Progress Not Perfection
Are you overwhelmed with the thought of getting organized?
Here’s a challenge - set a timer for 20 minutes and pick one area. Sort things by “keep here”, “trash”, “store elsewhere” or “donate”. Sort first and then toss, then replace or relocate the items.
Or try the “Famous 27 Fling Boogie” suggested by Marla Cilley (The FlyLady) in the book Sink Reflections: FlyLady’s BabyStep Guide to Overcoming CHAOS (FlyLady Press Inc 2002). This is actually a fun and fast exercise she adapted from one of Suze Orman’s books The Courage to Be Rich. The suggestion is to take a garbage bag and run through the house to collect all the things you don’t love or use in 15 minute increments. Suze recommended 25 things at a time while the FlyLady recommends 27 things. Stop when the timer goes off. Afterwards get the items immediately out of your home.
Try this. You will be surprised at what you can accomplish in a short amount of time…it’s all small steps. It’s progress not perfection.
In fact you could use this technique to put your whole house in order. You can do anything for 15 or 20 minutes. Right?
The Link Between Clutter and Weight Continued
Continuing with the theme of excess weight or body clutter… I recently read the book Body Clutter: love your body, love yourself (Fireside 2005) by authors Marla Cilley and Leanne Ely.
Are you cluttering your body with food? Many times we use food to comfort us instead of dealing with the pain or emotion we are experiencing.
All of us have foods that trigger some type of past experience for us. What food can’t you get enough of?
Emotional Food Choices
I keep coming back to the food and clutter connection…
One of the connections that I think is important is the emotional link to what, how and when you eat. Are you eating because you are hungry? Or are you eating because you are tired, sad, bored, stressed or happy? Try focusing on eating only when you feel hungry. A food journal can help you identify if you are eating because of emotional triggers or because of hunger. Keep a food journal for at least three days. Then review it for emotional triggers. You may be surprised at what you learn.
Getting Unstuck
I discussed Peter Walsh’s book Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: an easy plan for losing weight and living more (Free Press 2008) with a friend, so she decided to borrow the book from the library.
During a recent conversation she mentioned that she had started reading it and, even though she had read only a little of the book, she felt empowered to tackle some areas in her home including the bookshelf and business filing drawer in her office. She also worked on her sock drawer and threw away unmatched socks that have been there for two years (conservative estimate). In addition, she worked on her bedroom’s walk-in closet and the coat closet. She immediately removed items to be donated from her home.
And guess what? Positive things started happening with her business. Coincidence? Or could clearing physical clutter help you get unstuck?
So even if you don’t think you have clutter, get rid some of the excess stuff in your life…who knows things may start moving in a postive direction.
Food-Clutter Principles
In the book Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: an easy plan for weight loss and living more (Free Press 2008) Peter Walsh suggests several “food-clutter principles”. One of those principles is “organize where, how and what you eat as the fist step toward achieving your ideal body”.
Remember in the post from March 12, 2008 I talked about planning a weekly menu? Did you do it? Do you have a plan for eating healthy? By organizing your menu (and part of your life) you can gain a sense of control which will help you make consistent healthy food choices.
Well, at least plan tomorrow’s menu…that’s a tiny step.
Organization for Healthy Living
I have really enjoyed reading the book by Peter Walsh entitled Does This Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?: an easy plan for losing weight and living more (Free Press 2008). It has many tips and ideas that can empower you to clear clutter from your life.
In the book the author proposes “clutter principles”. One of those principles is “live firmly in the present, not the past or the future.” It asks the question: Are you holding onto things you don’t use and if you are why? Do you have more stuff than space?
You have the space you have. If your house isn’t welcoming because it full of stuff, you won’t spend time there and you can’t expect to enjoy meals there. The author states “You must respect the limits of the physical space that you have because if you don’t the space can’t function and your vision is lost.” The author further states ” “You can’t lose weight if your home is out of control.”
If you are holding on to things you don’t use or don’t love, figure out why. Is it the memory, was it a gift or does it represent hope, guilt, or fear? If you don’t love it or use it, it has no place in your physical space.
What one thing can you get rid of today that you don’t love or use?
Clearing Clutter to Live the Life You Want
Peter Walsh in his new book Does This Clutter Make My Butt look Fat?: an easy plan for losing weight and living more (Free Press 2008) says “clutter gets in the way of living the life you want…you need to clarify your priorities so that you can make choices to get rid of stuff.” He adds “…as your space becomes clutter-free and pleasant its easier to see your priorities and to make the right choices…”
Did you clear one hot spot as suggested in a recent post? I did. I cleaned my beside table.
Spring Cleaning - One bite at a time
I recently read an article in the April 15, 2008 issue of Women’s Day® magazine 20 things to do with 20 minutes. The article by Denise Schipani listed several suggestions for what you could accomplish in a short amount of time. One of the suggestions was to go on a clutter diet.
By breaking organizing tasks into smaller “bites” you can see measurable results including a clear counter top or an organized wallet or one tidy drawer. Just de-cluttering without cleaning or organizing can provide you with quick, visible results.
So give yourself 20 minutes today and tackle one hot spot in your home or office. What did you accomplish with your 20 minutes?
What’s in Your Inbox?
I wanted to follow up on a post from March 1, 2008 that I titled Spring Clean Your Inbox (http://clutterbustingcoach.com/?s=inbox).
So how are you doing? Have you been able to keep your inbox under control or is your inbox still a distraction? So what are you waiting for? If you don’t have time right now to handle it, schedule time within the next week to clean and sort your inbox. Then schedule a regular time for maintaining your inbox. Doing so will help you feel more organized.
Spring Clean Your Schedule
Are you focusing on the things that matter most to you? Does your schedule reflect that?
Since we just turned over the calendar to a new month, take a big picture look and re-evaluate how you are spending your time. Is there something that you can delete or delegate from your to do list? Is there something important to you that you need to make room for?
While it sometimes doesn’t feel like it, you have a choice on how you spend your day. Are you consistently making choices that will help you live the life you want…choices that support your vision, mission and priorities? What one thing can you do differently with your schedule tomorrow?