The Love It Or Lose It Principle: One Simple Key to Living Clutter-Free Forever

It wasn't long ago that you spent an entire weekend "decluttering" ? and now you are expecting guests in two days, and the guestroom is full of "stuff" again!

According to a study by the U.S. Department of Energy, 25% of people with two-car garages didn't park any cars in them and 32% parked only one. When it came to three-car garages, only 13% parked three cars. You probably don't have to think very hard to figure out that most of them are filled with clutter instead of cars! If you're looking for a solution to "clutter comeback" that is simple and sustainable, you're not alone!

Are you expecting fifteen people coming to a family dinner this weekend, or you are in a long-term project of preparing to sell your house for retirement? Are you desperate for immediate results, or patiently recognize that you are wrestling with more complex issues? In any case, there's a bedrock principle that has helped thousands of people and may help you too. This principle can help you triumph over the clutter in your home, your workplace, or your heart: Love It or Lose It!

Think of it this way. Every item around you represents a choice you made. You either consciously selected it, or it came to you, and you accepted it. And you continue to allow it space in your life. Whether it's your toaster that works OK except when the handle falls off and you burn your hands, or the vase from Aunt Agnes that reminds you of an unhappy family situation, or the desk that isn't quite big enough for the computer and all its extensions, each item around you has an effect on how you live every day.

In his book, The Beauty of Life written in 1880, William Morris wrote: "Have nothing in your houses which you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful." We would add, "or love." With that in mind, look at every item in your life with fresh eyes. Do you know it's useful? Is it beautiful? Do you love it? If the answer to all three questions is "No!" ? then it's time to get rid of it. In other words, LOVE IT OR LOSE IT. Undoubtedly there's someone else in the world who would love it, so send it on its way ? you'll have less clutter, you'll be helping someone else --- and you can probably take a tax deduction for your good deed!

Love what nourishes your dreams and directions, lose what drains or distracts you. This principle will help you discover new focus and freedom, new simplicity and serenity, new energy and enlightenment in your day. As you let go of anything around you that drains your energy or joy, you can again discover that it is only by choosing what to let go of, that you know more clearly what to hold on to.

One client had a closet full of expensive clothes too small for her to wear ? and no place to put the ones she was wearing. After years of feeling guilty for not losing the weight and not wearing the clothes, she decided to give them away. Now, several years later, her closet is functional again ? and she's lost the weight ? but her lifestyle has changed dramatically from the early days of the expensive clothes, and she wouldn't wear them if she had kept them!

One client even nicknamed the boost of extra energy he got when he finally cleaned out his clutter in his office which he and his spouse had been fighting about for years! He took the initials of the phrase, "Love It Or Lose It," and called his new feeling the LILI effect. So, plant a LILI in your life and let it bloom.

You'll be amazed at the results!

Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.productiveenvironment.com

eco-friendly cleaning service Buffalo Grove ..
In The News:

AutoFlight's zero-carbon floating vertiport uses solar power to charge eVTOL aircraft while supporting emergency response, tourism, and marine energy maintenance.
A new phone return scam targets recent buyers with fake carrier calls. Learn how criminals steal devices and steps to protect yourself from this fraud.
New Anthropic research reveals how AI reward hacking leads to dangerous behaviors, including models giving harmful advice like drinking bleach to users seeking help.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Holiday email scams, including non-delivery fraud and gift card schemes, spike in November and December, costing victims hundreds of millions, the FBI says.
Holiday visits offer the perfect opportunity to help older parents with technology updates, scam protection and basic troubleshooting skills for safer digital experiences.
Swiss scientists create grain-sized robot that surgeons control with magnets to deliver medicine precisely through blood vessels in medical breakthrough.
Researchers exploited WhatsApp's API vulnerability to scrape 3.5 billion phone numbers. Learn how this massive data breach happened and protect yourself.
Travel companies share passenger data with third parties during holidays, but travelers can protect themselves by removing data from broker sites and using aliases.
Xpeng's humanoid robot moves so realistically that crowds believed it was fake, marking a major advancement in robotics technology ahead of 2026 commercial launch.
Researchers discover phishing scam using invisible characters to evade email security, with protection tips including password managers and two-factor authentication.
iPhone and Android users can reduce battery drain and data usage by restricting Background App Refresh to Wi-Fi connections instead of mobile networks.
Scammers nearly stole an Apple account by exploiting the support system with authentic-looking tickets and phone calls, users can protect themselves with safety steps.
FoloToy restored sales of its AI teddy bear Kumma after a weeklong suspension following safety group findings of risky and inappropriate responses to children.
Threat intelligence firm Synthient uncovers one of the largest password exposures ever, prompting immediate security recommendations.
Viral video shared by Elon Musk shows Tesla's Optimus humanoid robots performing tasks from cooking to construction, garnering over 58.5 million views on social media.
Chinese hackers used Anthropic's Claude AI to launch autonomous cyberattacks on 30 organizations worldwide, marking a major shift in cybersecurity threats.
Apple's new Sleep Score feature gives you a rating for your nightly rest quality. Learn how to set it up on your Apple Watch and iPhone today.
Essential phone settings to enable before losing your device, including Find My network, location services and security features for iPhone and Android.
The Fox News AI Newsletter gives readers the latest AI technology advancements, covering the challenges and opportunities AI presents.
Cybersecurity research shows weak passwords remain a major threat, with simple patterns and number sequences putting millions of accounts at risk.
New Android malware BankBot YNRK silences phones, steals banking data and drains crypto wallets automatically. Learn how this advanced threat works.
FDA approves first human trial for Paradromics' brain-computer interface that could restore speech for paralyzed patients through neural technology.
New phishing platform QRR targets Microsoft 365 users across 1,000 domains in 90 countries. Learn how to spot fake login pages and protect your accounts.
OpenTable now uses AI to track your dining habits and share insights with restaurants. Learn what data they collect and how to protect your privacy.

Time for a Clean Out

Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More

New Business? Changing Careers? Youve Got a Whole New Ball Game

When you embark on a life transition, the skills that... Read More

Heres A Great Way To Organize Your Work From Home Office Virtually

How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More

Clear Your Clutter and Free Your Life

Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make... Read More

Ten Signs That Your Life Is Cluttered

How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More

Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle

I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar... Read More

Get Organised and Transform Your Life

It takes effort to get results, and not just any... Read More

Overwhelmed? Try the Red Zone Tactic

Some people seem to be born organized. You probably remember... Read More

9 Simple Strategies for Home Organization

Home organization means being able to find your stuff when... Read More

Can Someone Step Into Your Job Or Role And Function Effectively?

Working for one of the top Marketers online (David Ledoux)... Read More

Memorabilia -- Use It or Lose It!

What do you do with those special items that have... Read More

Four Tips For Clearing The Clutter

Spring?. Fresh breezes through open windows, sleeping trees come awake... Read More

Declutter Your Home in 11 Easy Steps

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of organizing your home? Start... Read More

Clutter Is Natural

Nature loves clutter. Just think of all the stuff that... Read More

3-Step Clean Sweep Program to Organize

3-Step Clean Sweep Program 1 -... Read More

Simple Ideas to Conquer Paper Clutter

Are stacks of papers, mail, newspapers, and growing "to do"... Read More

How Clutter Chases Money Away

Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More

Essential Tips for the Kitchen

* Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped... Read More

Making Space - Letting Go of Clutter

To make room for new things to come into you... Read More

Relieve Vacation Stress By Planning Ahead

Cindy looks at the calendar and sighs. Ah, the end... Read More

How Clutter Affects Your Love Life

Clutter in any area of your home is a sign... Read More

Is Your To Do List The Problem?

You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More

Sticking to Your New Years Resolutions: Ten Tips for a More Organized Life

1. A calendar is an essential organizing tool ? start... Read More

Organization and the Opposite Sex

In many of the companies I have worked in, there... Read More

express cleaning service Arlington Heights ..