YOU CAN’T ORGANIZE CLUTTER
How many times have you looked around your home and thought “I need to buy more bins so I can be organized”? This concept is not organizing your home, it’s hiding what you have in order to make you seem more organized. Part of the reason you are feeling anxiety and stress at home is because you’ve accumulated too much “stuff”. By buying more bins, you are creating MORE room in your home for MORE stuff to sneak in so you can buy MORE bins...a never ending cycle. Organizing requires letting go of items that have become a source of anxiety and stealing the peace from the life you envision, then organizing whats left in a system tailored to your lifestyle.
TO GET THE LIFE YOU WANT, YOU NEED TO CHANGE THE LIFE YOU HAVE
You’ve met these people before. You know, the ones who keep saying they are going to clean that basement or garage someday and are so convincing…until you’ve heard it for three years and nothing has changed. In order to become truly intentional we need to support it with action otherwise it is just a dream. Challenge yourself to spend some time answering these questions:
1. When I envision a peaceful life, what does that actually look like?
2. How can I take steps to make it a reality?
3. What might I feel after my dream becomes a reality?
4. Is that important enough to me to take action now?
CLUTTER IS NOT ONLY THE TRINKETS OR CLOTHES YOU HAVE.
Once you get a handle on your home environment, it’s time to look at other things in your life that may be taking peace from you. It’s time to clean your digital and emotional clutter!
Cell Phones:
1. Delete pictures (you know the screen shots of payment receipts and weird trees you thought were captivating at the moment).
2. Get rid of apps you don’t use.
3. Delete contacts that you don’t even recognize (please tell me I’m not the only one).
4. Keep notifications to a minimum, especially email (unless your business relies on being notified of incoming emails).
Computers:
1. Create a filing system and file documents in folders.
2. Clear your email of spam or outdated correspondence you don’t need.
3. Create folders in the email to save read emails so your inbox only has new emails that need attention. After you read and responded, file it in a designated folder.
4. Unsubscribe to emails (again and again).
Emotional:
1. Work hard to create healthy habits and patterns that get you closer to your goals
2. Forgive others, not for them but for you.
3. Fight the voices that tell you “I can’t” or “I’m not smart enough”.
4. Limit the time you spend watching the news or forgo it all together.
5. Get counseling to change habits that don’t work for you anymore.
ASK YOURSELF WHY AND THEN WHAT
1. Why do I procrastinate? What can I do to motivate myself?
2. Why did this clutter get out of control? What new behaviors will prevent it from happening again?
3. Why do I purchase things I don’t need? What questions should I ask myself when thinking of purchasing something?
There is always a “why” to behaviors, but if you have a solid plan on “what” to ask yourself, it can change your life in many ways. The “what” makes your choices intentional and by being intentional you are keeping clutter from entering your life. The quality of your life is determined by the decisions you make. You have the power to change the why and the what.
ANXIETY USUALLY PRECEDES PEACE
What will really happen if you open yourself up to the anxiety of change? Some of the best things happen after the storm. When the sun is shining again and you can see how that storm cleansed everything, making it new. It’s the same feeling when you tackle clutter with steadfast determination. You are cleansed of stressful clutter and you can appreciate the life you have created YOURSELF. You succeeded and it feels empowering! Temporary anxiety is better than continuous anxiety.
YOU are in control of your life and the decisions you make could have a huge impact on the trajectory of your life going forward. I wish you the best on your journey to a peaceful life.