Clutter Wars – It Is Mind Over Matter, Literally
We all have a clutter issue to a varying degree. I admit, that some have it much more than others. However, no one is immune to it and the causes are numerous and with no boundaries. Whatever your sticking point is, look for the reason behind it and question your motives. The answer could be as simple as you just never thought about it or took the time to deal with it.
It could be a little more difficult when emotions are involved like being overly sentimental or having a fear of loss. Once you determine the reason, you are better prepared to deal with the issues. The important thing is to be honest with yourself. Determine if the effort on your part is worth the reward.
Chances are it will not be for a lot of those personal treasures when you take into account factors like limited space, the extra time required to locate things if you can find them at all, and more time needed to take care of them or at least clean around them. Let go of what you can, especially all of that stuff that you forgot that you had. You most likely will live another day without it. The key is to balance your peace of mind with the matter at hand.
Nothing is ever out of place if it never had a place to begin with. Everything needs a home and it needs to be a logical and convenient one at that. It should be where you will look for it first and where you will also put it back with minimal effort. The path of least resistance often gives us the best results. While this is a basic concept, it tends to be a big hurdle when it comes to getting organized.
It takes a lot of extra brain power and effort to try and find a place for every item that gets out of place during the normal course of a day. As a result, it more often than not gets thrown into a corner with an empty promise that it will be dealt with later. And as you well know, later never comes and the problem just has a way of snowballing. Once you have a system in place, it is just a matter of time before you will not mind tidying up nearly as much.
None of us live in a perfect world or a perfect house. We all need a temporary place to stash a few things. Set aside a basket or a drawer for that purpose but live by the game rules. Keep the size reasonable and clean it out once it is full, if not before. It is always best to mind your matters.
Once you identify the underlying reason or reasons for all of the clutter, face your fears and tackle the problem. The organizing process will come much more easily once you realize that your value as a person does not lie within your possessions but within you. At the end of the day, it is your mind and your heart that matters.
