Does Clutter Define You?

Does Clutter Define You?Posted on January 25, 2011 by Linda Clevenger

Does Clutter Define You?.<img title="An cluttered living room" src="http://www.organizationdirect.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/IMG00607-150x150.jpg" height="124" alt="" width="154" />

When you walk into your home or office do you feel drained, depressed, overwhelmed?   Do you want to turn around and leave again?  Does it just suck your energy right from you?

Some typical comments I hear every week are are….”I didn’t used to be this way”.   “I am really OCD, but….”.  “I don’t want to live like this anymore”.  When you are able to change the way that you think about your clutter you are able to get rid of it.  Clutter can’t be organized, it has to be eliminated.

So where do you start?  That seems to be the problem.  There is so much clutter that you just don’t know where to begin.  While working with clients, I recommend that they not procrastinate.  Start with the room that causes you the most distress.  Seeing immediate improvement is imperative to creating results.  Without progress you will find yourself feeling depressed and distressed and giving up before really making progress.

If you don’t feel that you can handle  yourself,  get help.  Find a willing and able relative, neighbor or friend that will hold you accountable.  The key to having someone that you know helping you is that they can’t allow you to hold on to things.  They need to be slightly pushy to help you make a decision to get rid of your clutter.  And the key is that it all has to leave your home.  It can’t go into their home, where you can have easy access to it again.  It needs to go to a charity or the trash.  Out of your home, site and space.

As a last resort, you may consider hiring an Organizing Consultant.  What sets us apart from your relative, neighbor or friend is that we will gently guide you to make decisions, we aren’t emotionally attached to your things or items.  While we understand the sentimental value of some items, we also know what questions to ask you to help you make a decision to eliminate your clutter.  This allows progress to occur quicker and easier.

A Professional Organizer/Organizing Consultant will also give you guidance and direction to motivate you to get it done yourself too.  This will save you money, time and effort.  It also makes you take ownership for your clutter and this is extremely important to ensure that it doesn't creap back into your space.  Having everything in its proper space and a proper home is the key to becoming organized.  Remember, your home or office is only so big...you can't bring in everything.  Only the things that are important or necessary. 

You deserve to live your life without chaos, overwhelm and depression.  Make the conscious choice to removing your clutter in 2011.  This can be the year that will allow you to be You!