Photo by Thrift Store AddictWhen I was thinking about my new year’s resolutions this year, I did some reading on-line, and came across a lot of people who had identified de-cluttering as a goal. Simplicity, orderliness, and less stuff are getting more and more attention these days and are being heralded as important for success and happiness. When I started thinking about how this whole idea is related to my balance of life roles, it became clear that de-cluttering is probably a healthy goal for me, as well.
For the sake of full disclosure, I should note that I come by de-cluttering pretty naturally. My mom is the type of person who lives by the mantra, “If you haven’t used it in 6 months, you don’t need it.” I can remember my dad turning the house upside down in search of some item that he hadn’t used in several years, but discovered that he needed just then. Nine times out of ten, mom had tossed it. So whether it is a nature or nurture influence, growing up in a clutter-free home probably makes that feel more comfortable to me now.
Piles of stuff and general clutter at home or in my office make my skin crawl. I find that I cannot be productive if my surroundings aren’t at least somewhat organized. If I can’t find stuff, I won’t get anything accomplished. Now, that certainly does not mean that I am always de-cluttered. Take a look at my home office desk right now and you’ll see a pile of papers that desperately needs sorting. The same goes for the pile of clean laundry sitting in my bedroom. Life happens and clutter grows. But taking a few extra minutes here and there to keep most of it at bay is sometimes the difference between productivity and lost energy for me; between balance and imbalance.
There are a few things that I have learned through personal experience or from organizational experts over the years that have helped me to de-clutter things in my life. These tips may be helpful to you, too:
1. Every thing has a place. If you own something that doesn’t have a place that it belongs, then perhaps you don’t need it. If you have a place for it, keep it there. After you finish using it, immediately put it back. If you put it down with plans to put it away later, it likely won’t happen.
For the sake of full disclosure, I should note that I come by de-cluttering pretty naturally. My mom is the type of person who lives by the mantra, “If you haven’t used it in 6 months, you don’t need it.” I can remember my dad turning the house upside down in search of some item that he hadn’t used in several years, but discovered that he needed just then. Nine times out of ten, mom had tossed it. So whether it is a nature or nurture influence, growing up in a clutter-free home probably makes that feel more comfortable to me now.
Piles of stuff and general clutter at home or in my office make my skin crawl. I find that I cannot be productive if my surroundings aren’t at least somewhat organized. If I can’t find stuff, I won’t get anything accomplished. Now, that certainly does not mean that I am always de-cluttered. Take a look at my home office desk right now and you’ll see a pile of papers that desperately needs sorting. The same goes for the pile of clean laundry sitting in my bedroom. Life happens and clutter grows. But taking a few extra minutes here and there to keep most of it at bay is sometimes the difference between productivity and lost energy for me; between balance and imbalance.
There are a few things that I have learned through personal experience or from organizational experts over the years that have helped me to de-clutter things in my life. These tips may be helpful to you, too:
1. Every thing has a place. If you own something that doesn’t have a place that it belongs, then perhaps you don’t need it. If you have a place for it, keep it there. After you finish using it, immediately put it back. If you put it down with plans to put it away later, it likely won’t happen.
2. Sort through mail and other paperwork as soon as they come in your house. Designate a time and place to do this where you can immediately recycle the junk mail, file the bills to be paid, and put away any other important paperwork. Keep folders or boxes for things like children’s schoolwork that you want to keep, and a to-do file for things like bills that need to be addressed soon, but not necessarily right now.
3. Finish a task before starting another one. This is where a lot of my clutter builds up. I start some laundry, and in the midst of putting it away, get distracted and start working on an art project with my child. The laundry is still out, and now so are the art supplies. Take a couple of minutes to finish what you’re doing to keep clutter from even starting.
4. De-clutter your email. I am a minimalist when it comes to email, both professionally and personally. When I am going through my inbox, every message gets action when I read it. I either address it immediately (respond to the sender or complete a task), put it in a short-term to-do file (for later that day or week), put it in a long-term to-do file (to be addressed in a week or longer), or delete it. If I don’t have time to address it in one of these ways right then, I don’t open it.
5. Do a sweep once a day. Pick a time each day that you have 3-5 minutes to sweep through your house (or office). Take that time to put away those things that aren’t in their place, sort through paperwork, or complete a task. This is not the time to do major organizing, but rather to do a clean sweep so things look less cluttered and more inviting.
Being able to balance my various roles requires some pretty detailed organization most days. Having a lot of clutter around me costs precious time that I just don’t have. I’d much rather spend any extra time I have in quality interaction with my family or friends, not in de-cluttering.
What are your thoughts about clutter? What tips to you have to keep it at bay and maintain balance?
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