Home
>
Get Organized - Organization
>
The Love It Or Lose It Principle: One Simple Key to Living Clutter-Free Forever

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

cleaning team near Winnetka ..

In The News:

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.

Google's discontinued Nest thermostats still secretly upload home data to company servers despite losing smart features, raising serious privacy concerns.

New Android malware NGate steals NFC payment codes in real-time, allowing criminals to withdraw cash from ATMs without your card. Learn protection tips.

DoorDash confirms data breach exposing customer names, emails, addresses after social engineering attack. Learn how to protect yourself from scams.

Concerned about Google's AI scanning your Gmail? Learn how to disable Gemini features that access your emails, Drive files and Chat messages for privacy.

Google warns Android users about dangerous fake VPN apps hiding malware that steals passwords, banking details and personal data from phones and tablets.

Apple's digital passport feature lets iPhone users breeze through TSA checkpoints this holiday season using Digital ID technology at 250+ airports.

A new phishing scam targets family photos with fake "Cloud Storage Full" alerts. Criminals steal credit card information through fake sites. Learn protection tips.

South Korean scientists create ultra-thin fabric muscles that turn clothes into robotic assistants, lifting 33 pounds while weighing under half an ounce.

Archer Aviation has acquired Hawthorne Airport for $126M to launch an LA air taxi network ahead of the 2028 Olympics, featuring AI-powered eVTOL operations and next-gen aviation tech.

Stay up to date on the latest AI technology advancements and learn about the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

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

Get Organized - Organization