Are you drowning in useless doo-dads? Can you see the top of your desk?
It’s great to have the human touch… to be understanding, loving and kind. But save that for people because that’s not the approach that wins with clutter.
With clutter you have to be cold blooded, unemotional and strict. It’s so easy to accumulate things…and so hard to let them go. I might wear it. I might need it. It might come in handy. It has sentimental value.Emotions drive you to hang on, keep this, keep that. As a result clutter builds, silently compounding, never going away.
So what’s the problem?
Clutter eventually kills. It’s an enemy. It kills your space, it kills your room to move. It crowds out the more important things. Clutter has to go.
Eventually you realize you must eliminate it
…eliminate the unnecessary to have plenty of room for the important. But its so hard because you are emotionally attached. So get your emotions under control. Be cold blooded, unemotional and ask yourself…
- Have I worn these in the last year?
- Have I used this in the last year?
- Haven’t I kept this useless Christmas or birthday present around long enough?
- If I really need one of these couldn’t I just go down to the store and get one?
It gets easier
Soon you’ll find it easier and easier to toss things as your rational mind starts to evaluate how really important these things really are.
Here’s a trick I use. Throw things out in stages.
Something you couldn’t bear to part with last week will be easier to toss this week. Make this a steady and regular part of your routine so it doesn’t build up again.
You are constantly bringing things into your house aren’t you? Well, it will fill right back up again if you don’t regularly throw things out. There’s a lot of pride in having the trash all taken out, so do the same with clutter.
