Patricia Diesel
Little hacks and tweaks can make your home tidier, but the truth is that if you’re after lasting change…well, the change has to begin with the way you live.
Sometimes it takes a big life transition to make you start thinking about how you really want to live your day-to-day life. From the clothes on your back to the stuff in your home – it all reflects your life story.
Most people, when they make the decision to get organized are under the impression it will be a quick clean-out, only to find that it actually becomes a journey of self-discovery – from their closets right through their psyche.
The beauty of this is that one learns many things that ultimately change their relationship to their stuff. Now mind you, most people are very content with how they may have acquired their stuff – it just becomes apparent that it’s way too much stuff.
Here’re a few tips on how to wade through it all….
- Become a dictator over your things
When envisioning how you want to organize your home, don’t let your stuff dictate your actions. Reimagine each space and then you dictate how your stuff should work for you. Remember, you have the power over your things, not the other way around.
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- Give yourself permission to let things go
This can be tough, but it’s a critical step in regaining control over your stuff. Be honest with yourself and resolve not to beat yourself up over getting rid of things you don’t really need. When you start to think of your things as part of an ecosystem for your life, it becomes easier to pare down to only the stuff you really love.
- Take stock of what your current life looks like
A smart way to declutter is to first look at how you’re living your life. In other words, a reality check is sometimes what you need to help you make decisions. When cleaning out your closets, for example, ask yourself: How many meetings do I attend? How often do I go out for dinner? It can be an eye-opening experience to figure out what clothes need to remain in your wardrobe.
- Allow yourself to be scared when purging – especially paper
Frankly, paper is a big challenge for most. It’s okay to be scared. But do you really need credit card receipts from 10 years ago? If your paper is in excess, consider having shredding companies come in. And so you don’t get back into the same cycle, make it a monthly habit to purge your papers.
- Honor yourself by taking care of yourself
The truth is, if your home is in chaos – you’re in chaos. You don’t want to live like that, right? Give yourself permission to have a few “nice” things that hold their value and show-off the best of you, rather than hoarding a bunch of “things” just because…
- Focus on being happy
In the grander scheme of things, focus on how organizing makes you feel – happy, I imagine! No longer do you have to allow the clutter to control you and feel the shame of hiding behind your stuff. Being honest with yourself is one of the biggest keys to staying tidy. Your home is uniquely yours and should truly reflect who you are.