Clutter Removal

Clutter removal is a prickly journey for many people. Some people never do it, and the clutter sits idle under layers of cobwebs. Some people do it intermittently, and alternate between having a home that is a shambles, and a home that is a pristine palace. Some people hire an assistant to help, such as a professional organizer. And some brave souls tackle it alone.

If you are going to organize your home alone, there certain things you should remember to help make the process more palatable.

The first step is to be prepared for all your "stuff" to come up as you start to look at your "stuff." In other words, as you attempt to organize your garage, closet or whatever, this action is going to trigger emotional responses in you. This is fine. It means you are on the right track! It means you have finally taken some positive action and you have just stirred up the pot a bit. Go easy on yourself.

The next step is to focus on getting rid of things. Do not worry much at all about proper placement until you have finished, or nearly finished the "letting go" process. Letting cannot be emphasized enough.

So, begin by making piles: The give away pile, the toss pile, the sentimental pile, and the practical pile. Just to name a few. But focus largely on the toss pile as you first begin to organize your home.

This is your most important pile to create, and it is usually the hardest. But it has to be done! Why waste time organizing things that you no longer really want? Let things go first. This is the rule to live by.

How do you let things go? It is not easy, especially if you are tackling clutter removal on your own keepsake items. You do it slowly. You do it honestly. For every single item you touch, ask: Do I really need to keep this item? Is it bringing me pleasure? Is it practical? Will it honestly bring me pleasure in the future at some point?

Ask and be real. There is probably a lot you can let go of that will never (and has never) truly brought you much pleasure. Be willing to let it all go.

After letting as much go as you can, the next step for effective clutter removal is to realize that things must first get messy before they get neat.

Things must first get messy before they get neat. Use this as your mantra. Say it to yourself often. It will ease the process.

Then, go back to your piles. (At this point, you should have already made a trip to Goodwill or to the dump, and your letting ago is over with.) You are down to what you truly want to keep.

The next step is to become self-reflective. How do you live your life? What do you use on a daily basis? Your answers will determine the placement of your items. Knowing really well how often you need something and its place in your life is the key to clutter removal.

So, go slowly. Move one item only once if possible, but do it purposely.  Stay focused. Stay alert. You organize your home one piece at a time. There is no other way. Think in bite size pieces and you will make this process much easier. Who knows? You might even grow to enjoy it!