Clutter! Are you tired of living in it?

Of course you are!

No matter how organized I try to be, I feel like there’s just too much stuff around in my daily life. Sound familiar?

When I’m looking for a particular item, a lot of times I have to dig through cramped kitchen drawers or overstuffed dresser drawers. Ugh!

But don’t worry, we’re not alone. The average American has more than 300,000 items in their home….80% of which never gets used. I was astonished in hearing that number. Clutter is becoming an epidemic and getting progressively more stressful to live with.

Clutter is keeping too many of us from living well. 

I’m tired of it. I have to do better with organizing, aka decluttering. My problem is I get overwhelmed with just thinking about starting it. Where do I start? Can I even make a dent?

In order to lower stress levels to take action, we start one small step at a time. Start with something small. Let’s start spring cleaning, decluttering, and organizing our life by concentrating in one tiny space at a time (side bar: this isn’t something to get done in a weekend or month. Just start taking small steps and continue on through the next few months. But if you feel compelled to get a lot done in a weekend, go for it! Just don’t burn yourself out.)

Here’s some ideas to spark your motivation (in no particular order).  Oh my….just looking at this list might overwhelm you. Don’t let it. It’s just to break down areas you may not have thought of. You are not expected to tackle all of these areas. Just pick one and tidy up that area. Then move on to another area needing attention. 

• Your home office and paperwork.
• Garage or yard.
• Digital photos or videos on your phone.
• Bath products, toiletries, and cosmetics.
• Kitchen.
• Family/Living room.
• Clothes and accessories.
• Electronic devices.
• Craft or hobby room.
• Expired medications. (National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is April 24, 2021)
• Holiday decorations.
• Unsubscribe from unneeded emails.
• Cleaning supplies.
• Your car or truck.
• Your spice rack.
• Books and magazines.
• Pet supplies.
• Children’s toys.
• Bedside nightstand.
• Entryway to your home.
• Your purse or handbag.

You can even break down each area above into smaller bits. It’s okay just as long as you move forward with it. For instance, in the kitchen, you may want to start with the lower cabinets or the refrigerator or even one drawer.  With clothing, you may want to start with your shoes or purses.

Self Care Action Step:
Choose an area and start this week. To minimize or eliminate clutter, make this commitment….the “one in, one out rule”….when one new item comes in, one old item goes out….either through donation, selling it, or throwing it out. This applies to everything….clothing, pillows, mugs, or beach towels. Anything.

Lastly, remember to celebrate your progress by focusing on how good it feels to live with less stuff. Sink into that feeling of lightness. (Now don’t go out and buy something to celebrate! LOL). I celebrate by going back after a few hours to the area I cleaned out. It makes me feel so good to see what I accomplished.

Ready to clear it out? Jump right in!

“The first step in crafting a life you want is getting rid of everything you don’t.”
~ Joshua Becker

If this post resonates with you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.  Also if you think that there are people in your world who would benefit from receiving my self care tips, please do forward or share this post.