Clutter control. George Carlin did a whole routine about taking care of our ‘stuff’. Today I’m sharing an excerpt from the book, “Throw Out 50 Things: Clear the Clutter, Find Your Life” by Gail Blanke. I admit it, I am challenged by my stuff. And the more unwanted, unneeded stuff I have, the more space it takes up in my brain, too. Physical clutter leads to mental clutter.
Gail Blanke’s book speaks to them both, and she does it with humor. It’s not enough to work on one and think you’re done. They are inextricably connected.
And remember that it’s not only about adults. Children have become collectors: DVDs, toys, colored pencils, stuffed animals, jewelry, sports equipment, rocks, key chains, LEGOs. The list is endless. They are starting at younger and younger ages… with help from us, of course… and have no idea how to manage all this stuff. Get a grip on clutter control now, and live a more peaceful life.
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Clutter Control: Throw Out 50 Things
Throw out fifty things… Actually it’s not that hard to get into the swing of it. Look, you’ve had that single earring for years and you keep hoping the other one will show up. It won’t. Throw it away. You’ve got all those socks with no matches. (I know, they were in pairs when you put them in the dryer. I’ve always wondered what happens to them. Do they pop up in someone else’s dryer?) Throw them out. You’ve got that single leather glove; it’s okay, throw it away.
You’ve got all that makeup from your old look. Toss it. And you’ve got that drawer in the kitchen. You know that drawer. There are receipts in there from years ago, there’s a bunch of change in there, and, yes, there are old dried-up tubes of Krazy Glue. And you know what else is in there? Keys. There are keys in there that haven’t opened up anything in decades. But you think it’s not nice to throw away keys. Never mind. Throw them out. Throw it all out.
Here’s why: Once you start throwing out a lot of physical clutter – once you get on a roll, and you will – a new urge kicks in. “What about all that clutter in my mind?” you ask. “What in the world have I allowed to collect there?” And then you get into the really good stuff.
Of course it’s the mental clutter that drags you down and holds you back, that keeps you from stepping into the next great segment of your life – the one that’s filled with promise, joy, adventure, and best of all, fulfillment. You can’t move forward into the future when you’re constantly sucked into the past.
So in addition to the socks and lipsticks, you’re going to throw out the old regrets and resentments, the resignation, the fear of failing or the fear of succeeding; you’re going to let go of the times when you came up a bit short (we all have them). And you’re going to let go of the voices that remind you of your so-called limitations. You know those voices. Just when you’re feeling pretty spunky and sure of yourself – just when you’ve created a bold new vision for your life – that voice from the past that says, “Not so fast, kiddo, you can’t do that! You don’t have enough time, you don’t have enough energy, you don’t have enough money, and anyway, they’ll never let you!”
A word about the voices: Whenever you’re out for something big, whenever you’re stepping out of your comfort zone and into your power, you’ll hear them. It’s inevitable. And it’s okay. In fact, I’d suggest that if you go along for months and don’t hear any voices, chances are you’re playing it too safe.
Chances are you’re hanging out in the stands when you should be strutting onto the field. The minute you enter the game, you’ll hear the voices. Congratulate yourself and say, “I must be about to live to my potential. Let ‘er rip.”
And one more word about voices. Did you see the movie A Beautiful Mind?… John Nash, the brilliant and world-renowned mathematician and co-recipient of the 1994 Nobel Prize in Economics, suffered from severe paranoid schizophrenia, to the point that he saw and heard imaginary people who interacted intimately with him and negatively influenced his life – almost ruining his career and marriage, even endangering the lives of the people he loved.
… When asked by a Nobel Prize committee member, “So, do you still um, you know, uh…” Nash finishes his sentence, “See them? Yes, they’re still there. But I choose not to acknowledge them… That’s what it’s like with all our dreams and all our nightmares. You’ve got to keep feeding them for them to stay alive.”
… If John Nash could choose not to acknowledge them, then we can, too. We can say to ourselves when those negative, Not-so-fast, Who-do-you-think-you-are?, Let’s-not-get-carried-away voices flood our minds: “Not today. I’m not listening today. I have my own hill to take, my own rivers to cross. Not today.”
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Resources for a peaceful home, office and mind
www.lgorganized.com – Meet Gayle Gruenberg, Professional Organizer and owner of Let’s Get Organized. Gayle works with families going through divorce, chronic disorganization, downsizing, ADHD adults and more. She’ll help you de-clutter your space, and do it with caring and compassion.
www.crystalclearenergies.com – Roxanne D’Angelis teaches that everything is energy which affects our physical, mental and emotional states. Roxanne is a healer and Space Clearing Consultant (to name a few of her talents and expertise). She is a master at Fung Shui and Energy Healing, and can help you make your home, office and self a peaceful sanctuary through her energy work.
www.flylady.net – Daily ‘flight plans’ and inspiration to clear the clutter in 15 minutes a day.