10 Ways to Eliminate or Organize Clutter

Today we look at practical steps with personal insights for decluttering physical, mental and digital spaces. The emphasis is on simplicity, ease and mindfulness.

Welcome to Authentic Living with Linda
I’m Linda Codlin

Welcome, My Friends.

It’s amazing how life can give you a little nudge to remind you just how mortal you really are.
This week I have had such a nudge. We say our loved ones are important to us, and then we ignore them when they want to hold a conversation with us.
I’ve been reminded again that actions say more about us than all the words in the dictionary ever could.

What we consistently do, defines who we are seen as being.

Are who you are being seen as align with who you say you are?
When our words, or the words of someone close to you don’t match their actions, always believe their actions, they are telling you everything you need to know.
Also when we, or someone you now has the preverbally slip of the tongue and says something they don’t want known, and then retract those words, trust the initial words they are telling you exactly what you need to know.

This week I want to talk about organization, organizing your visible life in a way that will serve you in finding peace with your inner life.

A Place for everything, everything in it’s place.

As a young mother of 4 preschoolers, I learned a lot about how to organize smartly.
At the time we lived in a small 2 bedroom house, the kitchen was the hallway to the bathroom and the master bedroom.
The laundry was at the opposite end of the kitchen, separated by the back entrance.
I learned the value of having a place for particular items.
For instance, nappy pins were kept in a container in the cupboard with the nappies.
Car and house keys had their own hook on the noticeboard in the kitchen.
Shoes had a box they all got thrown into. This has now progressed to shelving.
Whatever was the hassle, was noted down.
For instance, was I always looking for a pen? What was making me late for appointments? What things annoyed me the most? (Toys, mess, clothes)
Then I would seek out a way of creating a system where these things would be reduced or eliminated.
Set places for particular items, then training myself and others to use them by putting them in easy to use places.

Reduce clutter.

Clutter is an interesting term.
It refers to items that are disorganized, unnecessary or excessive which create the appearance of chaos and disarray or untidiness.
Clutter can be physical, such as papers, clothes, or random items laying around your space.
Clutter can be digital, such as files, emails, photos, or notes on your electronic devices.
Clutter can be mental, such as looping thoughts that play on repeat, thoughts that create the feeling of being overwhelmed, unhelpful thoughts that keep you feeling stuck, not good enough or disorganized.
Clutter often leads to feeling stressed, harried, behind, ‘what’s the point’ emotions.
Clutter also contributes to reduced productivity, due to having to hunt down a file that you need and can’t find, or maybe you just don’t think clearly in an environment with items on every surface.
Clutter creates the sense of overwhelm, that there is too much to do and not enough time to do it. Or the job is too big and you can’t manage it.

How to eliminate or organize clutter?

Declutter by Category.

Instead of attacking everything all at once, begin with one specific category.
For example you might choose to sort your books, rather than all the books all at once, begin with the recipe books, then the diet books, then the fiction books by a favourite author.
The books you don’t love, get to bless someone else.
You can declutter by category for things like, clothes (kids, mum’s, dad’s, dress-up’s), medical supplies, paperwork, sewing supplies, art supplies, tools, even DVD collections and X-Box games.
When you have decided what is staying, organize them in a way that is easy to get at and easy to use, in a way that suits your personality and your space available.

One-in, One-out rule.

I live by this rule, when I bring something new into my home, the thing it is replacing has to leave.
This reduces clutter and helps me keep the small amount of storage I have available organised.
If I buy or make a new dress, one of my existing ones need to be passed on to someone else.
I also use the next rule to keep my space clutter free and easy to see what I have and use.

One-two year rule: If it hasn’t been used it needs a new home.

I live by this rule, and it makes me use everything I have within the one to two year time frame otherwise it also needs a new home.
My hobbies and needs change as my lifestyle changes, I don’t use things as often as I once did.
This rule helps me to stop accumulating things from the has been era. And protects me from the ‘I’ll use it one day’ thinking.
If I haven’t used it, I don’t need it. If I love it and haven’t used it, I’d better find a way to use it before the time frame comes round.
My family know when it’s check the cupboards yearly or eighteen monthly comes round, I begin using kitchen appliances I haven’t used for a while, dishes get used that haven’t seen the light of day for a long while.
I find this keeps me honest with myself around what I need and what I don’t.

Use the 15 minute rule.

Grab a timer, set it for 15 minutes and begin clearing off one space.
Never take out more than you can sort and return in 15 minutes. (One shelf, one draw, one benchtop.)
You will be surprised at how much you can get done in 15 short minutes.
http://www.flylady.net helped me to learn this habit, and it is one I still use today.
I have found half the battle is with my brain to get started, once the timer is on I make it a game, seeing how far and how fast can I sort, clean, and tidy before it goes off.
Then I find I don’t want to stop when it does go off.

Create a Decluttering Schedule.

Create a schedule to regularly sort, clean and tidy each area of your home or office.
It takes very little time and energy to maintain a tidy space.
I have found that creating a yearly schedule for my home, broken down into months is the easiest way for me to maintain my home.
Removing clutter is part of my cleaning roster. For example I go through each month of the year and designate a room to that month.
The first time I did this I listed everything in each of the rooms. This included furniture, walls, windows, ceiling, draperies, everything including clothes, books, ornaments, pictures etc.
I created a master list of each item, then I added a tick column to the list to show completion.
When I am planning my month in advance I know which room is on my list, then I plan one item a day, or 15mins a day.
Over time I have discovered, with regularity these cleaning, decluttering and maintenance activities take less time as they are never really dirty or messy.
For beginners, pick one area and keep at it until that spot is as you want it, then keep it tidy, while adding the next spot. This way you will always feel like you are achieving and getting somewhere without overwhelm, and in time your entire space will be organised.

Invest in Storage solutions.

Purchase storage bins, shelves and organizers to keep everything neat and tidy.
Remember to label the boxes and to keep a master list somewhere save, so you can easily retrieve what you are looking for.
I have used this system when I teaching my children and we had a lot of educational equipment and projects that needed organizing.
This system also gave me breathing space between having clutter lying around, and having it sorted tidily. It also gave me emotional space to process what I needed to let go of but wasn’t quite ready to yet.
Some of the more personal things have taken years for me to be ready to release. Each item in our home has an emotional story attached to it.
What emotional stories do you want to be reminded of?
I used cardboard boxes of equal size, they fitted on the shelves I had, I numbered each box and printed detailed labels to stick on the boxes so at a glance I knew what was inside each box.
I also had a master list, at the time I had 72 boxes. So my list was numbered 1-72, it detailed where the box was -(Third cupboard in the shed- 2nd shelf at the back.)
Then each number had the same sticker or detail as the actual box. This way I could locate the knitting wool in a few minutes, without stress or mental input.
As time went by and my life changed, I was able to release these boxes.
Now I maintain an archive box system the same way.
Begin small, one box or bin at a time, plan what you want to keep, put similar items together to make retrieval easy, and label everything. It takes a little longer on the front end but it saves hours of time in the hunting for items end.

Digitalize whenever possible.

Scan your important documents and store them in a digital vault.
Organize your files with clear folders, use consistent naming conventions to make retrieval easier.
Remember to sort these files at least once a year for relevance.
In the last couple of months I have been decluttering my digital files. Using the 15 minute a day timer, I have started at the top of my computer drive and opened every file, and every document. I am also going through the external hard-drive to check for double up documents, making clear decisions on what I want and how I want the storage to look and be accessible.
I have had to rethink my labelling system as it was very confusing.
What I am finding is I have kept files and documents that are no longer relevant to my life today, and if I have documents that need to be kept but not to be accessed I am putting them on an external hard-drive so what is on my computer is what I actually need.
It is slow going, but I know I will get there as I am diligent with a minimum of 15 minutes a day.
By keeping your documents digitally it reduces the amount of paper in your physical environment.
Paper clutter can make a space look in disarray very easily. A little preplanning on the front end (creating a routine to scan, label, and store) can have a huge impact at the back end. (retrieving the data and information you require)

Use the “Four Box System”

Prepare four boxes for the area you are about to declutter.
Remember to never take out more than 15 minutes worth of items from the area you want to remove clutter from.
Box number 1 is the “Keep” Box. This is where the items you want to hold onto go. If they are not going back into the space you are cleaning and tidying they go into box number 2.
Box Number 2 is the “Relocate” Box. This is the box where items go that need to be taken to a different space to live within your home environment.
Box Number 3 is the “Donate” Box. I call this the rehome box, these are items that can go to someone else’s home to bless them.
Box Number 4 is the “Rubbish” Box. This is the box where items go that are broken, that are not in a state to be donated.
Using this system forces you to make a decision around each item.
As you pick an item up, you quickly decide which box it is to go into. If you struggle to let things go, these boxes will be an indicator of this.
I have found the secret to this system is to make sure at the end of every clean and tidy session you have, you ensure each of these boxes are empty.
If you leave items in each box you have just transferred your things from one space to another. And you will have to make another decision at a later date.
I have found it is easier to decide once and action it once. Empty your boxes, put the rubbish in the bin, take the donations to the second hand dealer, actually sell the items you claim to want to sell.
Do it all within your 15 minute window of time. Relocate the items that need to go somewhere else, put your keepers away where they will live.
If you are using a storage system to help you gain order, store the items with all their details attached.
It may take longer initially, but it will be less of a headache later on when you want something.
Remember there is no hurry. You set your pace, do it once and do it well. This system will serve you well.
I am at the stage now where I don’t use boxes anymore, I know what each item is for.
I love the item because it is beautiful and means something fabulous to me.
It is something I use often, and is valuable to me for the service it gives.
It is something I value for the story it is telling, either of my past, or of my future.
I ask myself, Do I love this? Do I use this regularly? What do I get from keeping this item? What is the story this item is telling me, is it a story I want to be reminded of?
Then I mentally do the four boxes, and do it straight away, so the item ends up in the place I want it to be in with one touch.

Set limits on collections.

If you are someone who love to collect items, like books, memorabilia or clothes, set a limit for yourself on how many and what types you will keep.
This will help you to prevent over accumulation.
Also store and display your collections in a way that brings you delight. Create a library, catalogued and sorted to your liking. Showcase your memorabilia in a way that you enjoy looking at them.
Organize your closet and clothes in a way that is user friendly to yourself.
What ever your collection is, make sure it is valuable for you. If you have inherited it and it’s not your thing, you can pass it on to someone else to care for.
Display your collections, be proud of them.

Shop mindfully.

Before you purchase an item, write it on an I want list, let it sit there for a few days or a week, then revisit it.
If you still feel you require the item ask yourself. Do I really need this? Where will it live once I get it home? What will I remove from my space to make room for it?
What is the feeling I think this item will give me? How much self selling (justifying) am I having to do?
Most things we think we need are actually a reaction to an emotional trigger. When we put space between the triggering thought and the action of shopping we may find we don’t really need the item at all, that what we really need is to feel safe and secure, and shopping won’t fulfil this need.
I have found in my life that the more clutter I have around me, The bigger the indication is that there are unmet needs circulating in my life which won’t be met with adding more clutter, spending more money, or any other avoidant action I may run to. The needs that are not being met, need to be seen, and fulfilled in a way that acknowledges and meets them emotionally.

I hope that these Ways of dealing with clutter give you some hope and inspiration that you can live in an environment that feeds your soul, that you love to come home to, and that is authentically you.

Until Next time: Set your timer for 15 minutes and begin planning your decluttering system.

OXOX Linda

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Book now if you are interested in being supported through your journey of removing clutter.

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