\u201cPhysical clutter can create mental clutter,\u201d said Rachel Rosenthal, a professional organizer and founder of Rachel and Company<\/a>, which offers in-person services in Washington D.C., and an online organizing course.<\/p>\n Our stuff can create \u201ca feeling of weight on our shoulders or anxiety,\u201d and it\u2019s not until we deal with that physical clutter that we can release those soul-sucking feelings, Rosenthal said.<\/p>\n But right now you feel too overwhelmed to even start. You are paralyzed. And it all just feels so daunting. There\u2019s just so much stuff. And I don\u2019t have much time. Where do I actually begin? How do I decide what to actually let go of? <\/em><\/p>\n Below, you\u2019ll find the answers to these questions\u2014and hopefully you\u2019ll see that while decluttering isn\u2019t effortless, it can be easier than we make it out to be when we\u2019re feeling especially bogged down.<\/p>\n Start with your values. <\/strong>\u201cAll our choices really come back to our values so the more familiar we are with these, the easier our life becomes,\u201d said Rachael Walden<\/a>, a psychologist in Australia\u00a0who helps smart, health-conscious professionals unlock the life they want. \u201cThis is decluttering our brain in its truest form\u2014the \u2018white noise\u2019 of indecision is gone and we can just solve the immediate issue with a minimum of fuss.\u201d<\/p>\n In other words, knowing our values provides us with a roadmap for making decisions. It makes it easier to know just how much stuff we want to declutter, and how much time we want to spend doing so. It makes it easier to know what to keep and what to let go.<\/p>\n For instance, right now minimalism is all the rage, and when something is trendy, we can start to feel like it\u2019s something we must<\/em> and should<\/em> be doing. But if your filled-to-the-brim garage doesn\u2019t bother you, then by all means leave it as is. On the other hand, maybe it\u2019s very important to you to give to charity, which includes donating nice items you\u2019re no longer using to people who can actually use them.<\/p>\n In another example, maybe you value quality clothing and fair trade principles, so you decide to get rid of your collection of poor-quality, mass-produced T-shirts, Walden said. If you value heritage, and your grandma\u2019s vase represents an aspect of her life, you decide to keep that item and feature it prominently on your shelf, she added.<\/p>\n Take some time to identify your values, along with what each value means to you. \u201cWe all have different interpretations of values: Honesty for some people is complete transparency; for others it is not telling an actual lie,\u201d Walden said.<\/p>\n In other words, identify your values, and then consider if the items in your home fit those values.<\/p>\n Get support. <\/strong>When we\u2019re alone, it can be easy to get inside our heads\u2014and stay there, dwelling in the negativity, indecision and overwhelm. When we\u2019re alone, doing anything can feel impossible.<\/p>\n Rosenthal stressed the importance of having a support system: Declutter and organize with your spouse, a family member, a friend, or hire a professional organizer. The key is that the person who joins you can be positive about the process, and motivate you to start and keep going.<\/p>\n Schedule your session.<\/strong> \u201cLike you would for a dentist or doctor, schedule in your organizing time,\u201d Rosenthal said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t make an appointment with yourself, you are bound to put something else in its place.\u201d So take out your planner, right now<\/em>, and pick a date and time to do your decluttering. Carve out that space, even if it\u2019s just 30 minutes. Think tiny. <\/strong>Maybe your kitchen tops your priority list. But decluttering and organizing the entire space just feels like too much. This is when starting tiny can help. Rosenthal suggested starting with a kitchen drawer\u2014or a bedroom drawer or a linen closet. Start with your entryway table, or a shelf on your bookcase, where everything seems to pile up.<\/p>\n \u201cOnce you\u2019ve seen the results, the momentum from the positive progress will help carry you to the next area to tackle,\u201d Rosenthal said.<\/p>\n Go one room at a time.<\/strong> \u201c[T]ouch every item in that room to determine how it should be categorized,\u201d Rosenthal said. \u201cRemember, while the item might not take up much room in a box, you will eventually have to find a place for it\u2026\u201d That\u2019s because it\u2019s important to give items a home (this way you can actually find what you\u2019re looking for). Rosenthal suggested relinquishing anything you don\u2019t love or use on a regular basis.<\/p>\n Make decluttering into a game.<\/strong> When we\u2019re overwhelmed, we have a tendency to get very serious, and taking any action feels like we\u2019re moving through mud. What can help is to make decluttering fun and interesting and creative.<\/p>\n Joshua Becker includes a list of 10 creative decluttering ideas in this piece <\/a>on Becoming Minimalist. For instance, you could give away one item per day for a year. You could give yourself 5 minutes a day to create a spot for incoming papers, clear off a counter or pull out clothes you don\u2019t wear (as you\u2019re picking out your outfit that morning). You could see how quickly you can fill one trash bag (with actual trash or donations).<\/p>\n Delve deeper. <\/strong>Sometimes, it can feel like we\u2019re spinning our wheels. We aim to declutter and to organize a space, but we don\u2019t seem to be getting anywhere. It seems like we take stuff out and then promptly put it back. That\u2019s when it\u2019s vital to dig deeper, and get curious about why you\u2019re holding on to certain things.<\/p>\n In this piece<\/a> on Inc., therapist and author Amy Morin, LCSW, cites a 2011 study<\/a> from the Journal of Consumer Psychology<\/em> that found that we tend to hang onto items because they\u2019re tied to our self-worth.<\/p>\n As Morin writes, \u201cIf you place a lot of value in success, for example, you may have trouble getting rid of anything that serves as a tangible reminder of your accomplishments. A plaque from your last job, an expensive watch that no longer works, or a stack of old college transcripts may represent your achievement.\u201d<\/p>\n She also notes, \u201cIf however, you value your relationships above everything else, you may have difficulty getting rid of gifts from other people. Donating that shirt that never fit, may lead you to feel like you\u2019re being disloyal to Grandma. Or, getting rid of that book your friend gave you, may cause you to feel like you\u2019re giving away a little bit of your friendship.\u201d<\/p>\n What items are you holding onto? What do they represent? Can you process the underlying reasons (perhaps by talking to someone) and let go?<\/p>\n Sometimes, decluttering feels daunting because we\u2019re exhausted and sleep deprived, or we\u2019re going through a difficult time. Maybe we\u2019ve lost someone, and we\u2019re in the midst of grieving. Maybe our depression is deepening. Either way, as Courtney Carver points out in this piece<\/a>, sometimes it\u2019s just not the right time to declutter. And that\u2019s OK. Because instead of getting rid of a bunch of stuff, what you really need is a big dose of compassion, understanding and gentleness.<\/p>\n You can always return to decluttering when you\u2019re ready.<\/p>\n Visit Original Source<\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" You walk into your home, or maybe into a certain room. You look around, scanning the entire space, and suddenly feel so heavy. You feel tense and tired. You feel powerless and helpless. You feel disappointed in yourself. Your eyes immediately zero in on the piles of random paperwork, and <\/p>\n Read More<\/a>
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\nCreate a priority list. <\/strong>What areas are bothering you the most? What\u2019s creating the most chaos, and organizing it would help your days to feel lighter and function more effectively? According to Rosenthal, start there. That is, list the areas in your home in order of importance, and move down your list.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Shared by Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S., Contributing Blogger<\/a> February 10, 2019<\/p>\n