Today I have cleared by handbag. Luckily for me this is something I do about once every couple of weeks anyway so it was not too bad. As I was doing it I realised that I didn't want to declutter anything too challenging. Why?
Looking through our bits and pieces is about looking at our lives. As I said a couple of days ago things are not just things they are representations of us and our lives.
I went to a funeral yesterday. I'm tired and have started a cold. I wasn't in the mood for a big declutter. An easy peasy clutter job like my handbag is about all I fancied. I also realised that I wanted to skip a day. I always encourage my clients to do at least ten minutes decluttering a day. It keeps momentum going. It works. Even on a really bad day ten minutes is not much to ask.
Procrastination
One of the many reasons for not dealing with clutter is procrastination. The ten minute technique helps to combat this. It gently breaks the resistance we have towards a task.
Be kind to yourself........ but don't give in either!
28 January 2010
27 January 2010
Decluttering Challenge: Day 3
Where do all the socks go?
Last light I sorted through the odd sock drawer! I managed to put together four pairs that had a match but the other 21 had no partner. How can this be? Where do they all go?
I remember when my eldest was a teen she used to ask me where all her socks got to. I used to tell her about the mystery of the odd socks that everyone seemed to be victim of. She didn't believe me. Now she has her own place she wonders too about the mystery of the odd socks.
I'm not going to throw them away until I've decluttered the whole house. Just in case! If at the end of the declutter, I can't find the matching pairs then I will either try and donate them to a playgoup/school to make sock puppets (will this infringe health and safety, I ask?) or I will throw them away.
It also makes me wonder how many things we misplace only we don't notice because they are not part of a pair.
For those of you who really want to tackle this annoyance there is a handy little gadget sold by lakeland: Sock Savers
The missing scissors
I have spent quite a lot of precious time acusing people of taking my scissors. Over the last three days I have found 6 pairs of scissors in the places I have decluttered. Mmmmm interesting. It was me after all. Sorry everyone!
Last light I sorted through the odd sock drawer! I managed to put together four pairs that had a match but the other 21 had no partner. How can this be? Where do they all go?
I remember when my eldest was a teen she used to ask me where all her socks got to. I used to tell her about the mystery of the odd socks that everyone seemed to be victim of. She didn't believe me. Now she has her own place she wonders too about the mystery of the odd socks.
I'm not going to throw them away until I've decluttered the whole house. Just in case! If at the end of the declutter, I can't find the matching pairs then I will either try and donate them to a playgoup/school to make sock puppets (will this infringe health and safety, I ask?) or I will throw them away.
It also makes me wonder how many things we misplace only we don't notice because they are not part of a pair.
For those of you who really want to tackle this annoyance there is a handy little gadget sold by lakeland: Sock Savers
The missing scissors
I have spent quite a lot of precious time acusing people of taking my scissors. Over the last three days I have found 6 pairs of scissors in the places I have decluttered. Mmmmm interesting. It was me after all. Sorry everyone!
26 January 2010
Decluttering Challenge: Day 2
Last night I didn't have much time so I only did ten mins of clutter clearing. In that time I managed to do one underwear draw. A couple of things struck me:
Wasting money
Clutter clearing can help you save money. I found a couple of medicine items in my drawer that I had long forgotten I had. They are the kind of things that I would have purchased again if I needed them. Finding things you had forgotten you had means you spend less money.
When people are very cluttered they can spend hundreds of pounds a year purchasing things they already have hidden somewhere amongst their clutter. Trying to find those things would take too much time or sometimes people forget that they even have them.
Things Represent Something About Us
The things around us represent something about us (apart from presents which represent something about the people who send them - more on that another day I expect). Thngs are just symbols. Sometimes the symbols are useful, sometimes they are just for our visual pleasure. Somtimes they hold us back.
For example a fully equiped kitchen, brimming with tools, gadgets and baking tins can mean a few things:
What could lots of clutter say about you?
Just living in the present
Really living in the present means being surrounded with only things that represent us now. For me decluttering last night this was quite a difficult thing. I found things that don't fit me now but did fit me a year ago. I'm not planning on loosing lots of weight again any time soon but getting rid of the clothes means accepting myself the way that I am. It means for me - jumping on the scales to see exactly how much weight I have put on in a year. Gulp!
So ..... decluttering means facing up to things: about who we are, who we want to be. And if we want to make changes - that's great. If we don't - that's great too. Be honest. Be realistic.
Wasting money
Clutter clearing can help you save money. I found a couple of medicine items in my drawer that I had long forgotten I had. They are the kind of things that I would have purchased again if I needed them. Finding things you had forgotten you had means you spend less money.
When people are very cluttered they can spend hundreds of pounds a year purchasing things they already have hidden somewhere amongst their clutter. Trying to find those things would take too much time or sometimes people forget that they even have them.
Things Represent Something About Us
The things around us represent something about us (apart from presents which represent something about the people who send them - more on that another day I expect). Thngs are just symbols. Sometimes the symbols are useful, sometimes they are just for our visual pleasure. Somtimes they hold us back.
For example a fully equiped kitchen, brimming with tools, gadgets and baking tins can mean a few things:
- You do a lot of cooking
- You would like to do a lot of cooking
- You used to do a lot of cooking
- You think you should be doing a lot of cooking
- You think you might do a lot of cooking one day in the future
- People around you think you should, or want you to do lots of cooking
What could lots of clutter say about you?
- I'm really busy
- I'm not interested in my home as much as other things in my life
- I'm ill
- I can't be bothered
- I can't let go of the past
- There are so many of us in the house
- I don't like throwing anything away
- I like to keep things just in case
- My possessions make me feel secure
- I don't want to let go of the past
Just living in the present
Really living in the present means being surrounded with only things that represent us now. For me decluttering last night this was quite a difficult thing. I found things that don't fit me now but did fit me a year ago. I'm not planning on loosing lots of weight again any time soon but getting rid of the clothes means accepting myself the way that I am. It means for me - jumping on the scales to see exactly how much weight I have put on in a year. Gulp!
So ..... decluttering means facing up to things: about who we are, who we want to be. And if we want to make changes - that's great. If we don't - that's great too. Be honest. Be realistic.
25 January 2010
Decluttering Challenge: Day 1
It was interesting last night. I set about decluttering my toiletries basket and one draw from a chest of drawers. I thought I wouldn't have much to do. More than half the stuff had to go.
What happens over time is that we change. As we change the 'things' that once supported us are no longer important or needed. They belong to who we were then not who we are now.
As I was working away last night (I did around half an hour in the end) I realised that in order to declutter easily you need to have the following in mind:
Decluttering Tips
What happens over time is that we change. As we change the 'things' that once supported us are no longer important or needed. They belong to who we were then not who we are now.
As I was working away last night (I did around half an hour in the end) I realised that in order to declutter easily you need to have the following in mind:
Decluttering Tips
- Decluttering can bring up a lot of extra 'things to do'. If you are very decluttered this can be bad news. Your focus needs to be on the decluttering not on giving yourself extra jobs.
- Don't overdo it! Decluttering can be really energising and if you are enjoying the process you can bulid up a full head of steam and keep going for hours. This is not necessarily a good idea - you can exhaust yourself and this can put you off for the next day.
24 January 2010
Decluttering Challenge
I'm putting my money where my mouth is again starting this evening. I'm going to go through my whole house decluttering. This will include my garage, shed and car. I will blog about it so that people can see decluttering in action from a declutterer!
The challenge is for me to declutter something everyday. That's the challenge I set my clients. I haven't decluttered thoroughly for a couple of years so it will be really good for me to see what its like to be on the other side again.
The aims then are to:
The challenge is for me to declutter something everyday. That's the challenge I set my clients. I haven't decluttered thoroughly for a couple of years so it will be really good for me to see what its like to be on the other side again.
The aims then are to:
- declutter for at least ten minutes everyday
- describe my progress on this blog
- only keep what I use, really need, or love
- as I declutter find - ways to improve things around the house
21 January 2010
Inspiration
I love the motivation and positive feelings I get when I've been inspired by someone or something but more than that I love to share things that I have found to be helpful. Here are some of the things that helped me on my decluttering. organisation and time management journey:
Clear Your Clutter by Karen Kingston
It was after reading this book several years ago that I started my own decluttering journey. It really inspired me. Its very easy to read and the principles it teaches apply to everyone.
Mark Forster
Mark Forster is a self-confessed, naturally disorganised person. His attempts to master this have led him to create some really helpful time management books. I've also attended one of his seminar days which was excellent. He is constantly reviewing his techniques and developing better ways to get and stay organised.
Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play
This book helps you to get from chaos and disorganisation to inner peace and control over your work and commitments.
How to Make Your Dreams Come True
An inspirational book which will guide and encourage you to fullfill your dreams.
Feel free to share any of your inspirations too.
Clear Your Clutter by Karen Kingston
It was after reading this book several years ago that I started my own decluttering journey. It really inspired me. Its very easy to read and the principles it teaches apply to everyone.
Mark Forster
Mark Forster is a self-confessed, naturally disorganised person. His attempts to master this have led him to create some really helpful time management books. I've also attended one of his seminar days which was excellent. He is constantly reviewing his techniques and developing better ways to get and stay organised.
Get Everything Done and Still Have Time to Play
This book helps you to get from chaos and disorganisation to inner peace and control over your work and commitments.
How to Make Your Dreams Come True
An inspirational book which will guide and encourage you to fullfill your dreams.
Feel free to share any of your inspirations too.
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