Are you at the point where you have clutter in your life, but you no longer see it? Have you become clutter blind? Yet even though you may not notice the clutter, you can feel its weight and burden. There's a nagging sense that your "stuff" needs to be decided on and edited, but just not yet. Clutter decisions are on your "someday" list.

With one of the guided mindfulness practices that I do, Jon Kabat-Zinn explains that the meditation can be done in a seated or lying down position. Some intentions for mindfulness meditation are to remain aware, alert, and awake. Kabat-Zinn cautions that one of the potential downsides of meditating while lying down is that you can easily fall asleep. To encourage our awareness, he invites us to "fall awake."

With this idea in mind, I invite you to "fall awake" too. Instead of postponing decisions and remaining clutter blind, engage in curiosity accompanied by action. Notice your clutter. What do you see? How does it make you feel? What would life look and feel like if you had fewer piles, closets with breathing room, and clearer pathways. What would it be like to have just enough, no more and no less?

“Instead of postponing decisions and remaining clutter blind, engage in curiosity accompanied by action.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

Having recently made progress on a few cluttered spots in my life including my thoughts, garden, underwear drawer, and some areas in my mom’s home, it was wonderful to prune, clear, and let go of some non-essentials. I feel wonderfully lighter and less burdened.

Facing our clutter is a process. It begins with noticing and with being aware. Take one small step. Remove your blinders. Let that lead you forward.

Have you or someone you know experienced clutter blindness?  What have you noticed? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

The newest installment (v15) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my latest discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring clutter-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are a wonderfully engaged group. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced for you. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Read – Mind Decluttering

As many of you may know, I’ve been delving more deeply into the mindfulness arena and thinking about the relationship between mindfulness and organizing. One of the books I recently read was Mindfulness for Beginners – Reclaiming the Present Moment – And Your Life by Jon Kabat-Zinn, author and developer of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR.) While mindfulness meditation isn’t about clearing our mind of all thought, it does help to declutter the thoughts we are having along with improve our focus and appreciation of the present moment. Jon Kabat-Zin defines mindfulness as “awareness, cultivated by paying attention in a sustained and particular way: on purpose, in the present moment, and non-judgmentally.” There is both formal and informal mindfulness practice. He describes how to engage in these complementary practices. He says, “Mindfulness reminds us that it is possible to shift from a doing mode to a being mode through the application of attention and awareness.”

2. Interesting Product – Essentials Decluttering

Do you frequently misplace your keys or wallet? Part of the clutter management process is establishing a “home” for everything. This is especially important when it comes to creating a place for our essentials like our cell phones, keys, or glasses. This cleanly designed Grab N’ Go has designated compartments to house essentials in addition to cut-outs for charger cords, and a space to hold pens and a notepad.

3. Interesting Resource – Things Decluttering

Bravo that you’ve decluttered your clothing and household items! However, now the items you’re ready to let go of are creating more clutter and piles. The Give Back Box is an easy, painless, and free way to ship your donations by UPS or the US Post office to a an array of charity partners that sell the items to generate revenue to fund community-based programs like job training and placement services and support financial education and transportation. Declutter while doing good for others!

4. Interesting Tech  – Cord Decluttering

The loose cords we use for our digital devices can create clutter in even organized spaces. With these easy to use and fun-looking leather “cord tacos” from This Is Ground, you’ll easily be able to store and transport your cords.

5. Interesting Thought – Life Decluttering

Clutter and the chaos that it can bring is part of life. Clutter also presents us with an opportunity to discover, learn, decide, reimagine, and transform it into something simpler and less overwhelming.

What are your interesting finds? Which of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!

One of the things I love about working with my organizing clients is joining them on the journey as they transform their spaces, habits, and thoughts about clutter, organizing, and life. I’m most often called to help when they are feeling stuck, overwhelmed, at a crossroads, or in the midst of a life transition. The common thread is that they deeply desire change. They might be unclear about how to get there or the steps needed for change to occur, but they want a shift. They want something different.

Clients often begin with a certain level of clutter overwhelm paired with a desire to make their environment feel positive and supportive. Clients tell me that clutter overload paralyzes their decision making abilities. When they see clutter, they shut down. One client explained that the clutter, especially surface clutter, becomes one giant pile of undistinguishable items that feel impossible to sort, edit or organize. The cluttered areas negate the peaceful, “happy place” feeling she’d like.

To help her transform the bedroom to that “happy place,” we focused on one surface at a time. We broke down the undistinguishable pile on the dresser top, removed all the items, and sorted them onto the bed into smaller categories, grouping like with like. Grouped piles make it easier to visually see and decide for example about those ten mascaras, five bottles of lotion or fifty hair ties. In addition to reducing decision fatigue and overwhelm, organizing the big pile into small groups allowed us to pair up missing items, determine how much was enough, remove things that belonged elsewhere, and let go of possessions that had served their purpose, but were no longer useful or appreciated.

We reviewed each category and item, one at a time. Each decision resulted in routing objects to one of these categories: discard, donate, recycle, give to a specific person, move elsewhere, or keep in the bedroom. Once the dresser surface was cleared, edited and organized, we addressed a few other surfaces. The edited piles were then moved to their destinations.

By the time we finished, the clutter was gone, her “happy place” was restored, and we were ready to tackle the next room.

How do you handle the cluttered areas in your life? I’d love to know your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The greening of spring is magnificent this year. The abundance of rain we’ve experienced in the past month has created the incredibly beautiful, lush blooms. I’ve been feeling a strong pull to spend more time outside so that I can drink in the changing landscape. Each day nature offers up new gifts, just waiting to be noticed.

Just yesterday, our first white iris opened. As I walked down the front path, I crouched down so that I could better see the bloom and take in its sweet candy-like scent. Time stood still. There were no lists, to dos, or clutter racing around my head. All doing was suspended for a few brief moments as I delighted in experiencing this new flower.

It was a quiet, mindful moment.

Throughout the remainder of the day, between the doing and getting things done, I kept returning to the iris. I visited it again and again, appreciating its scent and lovely paper-thin petals. It kept me grounded in the present. It allowed me to let go of my mind clutter and focus on what was right in front of me.

Perhaps you’re experiencing challenges with overwhelm, clutter, or lack of time. If so, you’re not alone. Change is possible. Pause for mindful moments. They might just be a surprising antidote to your clutter and overwhelm challenges. Incorporating more mindful moments into your day will shift your perspective and help you navigate the changing landscape.

What have you been noticing this spring? I’d love to hear your thoughts. Come join the conversation!