For years, possibly decades, I spoke with my mom at least once a day. Over time, as her dementia worsened, the phone was no longer a viable way to communicate. I miss our conversations. Our calls frequently were about the people we loved and the time spent together. She’d say, “That’s the good stuff!”  She always communicated a deep sense of gratitude for her family, friends, music, art, and the preciousness of time. 

As the world begins to start, pause, and restart, so much uncertainty and distress exist. What life will look like a month or year from now is impossible to know. Yet, each day we forge forth with work, family, projects, and life. We move ahead despite the considerable uncertainty. It can feel exhausting, overwhelming, or scary. In your mix of doing, are you making time to notice and embrace the “good stuff?”

What is on your “good stuff” list? Here are some of mine:

• Waking up each morning

• Opening my eyes after meditating 

• Taking the first sip of coffee from my favorite mug

• Holding hands with my husband

• Hearing the sound of rain hitting the window panes

• Walking by the river

• Hugging my daughter, especially after being apart for six months

• Baking lemon blueberry muffins

• Picking herbs from my mini garden

• Capturing images of people, places, and nature with my camera

• Swimming in my friend’s pool

• Hearing birds sing

• Touching a very soft blanket

• Sitting quietly

• Biting into a big, juicy piece of watermelon

• Writing with my favorite pen

• Watching the leaves rustle in the breeze

• Having a conversation (phone, Zoom, or in-person) with a friend or loved one

• Relaxing in the hammock

• Eating a chocolate brownie Yasso pop

• Seeing my client experience an “ah-ha” moment during their virtual organizing session

• Writing in my journal

• Watching a good movie, or even a bad one

• Kayaking on any river

• Discovering new tomatoes growing on my cherry tomato plant

• Being still during the last ten minutes of yoga class

• Discovering vibrantly colored flowers

• Reading a good book

• Learning something new

• Getting into bed at the end of the day

“In your mix of doing, are you making time to notice and embrace the good stuff?”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®

Time is a gift. Some of our time will be spent navigating the daily doings of life. Included with responsibilities and commitments are also those things that make your heart sing. Or, as my mom would say, “the good stuff.” What is one thing you include on your list? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation!

Several of the virtual organizing clients I’ve recently worked with were experiencing overwhelm due to their physical clutter. They wanted less stuff and clearer spaces, yet felt stuck with getting started and letting go. With support, desire for change, and sound strategies, they began moving forward. It was exciting to see their positive transformations. How was it possible? 

While each client and situation is unique, some strategies consistently help. Are you or someone you know is feeling clutter-stuck? If so, I encourage you to test these five strategies, which establish parameters for support, time, place, supplies, and decisions.

5 Strategies to Destroy the Clutter Barrier When You Are Overwhelmed 

1. Support

Especially if you have tried to let go of clutter on your own and haven’t made progress, it might be time to enlist help. What type of support do you need? Reach out to a nonjudgmental friend, family member, or professional organizer (like me) to help provide accountability, insight, a listening ear, and cheerleading. Having someone support you as you make decisions is invaluable. Finding the right support could be the missing parameter that will help you get unstuck.

2. Time

Clutter can feel overwhelming when we think too big. Typically when you are stuck, go small for your decluttering sessions. For the time parameter, instead of thinking, “I’m going to work all day until I declutter my entire closet,” only work for a short period. Experiment with organizing for 60 or 90 minutes, and then stop. Return another time to do more. Shorter sessions will be more manageable, be less likely to cause burn out, and keep you receptive to organizing again. Besides, a mini time block is easier to integrate into your schedule.

“For the time parameter, instead of thinking, ‘I’m going to work all day until I declutter my entire closet,’ only work for a short period.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®

3. Place

The parameter for going small also applies to the selection of your decluttering project. Let’s say you want to remove the clutter from your bathroom. You set your time parameter for one hour. Reduce the project scope to lessen your overwhelm. Instead of decluttering the entire bathroom in one session, think small. Work on decluttering one cabinet, one shelf, or one box. Keep the goal tiny. Set mini-goals in short time intervals. Repeat until you’ve completed the entire space.

4. Supplies

To help with your decluttering project, prepare the supply parameters. What will you need before you begin? Gather the basics such as trash, donate, and recycling bins or bags, masking tape, markers, and/or a label maker. A small pad and pen or your smartphone are useful to jot down ideas, replenish items, or note discoveries. If you are working virtually and using a video platform, it’s beneficial to have an adjustable stand to hold your mobile phone or tablet, so you can work hands-free, and your support person can see what you are working on.

5. Decisions

The final parameter relates to decision-making. Before you begin decluttering, establish some global project boundaries that will help expedite your choices. You want to set up parameters so that you don’t have to question every decision. Let’s say you’re decluttering your clothes, and you have a lot of everything. Before you begin, you might decide that you will only keep five pairs of black pants, two pairs of jeans, and no skirts (because you never wear them.) Or, you might decide that any stained shirts or torn clothes will go. All decisions will be based on the boundaries you establish at the onset. You can always alter or add to the parameters as you work. Decluttering involves many choices, and it can cause decision-fatigue. By building in a few letting-go rules upfront, you can minimize that stress.

When you are overwhelmed by clutter and are stuck, what helps you move forward? Do any of these strategies resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

Clutter appears in different forms like physical clutter, which shows up in our possessions and space. There is also clutter that appears in the mind, body, and soul. Each type of clutter looks and feels different. Effective decluttering requires various strategies depending on where you are focused. There are no rules here. Sometimes when we organize our physical clutter first, the positive emotional benefits we receive make it easier to care for other aspects of our well-being. At other times, it’s essential to nurture our mind or body first so that we can manage the physical clutter in our lives. There is no right, wrong, or singular way. It might be easier if there were one way, but since you are unique, your needs and process will be too. How will you declutter your life in a way that feels authentic?

To spark your thoughts about decluttering, I’m sharing five ideas with you for decluttering stuff, space, mind, body, and soul. As you read them, notice if any resonate with you. Or do other ideas come to mind?

5 Authentic Ways to Declutter Your Life 

1. Declutter Stuff by Shredding

There is something cathartic about shredding old papers. It’s a physical and visceral experience to feed outdated documents into the machine. As you watch and hear them rip to pieces, you are physically letting go. Recently, I edited and shredded two years of old tax back-up documents. They were ready to go because they were older than the seven years from the date of the filing requirement. I also thinned out and shredded some additional business and personal documents. Seeing the big bags of shredded papers exit the house on recycling day was incredibly satisfying. I felt lighter and less burdened by the past. The positive sense made me want to do more, and I know I will.

2. Declutter Space By Releasing

As you know, for the last few months, I’ve been offering virtual organizing only because of the pandemic. If this is something you are interested in trying, let me know, and we can set-up a VO session. With one VO client, I’ve been helping her regain space in her bedroom. For a variety of reasons, her clothing was overwhelming her room. Instead of having a peaceful, calm place, the piles, bags, and boxes were dominating the space. It’s a work in progress that’s going beautifully. I support her as she makes decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard. Each time we work together, we see the progress, as she lets go, declutters, and gets her space closer to what she envisions.

3. Declutter Mind By Conversing

We all have mind clutter. Our thoughts can be filled with worry, self-doubt, fear, and sadness. When those thoughts overtake us, it’s hard to focus on anything positive. One of the things that help is releasing those ideas by talking with trusted friends or loved ones. I have a standing weekly Zoom call with a small group of girlfriends. We go around the room and share parts of our week. We talk about our successes, challenges, worries, concerns, and observations. We support one another as we navigate this unprecedented time of change and uncertainty. After our calls, my mind feels clearer (yes, decluttered), calmer, and darn grateful for this generous group of women.

“One of the ways I declutter my being is by soaking in nature’s beauty.”

— Linda Samuels

4. Declutter Body by Honoring

It’s easy to hold tension in our bodies. We are often unaware that we’re doing it until our shoulders, jaws, or backs begin aching, crying out in pain. Perhaps we forget to move away from our screens and are sitting too long without a break. Worry, stress or fear can manifest itself physically in our bodies. This happens to me. However, I have four regular habits that help me return and attend to my body in a caring way. They are my body decluttering practices- mindfulness meditation, yoga, walking, and showering. Each of these encourages awareness of physical conditions and sensations. They remind me to soften, adjust, and attend.

5. Declutter Soul By Engaging

One of the ways I declutter my being is by soaking in nature’s beauty. Each season is magnificent, but there is something downright magical about spring. If you followed me on one of my walks, you’d catch me sneaking up on some flowers. You would see me lower my mask and stick my nose in the lilacs, viburnum, and other blooms to take in their sweet scents. You would find me outside digging in the dirt and planting colorful flowers in our ceramic pots. If you followed me on a walk, you’d find me meandering in the woods, walking along the river, or being still as I listened to the birds singing or watched the water flow. Engaging with nature declutters the deepest corners of my soul. I am enveloped by lightness and calm after spending time outdoors.

There are many ways to declutter your stuff, space, mind, body, and soul. Are there any areas that want your attention? What is one of your go-to decluttering strategies? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

The latest installment (v27) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my recent discoveries that inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. I’ve included unique and inspiring, letting go-related finds, which reflect this month’s blog theme. You are such an incredibly generous, warm, and engaged group. And in this time of physical distancing because of COVID-19, I am especially appreciative of and grateful for your presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community.

I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced. What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? . . .

1. Interesting Article – Letting Go of Should

If you are experiencing an array of emotions, Anna Borges’ piece in Self Magazine, 17 Totally Normal Things to Feel Right Now, According to Therapists, is a must-read. It will provide comfort, understanding, and help normalizing your feelings. In response to thinking we should be acting a certain way, Borges says, “There is no ‘right’ way to handle this.” She interviewed mental health professionals about the most frequent worries and feelings being discussed during their client sessions. Common themes included burn out, calm, grief, regret, numbness, and inadequacy. A beautiful message was incorporated from Vernessa Roberts, LMFT as shared below. What might help you let go of should?

“How you choose to spend this time is up to you and cannot be compared to how others are spending this time. May we remember to embrace our own feelings and struggles and show compassion for the feelings and struggles of others.”

— Vernessa Roberts, LMFT

2. Interesting Resource – Letting Go of Anxiety

In a recent Smead MyOrganized.life podcast, I was interviewed by my friend, John Hunt. For this episode, “Ways to Stay Calm and Cope During a Crisis,” I shared strategies for letting go of some stress and anxiety that many of us are experiencing right now. Some of the suggestions included were to gather resources, focus on mind/body practices, organize your environment, practice gratitude, and limit media time. What helps you let go of anxiety?

3. Interesting Experience  – Letting Go of What Was

One of the newer practices that I began this past year was taking yoga classes. I found a lovely studio, Encourage Yoga, near where I live. As things developed with the pandemic, the studio temporarily closed. The owner and yoga teacher, Al Bingham, quickly revamped the studio concept. Not only did he retool to offer yoga using Zoom, but he also created a generous offer called Project LOVE. Classes are available for $5 each. However, if the cost is a barrier, by entering the code “LOVE” upon checkout, your class is free. For many of us that treasured being physically present with one another, the shift to virtual yoga class required letting go (even if temporary) to what was so that we could experience this new community. I am so grateful to Al and the Encourage Yoga folks for their flexibility and continuity. What will help you let go of what was so that you can experience another way of being?

4. Interesting Season – Letting Go of Disorganization

Spring is a wonderful season for letting go, decluttering, and designing new patterns. This is even more important because of the unprecedented world change. With the shift of normal, you might be feeling new organizing challenges, and unsure of how to move forward. Take this opportunity to reset your organizing goals, declutter the extraneous, and create the calm you deserve. Change is possible, especially with support. Enlist help from a compassionate and non-judgmental friend, family member, or professional organizer like me. You’ll be amazed at how much more you can accomplish when you work with an organizing buddy. I’m ready to help with my virtual organizing services. Let’s talk. Call 914-271-5673 or email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com.

5. Interesting Thought – Letting Go of Busyness

What an odd time we’re in. For many people, life has significantly slowed down. There are no offices to commute to, parties to attend, soccer practices to bring the kids to, or errands to run. We might be working from home and feeling challenged by that shift. But even with that change, things feel slower. There are fewer cars on the road, the shops are closed, and visitors are staying at home. And from these dramatic changes, we have an opportunity to lean into this quiet, to slow our busy bodies and minds, and notice the stillness. If you are willing, let go of your busyness badge and embrace what it feels like to be still.

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