by Penny Dablin

Clearing the clutter has been a recurring theme with several of my coaching
clients recently so I thought I would share some of the ideas we have discussed
with you all.

Whatever your clutter problem the answer is the same: make a decision to
clear it and then take action. Without action, the decision is meaningless.
Without the right decision any action is undirected.

Physical clutter is the debris that is strewn around your home and work
environment: papers and files in piles on the desk and floor, dirty clothes,
washing up, unopened mail, half finished projects, etc., etc.

Don’t be overwhelmed by the enormity of the task, break it down. Decide to
deal with one room at a time or with one type of clutter at a time. Set aside
some time to start, just half an hour initially will get you moving without
seeming overwhelming. Set a timer and work at clearing the clutter until the
timer goes off. Then you can give yourself a small reward like a cup of tea
before tackling another 30 minutes worth of clearing up. Or leave it for today
and do another 30 minutes tomorrow. Remember you are in charge here, not the
clutter.

And then there is mental clutter: trying to remember everything –
appointments, making phone calls, picking up the dry cleaning, and so on. Here
the answer is even more simple – write it down! Not on scraps of paper
to add to the physical clutter but in a diary or planner. Get your life
organised and develop a habit of always noting everything down in your diary or
planner as it arrives in your life. Then develop a habit of checking the week
ahead every morning. Keep your mind free for useful creative thought that moves
you forward with your life and your projects.

Most importantly, remember to reward yourself for taking action on the
clutter in your life. Knowing there is a reward at the end makes the clearing up
much less irksome. And cultivate a tidiness habit – get into the habit of
putting things away after you’ve used them rather than leaving them around to
mount up and you’ll never need to do a major clear up again.

As you clear the clutter from your life you will find you have more energy,
more time and more space. And that will enable you to move forward with any
stuck projects or new challenges.

Get more out of your life by clearing your clutter.