The topic of de-cluttering can be very overwhelming and I’ve found that people who struggle with it the most are the ones who need it the most.  That just makes sense, doesn’t it? 

Today, I’ll give you some motivation, education, and inspiration for getting started on your path to a clutter-controlled existence. Over the next two posts, I’m going to share with you some of the techniques I’ve found to work best, and some of the paradigms I’ve found most inspirational.

1.  Start with your immediate surroundings.  Office, home, home-office.  I always teach that the best way to test this theory of, “Clutter Around You Creates Clutter In Your Brain,” is to clear off your desk except for the one thing you want to work on.  You will be amazed at the increase in your clarity and energy level.  Once you get that one project completed, take a few minutes to organize and prioritize the remaining paper on your desk.  Move on to areas that you see every day.

2.  Listen to your mind.  Clutter is anything unfinished.  What do you think about?  What weighs on your mind?  What area comes up to mind frequently of something that needs to be dealt with?  When I’m feeling confused or overwhelmed as to what to do next, I just get quiet, and ask my subconscious mind for guidance.  Whatever subject pops into my head is what I do and this has never failed me yet.  Your mind knows exactly what order to take things in so let it help you.  Often, we approach things from an overly analytical methodology and that is what holds us back. 

3.  Observe the most commonly overlooked area - your computer.  Clear out your Outlook tasks – one way or another.  In the days of paper-based time management systems, we used to train people that if they had to carry a task over more than X number of times, it probably meant the task was not really important to them and that they probably needed to just drop it.  With electronic systems, it’s easy to just leave the task undone.  This, however, creates mind clutter.  Your subconscious brain knows it is there and every time you open Outlook don’t you get that overwhelming sense of “I’ll never get it all done.”  If you have trouble finding files when you need them, you also need to organize your “My Documents” folder and other areas of your computer as well.

4.  Break big areas down. Basements, attics, seldom used closets and drawers are the areas you always see the gurus on HDTV and the like “making over,” and these are the areas that, once you get them under control, will make you feel truly organized.  It is very liberating to have a spotless home and these are the areas that make it so.  I always focus on them last because it does you very little good to have an organized garage if your desk is still a mess, or there is something more relevant going on in your subconscious.  However, having all of your life de-cluttered and clean will free your mind and energy for use on other, much more productive things, like creativity and intuition.

For most of us, the reason clutter collects in these areas to begin with is because the task of organizing them seems so overwhelming.  But have you ever watched one of those television shows I mentioned earlier?  Even if a team of people go in and get the, for example, garage cleaned out all at once, it still takes them 2-3 days to accomplish it.  Realistically, it’s going to take someone who works full time about a month to tackle just one of these areas.  But, once it’s down – oh, what a feeling!

The mistake most of us make, is that we set our expectations too high.  Don’t necessarily expect that you’ll get the entire basement cleaned out in one day.  Start with one area, perhaps the most critical – the one you use the most.  Once you’ve accomplished that, you’ll feel more motivated to move on to the next area.  In time, you’ll have it the way you want it.

5.  Hire help if necessary.  I am getting ready to hire a woman to come in and help me clean out our basement.  One of the reasons it is still in the shape it is in, is because there are items I cannot move on my own.  Also, if I dedicate a day for it and I’m paying someone, I’ll definitely get as much done as I can.  That’s the advantage to hiring someone over getting your friends to come over and help.  Too often, you end up chatting and reminiscing and get less than desirable results on the de-cluttering.  Trust me, the amount you pay this person will be recouped in many ways.

6.  Conclude unfinished business.  As we get ready for the New Year, let “auld acquaintance be forgot” if necessary.  Forgive those who have hurt you, so that your ego can let go of the memory, and free your mind for better things. People who hurt you are only hurting themselves. When you forgive others you release yourself from their energy and take your power back from them. When you refuse to forgive someone, you are allowing them to hurt you over and over again each time you remember the occurrence.  It was bad enough that they hurt you in some way, but why are you now doing it to yourself?  Forgiving says, “I take back my life.  I choose to live in joy, not hurt.”

7.  Hold on to nothing negative, physically or mentally, so that negativity doesn’t get a hold on you.

In my next post, we’ll explore this topic a little further; I’ll give you some specific guidelines for de-cluttering and we’ll talk more about the importance of letting things go.

Until next time,

Live joyfully!

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