Dealing with clutter in your life

As I see it, there are three types of clutter: Lazy clutter, Sentimental clutter and "I might need that one-day" clutter.

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” – Albert Einstein

"We don’t need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it.” – Donald Horban

Lazy Clutter

Stuff that gets left lying around as life happens.

Rubbish that has been left lying around.

Things you just never put back where they belong.

Things that never had a place where they belong.

Things you borrowed from friends and haven’t returned.

Things that are not valuable, its just stuff.

Remedy

Fix a time and get going to eliminate unwanted things.

Rubbish is rubbish, throw it in the bin.

Get rid of anything that is of no use to you or you haven’t used in the last year.

Get rid of the stuff that belongs to someone else.

Memory Clutter

Things that remind you of an important person, achievement or event.

Something that was given to you by someone of importance in your life.

Anything that has an emotional attachment to it.

Remedy

Separate the memory from the object. 

Select and keep only the items with the strongest memory. 

Respect what is most important. 

‘I Might Need That One Day’ Clutter

These are those “just in case” things.

You might have used it once upon a time, but will probably never again.

Just simply hanging on to thing for that one time you might need it.

Remedy

Set limits to control what you buy and what you keep.

You are preparing for an imagined future.

Get rid of the fear you might have about not being prepared.

Generally, we see clutter as disorder and chaos in our lives. Often we recognize others' clutter before we can see our own. 

Here are a few pointers that could help you sort out your clutter and move you swiftly from chaos to order:

Have a clear vision for the life you want.

Live in the now – be mindful of the things you use and where they belong. 

Ask yourself: Will this item help me create the life I want?

Regularly de-clutter to remove things you no longer need, use or want.

Find your optimum performance or comfort level that is unhindered by what you see as clutter. 

Here are 5 facts that should help you with or against your clutter:

1. Recognize what you consider as clutter, not anyone else, and make a concerted effort to remove or “rehouse” it, ie organise it in such a way that it does not bother you or is in your way.
2. Conquering Clutter Once and For All is a decision on your part that needs to be managed daily.
3. Clutter is anything that gets between you and the life you want.
4. Without a vision for the life you want, you can’t create the spaces you want.
5. De-cluttering and organization is a part of everyday living.

Visualize the life you want and make a concerted, daily effort to make the space for it. After all, LifeworX if you know your passion, take action and get organized.