What’s clutter go to do with it?

Organized Files I crave order yet I don’t quite have all systems in place. On the other hand, I know I’ve made a lot of progress. For example, I used to allow The New York Times to pile up on the floor of my apartment. I felt as if I were missing something if I didn’t read every article in every section of every edition. That’s a lot of reading on a daily basis! Who has time for that? I didn’t, but I told myself I “should” and therefore I wasn’t being as productive as I needed to be if I didn’t finish the newspaper. That’s a lot of unnecessary pressure, but typical of a perfectionist.

These days, I do seem to have a system in place for the mail. I check the box in the lobby and bring the pile upstairs. Catalogs and other “junk” mail get sorted right away. I shred labels and any markings with my address and recycle the rest. (I do contact companies to get removed from mailing lists but I feel like there’s always something new.) Next, I open the bills and Keith files the sections that need to be returned with payment and I file the pages we need for reference of expenses. The miscellaneous pages get shredded (I do love the paper shredder!). Finally, I review any other correspondence and either respond, file papers in a circular file for reference and follow-up, or shred the documents. Whew! It sounds like a lot of steps but if I do this daily, the paper doesn’t pile up and it’s a relief.

Organized KitchenThe kitchen is a “biggie” for me and a lot of my clients. If there is no order in the kitchen, I cannot think clearly about what I want to eat, how I want to prepare my food or what I want to store it in for convenience (Am I going to need to eat outside the apartment, and, if so, how am I carrying around the meal?). Or, if I can’t find all the ingredients I want in my morning smoothie, I am tempted to skip it and then that leads to hunger and cravings. I cannot allow that to happen. New clients are sometimes “quick” to say they don’t have time to make a morning smoothie because it takes too long. I understand the feeling, because I’ve been there, but I know that it is more about not having order in the kitchen and a system in place (knowing wh at ingredients you are going to use and having them readily available) than a true lack of time.

Disorganized basementOrganizing the basement in the Berkshires seemed so overwhelming! Keith and I would go up to the Berkshires for the weekend, look at the stuff and say, “we really need to clean this,” and then we wouldn’t tackle the task because we either wanted to relax or take a ride and enjoy the beauty and culture of the region. Most things were in boxes or large bags and it seemed daunting to sit and sort through the years of our lives and decide what we wanted to keep and what could be tossed. Finally, this past weekend was the right time to do it. So, we devised a plan, stuck to it and it worked!

What did I learn? Though it does take time, if you clearly block out the time and focus (so you don’t feel as if you are missing out on something else), you can accomplish what you set out to do. Yes, you can take breaks for water, snacks and to just breathe and appreciate the work you are doing. Secondly, having support is vital to success. My sister and brother-in-law were great sounding boards for questions such as, “do I really need this?” And, they helped to organize the storage of items that were being kept (from important papers to sports memorabilia to our extra set of pots and pans for Passover). Finally, I got that this isn’t necessarily the first and last time I will review the contents of the boxes. It’s a process. This time it was to determine what can be donated to charity, what needed to be filed (tax papers, etc.), what could be purged and the memories of childhood that still held meaning for us.

Now, everything is neatly stored and labeled. It’s such a relief and a sense of accomplishment because now we don’t have to dread the basement when we walk into the house. I know I can breathe much more easily now.

Clutter isn’t only external – it crowds our minds and bodies as well. We feel it physically and it can have a huge impact on our health and well-being.

Is their clutter in your life? If so, what steps can you take now to get organized?

Next Steps:

  1. Planning timeAsk yourself – Do I have systems in place to manage my stuff? [be honest – it’s for your own good]
  2. Assess your space. Do you have stuff lying around that either needs to be purged or put away?
  3. Look in your calendar and PLAN time to deal with your clutter. [purge, organize to keep]
  4. Create systems for future intake of papers, books, etc.
  5. Seek support. [family, friends, professional organizer]

These steps will help you to get organized and create a balanced life to support a healthy mind, body and spirit. If you are concerned about your lifestyle (clutter…) and eating habits and want to discuss options for change, contact me at or call 413-282-7286. At Bravo! Wellness, I work with my clients to create manageable lifestyle changes so they are able to achieve their greatest potential in life, health and business.

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One Response to "What’s clutter go to do with it?"
  1. I think the clutter thing has a whole lot to do with nurturing ourselves. Sometimes when we cannot get organized about our perceived BIG DEAL (like meal planning or shopping), we can organize something small–like our desk or a drawer with our clothes. It’s medicine. I can often deal with the demons in my desk easier than the demons of chaos in my fridge. It’s easier to love myself through the chaos of something that isn’t so “loaded” .

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