Resolve to De-Clutter
Did you make a New Year's resolution for 2010? How’s that going for you? Feeling motivated, or have you fallen off the resolution wagon? According to Dorothy.com, each year about 1 in 4 adults make New Year's resolutions and out of those only about 6% keep them. It really isn’t too surprising, since so many who resolve to make a change (whether to quit smoking, lose weight, work out more, or be happier) haven’t prepared themselves to break their deeply instilled habits. Going cold turkey rarely, if ever, works.
If you want to be successful in keeping life-changing resolutions, you might want to consider making changes in the way you live in your space. Your home should reflect who you are, or who you want to become, and should support you in every way to help you live the quality of life you want to lead. Unfortunately, if you are experiencing clutter problems in your life, physical or mental, they can get in the way of you keeping those resolutions.
Clutter issues vary greatly. Some people may just have a room that bugs them, others are actually unable to move through their homes due to the stuff piled floor to ceiling. Another form of clutter is mental clutter. Mental clutter can be fears, doubts, past events and so on that we carry around with us that affect our decisions or prevent us from moving forward in our lives. Clearing clutter is a very powerful approach to helping you clear the way for new opportunities. You are making room in your life to be creative and to think effectively so you can focus on your goals. It may be a subtle shift, but when you begin to deal with your clutter you will become less focused on those habits you are trying to break.
For example, a very common New Year resolution is weight loss. Peter Walsh, a famous clutter coach, explains in Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?, that when he wrote his first clutter book he received tons of letters from people who were unintentionally losing weight as they were dealing with their clutter. Walsh had not set out to help people lose weight, but quickly connected the power of clearing clutter to helping his clients achieve more than just a clean house. By clearing and releasing the extra stuff in your house, or in your head, you are able to release the extra weight you have also accumulated. Plus, if you are focused on clearing clutter you are less focused on food. This is why most diets don’t work—you are constantly food-focused.
It is never too late to make a New Year's resolution. But, instead of “starting on Monday,” why not take some time to clear the way for success? Resolutions can be broken up into smaller, more manageable goals. If losing weight is what you want to conquer, then try de-cluttering and organizing your kitchen. Pitch the junk. Clean out your fridge and only put in food that is fresh and supports your goal to lose weight. Organize cupboards, utensil drawers, and don’t allow any junk drawers. You will want to create a clean clutter-free kitchen that will motivate you to eat better and feel good about preparing healthy meals. You might even want to consider painting or hanging a picture that reminds you to stay positive.
If you are feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of de-cluttering or can’t figure out where to begin, then make it a goal to remove 9 items from your house (they really must leave—give them away with love) per day for the next 27 days. By the end of 27 days, you will be more clear-minded and able to decide how to move forward. Clearing the physical and mental clutter will help give you the energy and willpower you need to follow through on your resolutions.