Seven Secrets to Reducing Clutter for Good
— by Jen Aly

Have you tried to clear clutter only to find that it doesn't stay clear long? Do you identify your home or office as cluttered? Have you bought countless containers to no avail? Are you ready to see lasting results?

Paper clutter. Electronic clutter. Stuff clutter. Sentimental clutter. Nick-knack clutter. The list goes on. It's a part of our culture. After working with clients for years, these are 7 tips that I have found most effective in moving beyond the clutter and into organization:

1. Try new ways of dealing with sentimental objects. We keep stuff because we have memories and emotions we attach to them. This is because memory is a process and the memory of a person, experience, or feeling is triggered by that object. If you have a lot of sentimental objects that you no longer have space for or that are merely serving as dust catchers, one thing you can do is photograph them and create an album. This way the memory triggers will take up a lot less space and you can label the photos so that others may appreciate the stories relating to the objects. You could also put them in a box for 3 months and then see what you missed when you open the box. When you release the object, you are not releasing the memory or person you attach to it, just the object.

2. Take one step at a time. Embrace the fact that there is no quick fix for years of clutter. In a culture that can 'fix' some illnesses (or their symptoms) with a pill, we often get impatient with anything that is process oriented. The good thing about organizing is that you can see tangible results fairly quickly. Focusing on one room at a time helps you to see the most results the quickest. Another fun idea is to focus on one small area that often gains clutter - a foyer for example. See if you can keep it clear for a week and then continue to try to break your record. Acknowledge what you are doing rather than focusing on what's not working.

3. Get organized because you want to, not because other people think you ‘should.’ When you have more clutter than you want and you focus on that clutter, you get clutter. Clutter is not 'bad'. It's just stuff. And we each have every right to be as cluttered as we want. It becomes an issue when it distracts from our life because we spend so much energy stressing about it and about what others say about it. Instead of stressing about your clutter use your energy in ways that are more productive. Focus on what you want. Visualize your space the way you dream of it and take one step (just one) toward creating it. Then acknowledge yourself for taking that step.

4. Create time to organize. For some reason organizing often does not get prioritization in people's schedules. Until your space is organized, block out time each week to dedicate to clearing clutter. While 3 hour chunks of time are ideal to do serious organizing, taking even 15 minutes per week more than usual can start to make a difference. Once a space is organized and systems to support order are in place, it will take less time than you think to stay organized. Prioritizing organization will save you time and stress in the long run because you will be able to find what you need quickly. If you think you don't have time, spend that time that is being eaten up by saying you don't have enough time.

5. To organize successfully, do research, get support or just try something new. There is no right way to organize anything. What works for one person may not work for another. Our environment reflects our learning strengths. For example, visually-oriented people may need to see everything in order to find it or to even remember that they have it. They may choose to use clear containers or label everything with labels or pictures. Determining what will work for you can be drawn from identifying your strengths and by recognizing what doesn't work for you.

6. Designate a place to put everything. If you have homeless objects, you will have clutter. If things don't have a special place to land, they will squat on any horizontal surface they can find. For example, if you don't like having your purse, coats, keys, children's toys, etc. piled up in the foyer you can designate homes for each of these objects. If there is not enough space, you might look at taking a load to the closest donation bin. There are many possible kinds of homes, hooks, shelves, drawers, closets, organizers, baskets, etc. Be sure to define what you are giving a home to before you go out and purchase it a new home.

7. Consciously create your environment, or your environment will create you. If you don't take charge and create a space that supports habits that serve you and make your life easier, your habits will create a space that reflect your habits. This will in turn support the habits you have rather than nurturing the new ones you want to develop. This cycle perpetuates itself because without action, a solid plan, commitment, support, and/or awareness we get sucked into our same old habits. Shifting one thing just a little bit breaks that cycle.

Take a room that you feel is cluttered. Close your eyes and imagine it as your ideal space. The feeling you feel from envisioning that space can be yours.

It's easier than you think, so get started on the road to organization today!