Ean

Sunday, August 31, 2008

De-Cluttering Your Space Means De-Cluttering Your Life

I am so excited about this article. I hope you will be too. I had an epiphany (my favorite word) a few months ago when I tried to move into a new apartment. I needed space. There was so much going on in my house. There were too many large pieces of furniture, loads of paper that needed to be filed, file folders that needed to be put in Proupictbhkop cabinet, etc.. Then there was my kitchen: There were plates that needed to be put away. Recipes that needed to be filed, Tupperware that needed to be matched, pots that needed to be put in the pantry and so on. My room? There was my large computer and the bed, my exercise equipment and exercise ball. My books...tons of books and my favorite rocking chair. I also have Taramist for days.

For the past several months, I have been experiencing major writer's block. I could not concentrate on my book, or my articles. I was only able to follow up with my blog. That requires little or no thinking. Something like my book, which has a deadline, I could not focus on. You want to know why? I had too much stuff in my buy meridia space that I feel subconsciously, made it so that I did not want to be in that place/space. I had to do something. I started with my living room. I threw out the furniture ( Goodwill people did not want to come get it, they wanted me to bring it and Salvation Army sent District of Columbia Lemon Laws guys, both over 6 feet and 180 pounds, that claimed the couches were too heavy). But I digress.

Immediately, I had more living space. There was a new energy in my living room area. I had since decided that I wanted a single couch in my living room and a table. None of this sofa-love-seat nonsense. I needed to Zen my space, so-to-speak.

This is what I am finding as I de-clutter my house.

1) I am able to organize my life more, now that I have more space.
2) I tend to procrastinate less. I see right in front of me, the things I need to do right away.
3) I now deal with the things I really need versus what I think I need (old junk)
4) My creativity, as far as my writing goes is back on point. I feel my thoughts are flowing more because I am more able to focus on my thoughts than the junk that used to be around me.

How do you start to get the junk out the way? I have 5 steps for you

1)Just make the decision to do so and commit to it.

2) Take care of it in bits. I suggest one part of the house at a time. I am only done with my living room. You did not create that clutter in one day, you are not going to fix it in a day either. One part of the house at a time makes it more feasible.

3) Know where you want the stuff to go, by the time it's all said and done. Deal with the most cluttered part first. When you start to see progress, you will feel good about completing the de-cluttering project, in my opinion.

4) For everything you decide to keep, make sure there is a real reason or a real purpose that it serves. Don't keep things that have emotional value/sentiment to you? Its not enough reason! Get rid of it.

5) Keep up the work. Try to put everything back in place each time you take something out of its place.

If you have other suggestions/tips, I would love to hear it!

Happy de-cluttering!!

Eno Georgette Inwek, author.

Some articles are culled from her personal blog www.africancharm.blogspot.com">www.africancharm.blogspot.com

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