Clutter - what is it? And, when is it time to deal with it?

Clutter...What is it and when is it time to deal with it?

Clutter is really anything that gets in the way of your ability to live the life you want, get the things done that you need to get done and enjoy your life the way you want to. It can be physical or mental clutter.

Ask yourself these questions to determine if its time to deal with clutter in your life:

Is it easy and efficient to get the everyday chores done? (e.g. laundry, paying bills, filing paperwork)
Is it relaxing and calm when you walk in the door at home?
Do you feel good about your home and your interior spaces at home and comfortable if a friend stops by unexpectedly?
Do you feel like you are on top of all of the paperwork, social events, kids events in your life?

If you answered No to any of these, it may be time to take a look around and deal with the clutter that may be the problem. Clutter is physical, but it is also mental, it could be too many commitments or responsibilities.

When you get rid of the clutter that is getting in your way, you will be amazed about how your life opens up and new possibilities for happiness emerge.

AND, clutter actually costs you in hard $

late fees or interest charges because you didn’t pay a bill on time
buying redundant items because you can’t find something or forgot you had it
last minute fees like paying to mail something overnight
keeping items that you meant to return because it got lost in the shuffle instead of making it out to your car to be returned
clothing that gets ruined or doesn’t look good anymore because it was at the bottom of a pile or smushed it into a “too tight” closet
missing tax deductions because your tax paperwork wasn’t organized
throwing out food that has gone bad
having to pay for repairs for equipment that is under warranty because you couldn’t find the receipt or warranty information
paying for additional storage

The first step to getting organized and decluttering is to decide that you really want to do something about the situation. It’s hard work to get organized and get rid of clutter. There’s really no way around it. If you aren’t motivated you may find yourself becoming frustrated and it may be hard to complete your organizing projects. Wait until you are really ready!

Once you have decided that its time, ask yourself do I want to do this with someone or by myself? If you don’t want to do it by yourself, will your spouse, partner, housemate, friend be willing to help? If not, think about hiring a professional organizer. It will make the job easier, go faster and save you valuable time for other activities you enjoy.

Then, its time to tackle the piles and declutter. I always say the best organizing strategy is to have less stuff! Getting rid of unwanted items clears your space and makes room for the things you love. Plus, you may be helping someone who really needs your donation. Or, you can collect some cash by selling your clutter.

Letting go is really hard for many of us, some of the things we tell ourselves about why we are keeping something:

I paid good $ for that
I might need it someday
I can’t get this anymore
I will forget the person who gave it to me or the time when I enjoyed using this

if any of these are tripping you up, go back to your original reasons for wanting to get organized, review the list of how clutter costs you $ and think about the life you want. If these items are not supporting you in your goals and dreams are they really worth keeping? When you keep everything, it diminishes the importance of everything.

When you review the list of the ways that clutter can cost you, think about what else you could be doing with that $. First, you would probably pay for the cost of the professional organizer, but you could also start saving $ for your travel fund, your kids education or things that you enjoy and make you happy.

Check out the eHow site for ideas for dealing with clutter.

When you are ready, give me a call, I can help you and I guarantee that you will be glad that you finally decided to do something about the clutter.

Brenda Rau, Let’s Get Organized! www.letsgetorganized.org, brenda@letsgetorganized.org