Clear the Clutter - Clutter-bug.

Clutter weighs one down, it is a strong negative effect in life which impacts on ones ability to think clearly, saps the simple enjoyment out of life and clutter at work affects productivity.

Mind clutter can come in many forms and it's a huge stress factor, which can overwhelm you and make you feel as though you are being pulled in too many directions. You need to let it go, regain the focus and natural balance which is you, and once again enjoy more meaningful relationships.

Clutter is a thief, it creeps up and can gain a strangle hold on you while it robs you of energy, clarity and focus. Get rid of clutter now, with small steps.

Decide where you want to start, it can be in the smallest place, for instance your car or if you want to tackle the big jobs first, namely, the workplace or your home, enlist the help of family, co-workers, employees and anyone else standing still!

If you haven’t used it in the last 12 - 24 months -

you probably don’t need it - so let it go!

If you think you may need it in the future, but you haven’t used it in past get rid of it, as it is taking up space and will continue to do so for the rest of its useless life!

Please do not let a fear of letting things go or not having enough, clutter your environment.

Prepare to Change your Mind:

Prioritize what needs to be done first, slow down, breathe and ask the following questions regarding your stuff:

Do I need this - is it really essential or necessary that it’s kept?

Does it serve my purpose - Is it helpful or useful?

Am I attached to this - Why am I attached to this or can I let it go?

What specifically should be cleared out?

Stuff that is not used anymore.

• Too much Stuff in too little Space

• If things are crammed into cupboards, or on your bathroom or kitchen counters, piled high on your desk or stuffed into drawers - you need to make room in your overcrowded space to let the psychologically speaking, air flow through.

• Mess, Junk and Stuff in Basement or Attic.

• When things are untidy, it is difficult to plan, think or take effective action, to start right now at the end of each day to put things back where they came from or in order, or in the bin. The next day you start afresh without walking into cluttered mess.

• Things you don’t Like:

• If there is anything in your space that you don’t like, even if Great Aunt Kate left it to you, pass it on to someone who can make use of it or give it to a charity or sell it on an auction. Your space must be filled with things, scents, sights and sounds that you love and make you feel comfortable.

• Projects that are Unfinished:

• This is clutter, whether at work or at home. They roll over day after day in your head, so either drop the project, complete it now or give yourself a reasonable deadline, pass it on to someone who cares and will complete it, or drop it.

In the de-cluttering process especially in the work environment you have to keep certain papers, documents and whatever else the auditors or tax officials may need.

In your home, you have distinct seasons, and the cupboards carrying the needs for all of this could be overflowing and they definitely are if it takes you more than a minute to find something.

Storage containers are the answer here. Ensure, however that like is placed with like and have a relation to one another or you are just shifting clutter. Don’t put John’s summer sports wear in with Jenny’s winter holiday ski gear.

Organise Files and Filing:

Whether this is office or personal files, it is very important you have a grasp on your bills, finance, and important documents. If these documents are crucial, it may be better to store them in a safe place and put photocopies in your file for ease of reference. If you have a bank account especially for bills it makes managing the costs so much easier and you will be able to see where the money is going.

The more organized you are in the kitchen, the better equipped you are to save money on groceries.

Check through the grocery cupboard, the fridge and freezer.

Place things in order and together and while you do this check the ‘best by date’. If it has expired throw it away, if it is due to expire place it in the front so it is used first.

Once this job is done, you will know what is in your cupboard and what not to buy for sometime. What is in the waste bin, may upset you enough to follow through with the next plan.

It doesn’t take long once the methods, are in place and there will be less uneaten food at the end of the week to throw away.

Plan a menu for the week - You may even want to plan a menu for four or six weeks, rotating them and ensuring that left over whatever, such as the bunch of leeks you buy, can be fully utilized on the next day’s menu to avoid wastage.

From the menus - you make up a grocery list - which again if you want to really do a good job of saving time and money - make up standard grocery lists that apply to weeks 1 or 2 or menu A,B,C whatever you have chosen.

On the kitchen pin board put an all round grocery / shopping list the family may add to before they run out of stuff. Notebooks, pencils, printer ink, shaving cream, deodorant, whatever. This will also save time as you are not running backwards and forwards to the shop wasting fuel, time and energy.

A by-product of all this effort is in the money you will save, as you will buy only what you need, cut down on waste and last week’s ingredients don’t land up in the dustbin.

Fresh vegetable and fruit have a limited shelf life and as they are quite expensive, you could buy the discounted items when they are nearing their sell by date at a much reduced price. You know you will be using them in the next day or two. Also take advantage of any discounts or coupons available to you.

If you are looking to seriously save money on the food bill, stick to the menu / grocery list religiously and remember sometimes the best bargain, is the one you walk away from!

No more will you be thinking, what shall we cook tonight, I better buy this in case there isn’t any at home, I’ ll buy some more meat as the other is still frozen, or I’m too tired to think so I’ll just do take-aways.

You can see from this bit of organization that the off-shoots are enormous.

The stress of shopping quickly after work, worrying about what to cook, throwing away foodstuffs that went off, and the sheer waste of money all taken care of.

Now that you have attacked the physical clutter - let’s work on the Mind clutter.

Take a pad and pencil - yes the physical thing, it works better than the electronic variety for this exercise.

Write down whatever thoughts are in your head, don’t judge yourself or your grammar, just write it all down.

According to Julia Cameron author of The Right to Write, it is the writing continually for 30 minutes which is important, thereafter you have depleted your current store of mind clutter and left space for focused and purposeful thought.

Try some of the following and use what feels comfortable and works for you.

• First thing in the morning, to clear your mind for the day.
• Last thing at night, to ensure a peaceful sleep.
• At anytime during the day if you are so full of clutter you can’t think straight.

Read through your thoughts at the end of the day to see if there is anything you have missed, or you could use these pages to organise and deal with what came up, run with an idea that address something important, or bin it - whatever suits you.

Just getting everything out of your mind and on to paper clears your mind, the to-do list, memos or reports can follow once you have regained your thought processes.

Follow the "One in, One out" Rule.

Keep clutter from creeping into your home by stringently throwing out an old item when you acquire a new one.

Clutter requires more cleaning, more organising and searching for stuff you can't find in the clutter.

Keep the clutter out of your life:

If you take on a new commitment, pass on an old one to make the space. No you don't want to also cram that into your already full day - give it up!

TIPS FOR DAILY CLUTTER MANAGEMENT

• Hang up your clothes or put them in the wash basket immediately.
• Keep your sink clean, wash dishes immediately and wipe down sink immediately.
• Pick up before you go to bed and before you leave the house.
• Have a place for everything and put stuff away immediately.
• Have children help, by giving them a 5 minute pick up time before bed and story time.
• Ensure flat surfaces, counters, desk and tables are clear of clutter.
• Empty your trash daily.

TIDY PLACE - TIDY MIND - TRIUMPHANT LIFE

So now peace and tranquility have entered you space. The clutter is gone, desk, table and counter tops are clear. Rubbish is in the bin, the good stuff is sold or passed on to a charity, you can find something now in under a minute. Isn’t life great when you can view it through clear glass windows and not peer at it over, under or through the clutter?