Clear clutter from your life

According to the art of feng shui, clutter prevents the flow of chi (energy) from entering and flowing through the home. This ancient art informs us that the various areas of our living space correspond to and influence the various areas of our lives.

Everyone's point of view differs, so what one person views as clutter another may view as a necessity. But clutter is not only messy, it represents stagnant energy. Every now and then it becomes necessary to clear out the old in order to make room for the new. In order to allow more, new and better things to flow into your life you need to be able to let go of those things that no longer serve a purpose.

We often form attachments to the things we own, even when we no longer have need for them we sometimes find it difficult to part with our things. In a sense we are like children that don't want to part with their favorite toy or blanket even thought we have outgrown the need for those items.

Many people have a difficult time accepting change in their lives. And even small changes challenge us to step out of our comfort zone and can bring on feelings of stress and anxiety. You find comfort with the things you own and your mind alerts you to this whenever you consider getting rid of them. Those items bring back memories and so they are also an attachment to the past.

As much as some of us may prefer to live in the past, it is the present that we must learn to focus on. In order to move forward in our lives and allow blessings of the present to flow to us, we must clear the clutter from our homes, our hearts and our minds. Once you remove the clutter from your life, you'll find that you can breathe easier and the universe will find wonderful ways to fill those empty spaces in practically no time at all.

5 Steps To Getting Rid Of Clutter

With the hectic life many of us lead today, you may wonder if it is possible to get rid of clutter and organize your home. You may feel frustrated by the endless piles of paperwork and laundry generated in any busy household. You may also feel that you simply do not have time to get rid of clutter in your home. Fortunately, there is help. Use the following tips to banish clutter from your home and create a more harmonious living environment.

STEP 1 - Spend a Weekend

The best way to declare a war on clutter is to start with a major attack. Enlist the help of your family and friends and schedule a cleaning weekend. Focus on one room at a time. Throw out all obvious garbage and pile clutter into large boxes. Anything that is in the room without an obvious permanent location should go into one of the boxes. Do not worry about sorting the mess at this point; just toss it all into a box.

Work your way through one box at a time, sorting into one of two smaller containers: Keep or Trash. Again, do not worry about sorting the contents of smaller boxes, just focus on the big box at hand. Repeat this process for each of the larger boxes.

Soon you will be ready to sort the smaller boxes. At this point, you will be ready to sort the Keep boxes by category: Papers, Toys, Cleaning Supplies, etc. Each category of item should have it's own small container or pile. By the time you are finished with this task, you will have a clear idea of the organizational system that you require.

STEP 2 - A place for everything and everything in it's place

Remove any boxes of items that will not be stored in that room, putting them into rooms were they belong. Forget about those items for now, you will have a chance to sort through the items when you move into that room. Return to the original room, were you now have only the items you want to keep in that room. Now it is time to create an organizational system that incorporates those items.

At this point, you may want to move on to the next room. Depending on your schedule and personal preferences, it may be easier for you to get every room to this stage first, and then design a workable storage system for the entire house. Alternatively, you may prefer to work room-by-room.

STEP 3 - Organizing and storage choices

Think Outside the Box
A lack of storage space is a common complaint by those who try to get rid of clutter. However, storage options are virtually limitless if you are willing to think creatively. A closet organizer is a simple way to expand the amount of useable space in any closet. A file cabinet is virtually a household necessity to keep track of ever-increasing piles of important papers. However, file cabinets are no longer limited to industrial looking metal boxes. You can find file cabinets to match virtually any home decor from a wide variety of stores in every price range.

Create a System That is Easy to Use
Do not over plan or create complicated filing systems that are difficult to follow. Concentrate on putting like items together. If you have children, create simple systems that they can use. Involving your children in your efforts to get rid of clutter will make them feel like an important part of the family. Even a small child can sort the mail into baskets labeled bills, ads and personal. Give the child his or her own mail basket as well. Once a week, the adults can then subdivide the mail into appropriate slots in the file cabinet.

Set Up a Laundry System
Often laundry ends up piled on the floor because there is no good system in place for sorting it. If you have enough space, set up laundry baskets that are clearly labeled according to wash loads: whites, colors, delicate, etc. Encourage everyone in the family to sort their clothes immediately, and consider instituting a rule that whoever finishes filling a basket is responsible for washing that load. If you take laundry to the Laundromat, try to schedule a weekly visit that becomes part of your normal routine.

Step 4 - Cut Down on Incoming Clutter

The easiest way to get rid of clutter is to stop it from entering your home in the first place. Sign up for online billing and bill payment whenever possible. Contact junk mail senders and request that your name be removed from the company’s list. Keep a trash can by your computer and immediately toss any unnecessary printouts. Take out the household trash every evening and make a quick run through every room to remove any trash that may have accumulated. Banish pack rat tendencies by assigning each family member one large container for keepsake items. Insist that the container is cleaned out when it gets full and that all items are either tossed or put into an organized container such as a scrapbook, or otherwise displayed appropriately.

The handling of dishes is different for every family. Some families prefer to use mostly paper products to cut down on dishwashing. If you choose this option, you may find that the house is quickly overrun with disposable items rather than washable dishes and there are articles about anything being eaten on paper plates not being healthy food choices for you so be aware of your food choices and try to eat healthy. Be sure that you have plenty of trash cans and recycling bins so that disposable items can be quickly and easily dealt with.

For non-disposable dishes, it is important to set up a dishwashing system. If you have a dishwasher, insist that each family member put dishes in the machine as they become dirty. Whoever puts the last dish in can turn the dishwasher on. However, you may need to set up a schedule for unloading the dishwasher. If you do not have a dishwasher, it is generally best to set up a rotating schedule, ensuring that the dishes are washed every night. Encourage family members to rinse dishes and place the dishes in the sink as they finish.

Step 5 - Remain Flexible

Keep in mind that your initial organizational system will probably need to be tweaked and refined as time goes on

It is almost impossible for a household that is drowning in clutter to completely get rid of clutter and become organized on the first try. Implement a system and then live with it for a few weeks. You will gradually see the weaknesses in your system and areas that still need to be addressed. Call a family meeting several weeks into the new system to get feedback on what works and what does not work. Brainstorm together on ways to change the existing system to make it more efficient.

It is entirely possible for even the most disorganized household to get rid of clutter. It is best to enlist the help of the entire family and begin with a cleaning weekend. Once the clutter is organized into groupings, it becomes easier to see how the system should work. Stay flexible and be willing to refine your system as needed. With a bit of effort on everyone’s part, it is possible to get rid of clutter and live in a more organized household.