In order to reduce clutter, we need to get rid of more than we bring in. Think like a mathematician, the rate at which we bring things in needs to be less than the rate at which we remove things.
Tips on how to bring in less:
Tips on how to remove things:
Do you hold onto things because you think you might need them someday? It’s tempting to believe in someday. However, I want you to reconsider and think about these possible scenarios.
Someday arrives and…
In my 14 years of helping people organize their homes, these scenarios happen all the time. People cling to items thinking they will be of value at some point in the future. They can’t pinpoint when that timeframe is, so they use the word someday. However a much more common occurrence is the someday they’ve been waiting, and waiting and waiting for, never arrives!
I do want to point out the difference between being prepared for possible emergencies and disasters verses holding onto items for a hypothetical someday. When you build an emergency kit you’re taking precautions to protect you and your family. When you cling to items that you MIGHT use SOMEDAY you’re avoiding making a decision on these items.
Therefore I urge you to let go of someday! Make room for today.
©October 2021 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer All rights reserved
Empty space does not equal available space. Allow yourself some breathing room and wiggle room. Spaces will function more efficiently if they are not over stuffed. Allow yourself empty space in closets, file cabinets, kitchen cupboards, dresser drawers, and book shelves. This will make organizing and maintaining those spaces much easier.
Someday is not a day of the week! When you find yourself using that word, stop and replace it with a definite date or time. If you can’t pinpoint a definite date or time, let it go. I use an exit strategy to help me get rid of things.
First of all, what is clutter? What does it look like to you? My definition of clutter is a jumbled mess of miscellaneous stuff that has accumulated as a result of indecision and inaction. It’s piles of mail, heaps of clothes, and a tangled mess of adapters and earbuds. So how do we get rid of it?
Clutter buster tip #1
Reclaim order often and ask yourself two questions:
Reclaiming order is the process it takes for us to create order after we’ve made a mess of things. For example if all the laundry was clean and put away, how long would it take for more dirty laundry to appear? Less than one day, right? That is natural disorder. We wear our clothes and get them dirty, and then they need to be laundered. Those three steps create the organizing flow (see diagram). The more often we complete the organizing flow circle, the less clutter and mess we have to address. I’m not recommending we do laundry every day, but I am recommending we do it often enough so it doesn’t become an overwhelming task. This organizing flow circle works for all areas of clutter, mail, clothes, cosmetics, tech paraphernalia, email, and the like. The key is to reclaim order in a timely manner so clutter doesn’t have a chance to grow and take root.
Clutter buster tip #2
Say No! and use gatekeeper questions.
A very effective way of reducing clutter is preventing it from coming into our homes in the first place. This is often easier said than done, but there are things we can do to stop clutter at the door. One option is to get removed from mailing lists, both electronic and snail mail. Use the national do not mail list. Another option is to see what makes up the piles of clutter and figure out who brings it into the house. Is it clothes, books, paper, or toys? Have the person responsible use a list of gatekeeper questions before bringing anything new into the house. These questions help determine the usefulness and practicality of items. Some examples are: Why are we buying you? What value will you add to our household? Where do we have a place for you? What will happen if we don’t buy you today? The point of these questions is to make you stop and think about what you’re bringing in before it gets to your door.
Clutter buster tip #3
Adopt a return-home-routine.
Give yourself 5 to 10 minutes when you return home to take care of anything you brought home with you. I mean anything. Put your keys and handbag in a specific spot. Hang up your coat and put away your shoes. Take care of receipts, mail, and other items you carried in with you. Find a destination for any new purchases you bought. Do this every time you enter your home so it becomes a habit. This helps prevent piles of clutter from growing. We need to be diligent and have a do-it-now attitude, because clutter is a social creature and will attract other clutter if we let it.
©January 2020 Janine Cavanaugh, Certified Professional Organizer® All Rights Reserved
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