Flat surfaces are the first to go.
It starts small with a night stand or an entry way table. Eventually, clutter crowds out kitchen counters, cabinet shelves, table tops, and closet floors. Clutter can even take over beds, chairs, sofas, and floors if you're not on the lookout.
How did it even get this way?
You're a pretty neat person. Your spaces are pretty clean. It's not like you're a "hoarder"....and yet, clutter happens. The problem with clutter is that even though it's in plain sight, it often fades into the background. You see it once, maybe even twice. You acknowledge that those clothes really should be in the hamper or hanging up in the closet, but you'll take care of it later. You mean to put the groceries away, but it's just easier to dump the bags of dry goods in the pantry and shut the door. You don't intend to waste time and energy every day searching for things that have become lost within the clutter...but here you are. Frustrated. Annoyed.
You've tried to mend your cluttery ways by simply trying to put things where they belong, but you can't maintain it. You might even be feeling a bit hopeless at this point that you could ever sleep in a bedroom not littered with laundry.
I'm glad you've come here. There is hope. You aren't lazy or cursed or just plain sloppy. Most likely, the problem stems from the clutter itself.
You've tried to mend your cluttery ways by simply trying to put things where they belong, but you can't maintain it. You might even be feeling a bit hopeless at this point that you could ever sleep in a bedroom not littered with laundry.
I'm glad you've come here. There is hope. You aren't lazy or cursed or just plain sloppy. Most likely, the problem stems from the clutter itself.
Our culture prides itself on accumulation.
Our minds are trained to believe that if we paid good money for it, we HAVE to keep it, even if it's taking up valuable space. We hold on tightly to possessions because we might NEED them again one day....years from now....when, in all sincerity, the item will no longer fit its intended purpose. The easiest example of this is clothing. How many pairs of pants do you currently own that do not actually fit? How many shirts are you storing just in case you MIGHT wear them again one day? How many sets of "painting clothes" do you really need (assuming you're not a painter)?
Studies show that we use 20% of our things 80% of the time.
If that's true, then up to 80% of the clothes in your closet, dresser, and, dare I say, on the floors might be CLUTTER.
So should we just grab some trash bags and start filling donation boxes? No. No, please, for the love of organization, don't do that!
Instead, let's analyze your possessions and your space. Let's go on a treasure hunt as we sort and identify all the things you need, use, and love. Let's set up organizational and storage systems so that you can efficiently access (and return) those treasured items. Then we'll consider what's left. If you've got room for the things you MIGHT need one day and REALLY want to hold on to and POSSIBLY will serve their intended purpose two decades from now, then we'll find an appropriate way to access those items as well.
So should we just grab some trash bags and start filling donation boxes? No. No, please, for the love of organization, don't do that!
Instead, let's analyze your possessions and your space. Let's go on a treasure hunt as we sort and identify all the things you need, use, and love. Let's set up organizational and storage systems so that you can efficiently access (and return) those treasured items. Then we'll consider what's left. If you've got room for the things you MIGHT need one day and REALLY want to hold on to and POSSIBLY will serve their intended purpose two decades from now, then we'll find an appropriate way to access those items as well.
The point is, you can experience freedom from the piles!
You can live with floors you can sweep and entry tables you can use to hold your keys. It's possible. Why not start today?
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