Remember that childhood request we made when we didn’t like how things were going for us, “I want a do-over!” Well, this is a great time to think about a “Do-over” if your life feels out of control, overwhelming and frustrating. It’s the beginning of a new year and a great time to assess how one’s life is going. If you are lucky enough to have a job and lifestyle you are passionate about, then count your blessings! If, on the other hand, each day is filled with some degree of confusion, inability to find things needed to make it through the day either at work or at home, then now is the time to determine what can be done to change your life. For many people, clutter and disorganization are the cause for that overwhelmed and out of control feeling. There are articles in magazines and newspapers daily and many television shows on how to clear out your clutter and get organized, so we know this is a significant challenge! And, the thing about clutter is that it affects more than just our physical surroundings, it also affects us mentally with the inability to think clearly, spiritually by keeping us from achieving our true purpose and energetically because clutter actually saps our energy.
So how can you get a “Do-over?” Here are several possibilities; decide what is best for you and then do it!
1. Read a book. I recommend two books: Organizing from the Inside Out by Julie Morgenstern which is a step by step on how to clear your clutter and organize your life and Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston. This book delves into what is clutter, why we have clutter and how it affects us. It identifies different kinds of clutter and how clearing the clutter from our lives can make an incredible change.
2. Hire a professional organizer to work with you. You’ll get instruction, support and encouragement as you tackle your clutter one corner at a time. The National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), the “Organizing Authority,” has a website defining what an organizer can do for you, the Code of Ethics it’s members work by and professional certification.
3. Join a professionally lead clutter support group. This group supports its’ participants during the process of getting organized, at their individual pace. There is instruction on organizing principles and techniques and accountability within the group. Goals are set and each member works at their own pace and abilities.
To change your life, start by clearing out your clutter! There is no time like the present to begin living the life you love!
Questions for “The Mess Doctor” or if you need professional assistance to get organized contact Barbara Ricketts at MessDoctor@Mac.com or call 661-263-0124.