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
no-contract cleaning service Des Plaines .."Junkyard Wars," a TV series showed two teams of experts... Read More
One of the hardest things for most individuals working from... Read More
For some reason, Americans think they have something to prove... Read More
Getting Things Done (GTD), is a productivity methodology designed by... Read More
Have you ever heard that having a cluttered home can... Read More
What do your storage spaces look like? Do you know... Read More
How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More
Q. I have several projects going at once -- but... Read More
After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More
What do you gain if you SIMPLIFY?Dictionary* says:to reduce to... Read More
Obviously, productivity involves producing. Producing widgets, events, reports, sales. The... Read More
1) It's easy to have a good clear out: Not... Read More
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space... Read More
Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More
The following procedures will insure an organized and well run... Read More
(This is the second in a series of three articles... Read More
Sometimes the task of keeping a clean, tidy house just... Read More
Keeping on task and getting organized starts with a basic... Read More
Do you ever sit down at your desk buried in... Read More
Life is really all about CHANGE. In order to make... Read More
"My job is an endless series of deadlines, I am... Read More
Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's... Read More
The Mexican VillagerThe American investment banker was at the pier... Read More
When the things in your home start crowding in around... Read More
Balance- what a popular topic these days! Finding a work-life... Read More
bathroom cleaning service Lake Forest ..Much of my time as a Professional Organizer is spent... Read More
I recently had a conversation with a friend about clutter.... Read More
Remember when you charged into the office that first day,... Read More
Back-to-school time ? what does that mean to you? For... Read More
Paper1. You may already be in the habit of filing... Read More
Life is about maintaining a balance of all aspects. At... Read More
Article excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space... Read More
Decide When And Where To StartDecide when and where to... Read More
I recently read an article that had some interesting but... Read More
You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More
You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More
Have you ever been totally overwhelmed by a massive task... Read More
1. Teach your children to use an alarm clock or... Read More
How to do keep track of all you have to... Read More
I talk about the mail a lot in my newsletter,... Read More
Winter is starting to retreat, and hints of Spring are... Read More
'A well-ordered life is like climbing a tower; the view... Read More
Helping people clean out their closet is something I love... Read More
Ever feel overwhelmed by all the papers, notices, artwork, and... Read More
* Cupboards and drawers should contain items that are grouped... Read More
Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like... Read More
Individuals who are organized in their personal lives most generally... Read More
Do you feel like you just get too much e-mail?... Read More
At this point, you have probably run across some belongings... Read More
Spring is here and the garage door is open. This... Read More
Get Organized - Organization |