One of my favorite authors and creative thinkers, Todd Henry, regularly introduces me to new concepts. I admire how he connects ideas from different places to offer fresh perspectives and understanding. Recently, he wrote about the “noise floor,” an audio production term. I equated it to the ‘noise’ clutter makes in our lives.

Todd defined the noise floor as “…the amount of unwanted signal coming from any source other than the one you’re actually trying to record. Listening to someone speak in an environment with a high noise floor is like trying to have a conversation at the beach with a crashing ocean ten feet away. You can make out what they’re saying, but it’s not easy to do.”

He explained how we often “not only allow but invite a high noise floor into our lives.” These “signals” are inputs, requests, demands, and stimuli. If the noise floor in your life is too high, Todd says you might experience things like:

• Feeling overwhelmed without knowing why

• Having difficulty with short-term memory and confusing simple concepts

• Experiencing ongoing distractions and struggling to focus on one project

While you might be functioning with clutter in your life, it could be creating more stress, overwhelm, and challenges than you realize. Are you collecting clutter instead of editing, eliminating, and creating boundaries to keep it under control?

6 Types of Clutter

Think about the noise your clutter makes and how it affects your daily experience. There are different types of clutter, including:

• Mind clutter – Negative thoughts, thought loops, and disorganized thoughts make activating difficult.

• Physical clutter – Paper, clothing, toys, and items filling up your environment make it challenging to know what you have.

• Space clutter – Overfilled rooms, closets, and drawers, make it challenging to move about and locate things.

• Calendar clutter – Lack of time awareness, chronic lateness, overscheduling, inability to say “no,” and unnecessary meetings affect your stress levels and overall functioning.

• Digital clutter – Tech devices, email, social media, Internet surfing, dings, and pop-ups create continual distractions, decreasing focus and productivity.

• Someday clutter – Postponed decisions about things you “might need someday” prevent you from being fully present and available to enjoy now.

Refer to 10 Top Clutter Areas & Solutions That Will Help for clutter-reducing strategies.

“Clutter can create more stress and overwhelm than you realize.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

What becomes possible when you lower your clutter noise floor? What will a less cluttered mind, home, or calendar look and feel like for you? Which area needs your time and attention?

Do you want help eliminating the clutter in your life? I’m here for you. Reach out anytime by emailing linda@ohsoorganized.com, calling 914-271-5673, or contacting me with this form. Virtual organizing is a beneficial path forward. Let’s talk. I’m ready to help.

Clutter can infiltrate all areas of our lives or just a corner. We can be comfortable with our clutter or overwhelmed by it.

Are you looking to make some changes? Below are ten of the most common areas that clutter collects and some simple strategies to manage them.

10 Most Common Clutter Areas & Solutions That Will Help

1. Paper Clutter – Be honest. Do you have to keep as many papers? If released, could you easily replace them IF you needed to? Statistics show that we only retrieve 20% of the papers we file.

2. Clothing Clutter – Be ruthless. Clothing clutter management begins by asking good questions. Does it fit? Do I feel fabulous wearing it? Does it look good on me? When was the last time I wore it? Can it be donated, consigned, or given to a friend?

3. Toy Clutter – Less is easier. How many trucks, dolls, superheroes, balls, or magic wands are enough? Fewer toys mean easier maintenance, better organization, and less overwhelm for you and the kids.

4. Electronic Clutter – Establish boundaries. With 24/7 potential access and availability, setting limits about how much electronic noise you allow during the day is essential. Protect yourself and your time by turning off beeps, taking “tech-less” hours, and minimizing the sources of digital input.

5. Mind Clutter – Release thoughts. Our minds can feel as cluttered as our spaces. Too much activity “upstairs” can make us lose focus and feel frazzled. Try a brain download by transferring thoughts onto paper, computer, or voice recorder.

6. Calendar Clutter – Evaluate schedule. The “too busy” syndrome is often a function of saying “yes” without considering how that affects our stress level. If you’re overwhelmed by overscheduled days, consider these questions: What is on my “yes” list that I can convert to a “no?” What can be delegated? How much downtime do I need or want in a day?

7. Gift Clutter – Move on. Receiving gifts that we don’t like, want, or have room for is another clutter source. You do not have to keep them. Let go. Remove the guilt and the clutter by permitting those gifts to move on. Exchange, donate, or re-gift.

8. Handbag Clutter – Quick sort. An assortment of things collects in our handbags, from empty wrappers to expired ticket stubs to receipts that need to be filed. Take 5 minutes at night to do a quick clutter check. Remove all items that are expired, no longer useful, or belong elsewhere.

9. Space Clutter – Reclaim control. Excess clutter can cause stress. It’s no fun to hunt for hidden items, trip over paper stacks, or negotiate through overflowing closets. Pick one area to begin organizing and decluttering. Determine use for that area. Re-route things elsewhere that don’t belong. Be ruthless about the remaining contents. Release what isn’t useful, you no longer want, or has overstayed its welcome.

10. Someday Clutter – Don’t postpone. Keeping things because you “might” need them someday are a source of clutter accumulation. When you hear yourself uttering the “someday” phrase, ask these questions: Is it worth taking up space? Is it worth the mental energy? Is it likely I’ll actually need or use it? Is my focus on “someday” preventing me from fully living and enjoying now?

Taking action and working on just one of the cluttered areas can significantly reduce your stress and restore some balance. What area is calling your attention? Share your thoughts, tips, or other clutter challenge areas.