Eliminating clutter
Lighten Up: Eliminating Clutter
by Lisa Petty
When you’ve survived a stressful day at work, you can’t wait to relax in the sanctuary you call home. But your blood pressure isn’t likely to drop if you step in the front door only to trip over toys and dirty laundry.
No doubt about it, we all have too much stuff. Clutter, in the form of over-flowing closets, unfinished projects, and too many distractions, is a drag on our energy. Instead of feeling productive, we feel like the work will never be done. In pursuit of serenity, perhaps it’s time to lighten up with a few simple anti-clutter strategies.
Confront the Clutter
One of the problems with getting familiar in your surroundings is that you no longer notice the clutter: a stack of magazines and newspapers on the floor beside the couch, last summer’s flip flops by the entryway, or an assortment of children’s toys close to but-not-quite in the toy box. A simple strategy for noticing what is obvious to your guests is to rearrange the furniture. Not only will you be able to access the dust bunnies that are reproducing under the couch, but you will also see your home with fresh eyes.
Tame the children
To prevent tripping over your children’s belongings, allocate a room, corner of a room or cupboard for toys, games and distractions. Let the little darlings know that items you find abandoned outside the designated area will find their way into the hands of someone who will appreciate them more. It’s amazing how quickly this strategy leads to tidy adult spaces! You’ll probably also notice that your children are less irritable when all of their possessions are in a central location.
Zen and the art of decorating
Try to limit the number of ornaments that you keep on tabletops, bookshelves and counters. As interior designers are fond of saying, you have to edit your decorations so that only truly meaningful or fabulous items are on display. Not only do figurines and ornaments collect dust – and offer a constant, stress-provoking reminder of how much house-work you are not getting to – but these items also get in the way of easy use of your space.
Trim your wardrobe
Experts say that to improve the flow of energy in your home, cupboard and closet doors should be kept closed. This means, of course, that you can’t have piles of junk spilling onto the floor. When trimming your wardrobe, the general rule is to discard items you haven’t worn in a year. Likewise, unburden yourself of your ‘fat’ clothes and your ‘thin’ clothes unless you are currently on a serious weight management program.
Stop buying stuff
Once your home is clutter-free and organized, the most crucial step is keeping it that way. Resist impulse buys on sale items. A 50% sale on an outfit you will never wear is not a bargain. If you think you want an item, wait a month. If you haven’t changed your mind or forgotten about it by then, go for it. By the way, this strategy also works with kids and is a great way to teach delayed gratification.
To create a peaceful home, remember the old adage: a place for everything and everything in its place.
Originally published in Alive
