Ask Erin | The Cure for Clutter

by Erin Sharplin Love | erinlove@panachebyerin.com

Getting rid of clutter and organizing the essentials isn’t just about devising a new storage system. It should be about figuring out why you are holding on to the stuff in the first place. You might have tried to get organized many times, but you find yourself eventually reverting to chaos.  That is because you have not figured out why!  I have said many times – being organized is a permanent lifestyle change.  Just like a diet, a business, and even our hairstyles, if they are not maintained on a permanent basis, they will inevitably take a downward spiral.

Being organized and clearing clutter will have an immediate and permanent effect on you and your family.  Less clutter means you won’t have so much housework, which means more family time.  You will also be much healthier in the long run.  What makes your home look better also boosts how you feel physically.

• Increased immunity – Clutter makes it tough to really get in there to disinfect and scrub spaces.  The mess can result in dust, germs, and even mold.

• Brain boost – There have been numerous studies that show a cluttered area can cause unneeded distractions and cause brain fog and procrastination.  Organize and immediately receive a brain boost!

• Energy surge – Clutter leads to fatigue. Specifically, decision fatigue. Decision fatigue occurs when everything you look at, and therefore think about, is calling out for attention and action.  When many things compete for our visual attention, it takes much more energy to stay on task.

Now, let’s get onto why you are holding onto items and remaining cluttered.  You could suffer from one, or all, of the hang ups below.  But don’t worry!  These are all completely natural and I will give you actions to take to combat them.

1. Guilt – The number one reason you may be holding on to items is guilt.  When you hold onto Grandma’s chair and Dad’s old records, but they are hogging much needed space, you are confusing belongings with relationships.  You are most likely thinking that if you let go of these items, that you are letting go of the memories themselves.  You can most certainly retain memories and let go of unusable items at the same time.  If you can’t display or use something, let it go.  It may sting just a tad, but you will recover and be happier for it in the future.  Here are a few ways to retain the memories, but let go at the same time:

• Write a few memories that you have about the item, take a picture of it, and frame the note and the picture together.

• If the collection is large , keep only one or two pieces.  For instance, one of my clients inherited her grandmother’s china, but had no way to store it, much less use it.  She chose to keep one set of the teacups, and she uses it religiously to enjoy her nightly cup of tea.  That one teacup means more to her than the entire set ever would.

• Let’s say the things you are holding onto are pictures, letters, or papers.  Purchase or utilize a bin with a top.  Label it keepsakes and fill it with whatever your heart desires.  The trick is to let go of everything else that will not fit into the bin.  So, choose wisely and go into the process knowing that some things will have to go.  You may also want to leave room for “future things.”

2. Indecision – You don’t want to expend the brain power to make decisions on items, so you procrastinate and the situation gets worse.  This is indecision.  You feel like you are giving yourself a break. but you are actually making it harder on yourself for the future.   Below are my tips for combating indecision.

• Just start!  Take one stack, drawer, or space, set a timer for ten minutes and take action immediately.  If you feel like doing more after the ten minutes is up, keep going; otherwise set a date to go through these motions again and again until the area is organized.

• Stop adding to or creating new piles immediately.  For instance, when you go to the mailbox today, go straight to the trash can and toss trash mail, place items in a “to-do” folder or tray, and do not add anything to a pile.  Creating a new habit and system will make it easier to control the current chaos and prevent it in the future.

3. Procrastination – Simply put, you are neglecting your responsibilities.  For instance, not putting items back where they go after using them is simply procrastination.  Procrastination breeds clutter.  This can be a simple habit to break, too, so don’t fret.

• Starting today, when you take your shoes off, put them up.

• Create a drop zone for backpacks and schoolwork.  Point the direction immediately upon entering the house.  This will become habit for your kids, too.

• Create a habit of clearing trash from your vehicle while pumping gas or at the end of each day. Add a deep clean to your Sunday to-do list.

• Save ten minutes just before bed to make a clean sweep through the house and return any items to their home.

4. Unrealistic Expectations – Maybe you are holding onto clothes that haven’t fit for years or you are holding on to projects that you have no plans of starting.  This is wishful thinking. also known as unrealistic expectation.  We all suffer from this trap, including me!  I frequently have to schedule time to complete a project or ditch it altogether.  Here are a few more options for combating unrealistic expectations:

• Old clothes that are too small are probably making you feel bad every time you look at them, so ditch them now and dress the body you have now.  If you get down to your ideal weight, reward yourself with new clothes!

• Keep a “donate” bin in your closet.  When it gets full, take it to your preferred donation location. •
Limit the number of craft projects you take on unless you have the room to store them all.  Set deadlines for each one and buy  only what is needed for that particular one.

• Do you have a lot of kitchen appliances and utensils but don’t like to cook or bake?  That is me 100%!  That is why I limit the items in my kitchen to necessities only.

• Do you have a ton of books but no time to read them?  Pare them down and purchase a kindle or visit your local library.  I love books and have a good collection.  Once I read a book, I donate it or, if  I want to refer back to it, I keep it.  I also make time to read daily.

Once you know why you are holding onto items, it is so much easier to develop a plan of attack.  As you tackle each project. you will gain clarity, confidence, and momentum!  But, as always, if you have any trouble. don’t hesitate to contact me!  erinlove@panachebyerin.com