Today’s post will be short as I am installing new organizing systems in two closets. I’ve been doing a lot of de-cluttering and re-organizing lately. Between my 30-day Paperless Experiment and preparing for my husband’s dental office expansion, it seems like my entire life revolves around finding better ways to store and retrieve things - all sorts of things.
I’m amazed at how much life continues to teach us, especially when we think we understand a subject the most. Saturday, on a drive with my husband, he asked me if I thought it would be a good idea to put the current reception area television in the new team lounge. In going back and forth on the subject, considering all the pros and cons, the ultimate decision factor comes down to clutter. I started thinking about all of the things that are planned for the new team lounge when it occurred to me that one more thing just might put that room over the top - from a “relaxing break from the daily grind” to “over-stimulating room that had just as well not be there.”
So I said to my husband, “I’m worried that it might just be more clutter for the team lounge.” His response was, “But it could be mounted on the wall and not be clutter at all.”
The conversation reminded me of another definition of clutter that I fail to mention to audiences and that is, “clutter is anything unsightly.” When you walk into a room, it should be visually appealing. Anything that makes the room “too busy,” makes us feel uneasy. Whether it’s piles of needless paper, disorganized kitchen utensils, old magazines strewn about, too many floral patterns in the decorating, or just too much stuff in too little space, it’s all clutter. Even unwanted, non-relaxing sound, like that that comes from a television, can be counted as clutter.
So as you are organizing your home, office, and life, take a good look around, listen, and then notice how you feel about what you see and hear. Get rid of anything that displeases you in any way. You’ll be glad you did.
Until next time,
Live Joyfully!
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Posted under Motivation, Success
This post was written by Debra Moorhead, Motivational Speaker, Author, and Coach on January 28, 2008
Hi Debra,
Great post. I am a Professional Organizer and I agree. I always ask clients how they feel when they walk into their space. Clutter is VERY emotional. Our outside environment impacts our inside environment and vice-versa.
I’ve found that de-cluttering (what I call clutter management) is more about emotion than it is about stuff. In working through the emotion while working on the stuff, I’ve found clients to better maintain the organized spaces. A wonderful book was recommended to me and I am recommending it to my clients. It’s called >a href=”http://www.imheart.net/index.html”>I.M. Heart. By Sue McDaniel. It helps people to work though their feelings and emotions by giving tools and strategies Unveiling the layers of thoughts and stories that cause their clutter.
Thank you for the wonderful post on clutter. Please contact me if you have any organizing questions.
Create a great day!
Mary :>)
Hi Debra,
Me again. The link didn’t come up. But the book again is: “I.M. Heart” by Sue McDaniel.
Thank you,
Mary :>)
Hi, Mary. Thanks for the input and the book suggestion - I’ll check it out!
Yep, taking the junk out of yuor life is important. But there’s more to it than just that.
I don’t know how you feel about this, but you can have cluttered energy in a place as well as clutter from objects.
The whole idea of clearing your space needs to be accepted as being broader than most tend to think of it.
In our line of work we have sometimes met with objects which just need to go. They have a nasty energy attached to them and are helping no-one.
But, as with most things, it is the initial learning to ‘feel’ your environment which is the most important thing, and clearing your physical clutter is a great place to start.
Thanks, Nigel!
Debra,
This came in perfect timing. I just moved into a new apartment. There was something wrong with my beadroom–i just felt uneasy. Clutter is the answer. I need to go through and throw away any objects that detract from the space. Thanks!
You’re welcome, Kiersten. Good luck and let me know how it goes!