep coming in the door with very little going out. Before you know it, everything is full and spilling over to the counters and floors. Receiving 1 or 2 Amazon packages per day and shopping in bulk may be convenient and satisfying, but not necessarily healthy for you, your family or the environment.
Set Realistic Expectations
No one is going to be clutter free all the time. I often equate clutter to laundry. Unless the entire family strips naked on laundry day, there’s always going to be some laundry that needs washed. For things to get things done, we have to use our stuff. Much like life and laundry, clutter is a cycle. We take our stuff out and use it, then…when we are done, we put it away, or it becomes clutter. By putting our stuff away, we are closing the loop. That cycle will always repeat, so having systems in place to simplify closing the loop is a key to managing the cycle.
Managing the clutter in our lives is an ongoing process and not a one-time event. It’s the little things that we do on a daily and regular basis that help keep us organized. And remember, we are always a click or a phone call away, if the load is too heavy!
Darla Pompilio
Your Tasks Our Time, Organizing Service
www.yourtasksourtime.com
610.847.5422
