Each week, community farm veggies appear on my neighbor’s doorstep for me.  Excited to find out what I got, I open my box. It's a bit like Christmas... in the summertime.

I cook more, eat lots of salads, invite guests over, but I soon couldn’t keep up. How many heads of lettuce can you eat??  It was hard to find other food in my over-stuffed (very organized) refrigerator. Instead of feeling joy about my bounty, I became annoyed, feared the waste, and doubted my decision to join the farm. Ugh.

OMG!  My organic vegetables - all good, all beautiful, but all too much - had become my clutter!

I had to practice ClutterClarity…

I didn’t have to give up the farm or eating healthy. I didn’t have to give up what I love. I needed to give up doing it the same ol’ way.

I took the time to decide what to keep, and what to let go. Keeping what I loved the most, I bundled the rest to give away. The next decision was how to give the veggies away. Running through acceptable options: food pantry, sick neighbor, my house-sitter, I decided I liked all equally, and would rotate each week. It was the best decision for me. 

Soon, I began to enjoy those organic vegetables again. There was no right answer, right way; I did what made me feel good, now. That’s ClutterClarity.

Clutter accumulation is part of a larger American phenomenon: We’re  overweight, overspent, overscheduled, overtired... and overstuffed. 

Being a young, prosperous, idealistic country, we lost our way, like a teenager searching for meaning, wanting what she wants when she wants it.

The good news is that the economy collapsed. Yes, this forced reckoning brought confusion and hardship, yet underneath all the mess is the profound opportunity to re-define ourselves.

We know that we cannot continue old, familiar ways. Each American in these difficult times has the opportunity to reevaluate what really brings meaning to his/her life. With new understandings, we will bravely and collectively create a better America.

Simplicity and de-cluttering are popular American trends now, but there is nothing simple about getting free. Untangling ourselves from the tyranny of past attachments takes time, careful consideration, and clarity. To persevere, you must want your independence more than your clutter.  

There are things to learn.  A lot of misconceptions get in the way of de-cluttering. It’s understanding that carves clear pathways through the emotional mess, not knowledge, not tips, but understanding what brings value to your present life. You are not alone, but only you can decide.

The search for meaning got us into this mess, and it will get us out. If you take the time to learn a new way of thinking about it all, the physical work of de-cluttering gradually becomes a comfortable way of living a better life. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are our American rights.  It’s also why people de-clutter.  It’s very American to do so.

This entry is from a recent client of ClutterClarity. So fun, I had to share. De-cluttering makes a whole family happy.

Running into her playroom,  Leslie (4-years old) exclaimed, "Ma-ma, Ma-ma!" She put on her tutu and danced, delighting in the new spaciousness. So beautiful... and I was so relieved!

I thought she was going to be mad at me, missing toys that we let go, but not one peep about that! My husband kept saying, "Wow. I love it!" (This is something coming from a man who does not have a hyperbolic bone in his body!)

On his own, Jamie (7-years old) cleared a book shelf to "make room for Christmas" and Leslie has several times referred to "when the fairies came to make my room beautiful."

No kidding, lots of happy people over here!

Libby R., Cambridge, MA

ClutterClarity Client

Take time to remember.  To stay motivated, you need to consistently remember why it’s important for you to clear your clutter now. It’s positive emotion that fuels the work, not knowledge, tips and how-to's. If you don’t take time to remember, you won’t have the fuel to keep going.     

You don’t have time, you make time. Your calendar reflects what is important to you. If you really don't have the time to clear clutter, make the time by removing a commitment from your calendar for three months. Think of it as volunteering for yourself instead of others.  Regular clearing sessions are essential to steady progress. When the time arrives, and you really can’t do it then, schedule a contingency time during the same week.

Work in little bits of time. One of the biggest mistakes people make when clearing is to try and do too much too fast, resulting in unnecessarily exhaustion and overwhelm.  To get more done, slow down. If working alone, only clear clutter for up to two hours at a time. Take a good break and continue when you feel rested or return another day. Gradually, you catch up and it takes less time and gets easier.

Take time to appreciate. Right after a clearing session, many people dismiss their progress by immediately focusing on how much still needs to be done. Such a disservice. It’s important to take a few moments to really notice and appreciate what you have accomplished. You’ll feel better, which makes it easier to show up at your next scheduled clearing session. 

Susan called me frustrated with failed attempts to get clutter-clear and organized. Nothing seemed to work, and now she  wanted it done in a hurry.  

She was making a classic mistake: When rushing, it’s impossible to learn the process or respect the emotional complexity of the work. Hurrying only leads to regret and overwhelm. There’s a better way.

According to James Prochaska, Ph.D., there are five stages of change. By the time people contact me, they’ve typically moved through the first two: Pre-contemplation and Contemplation.  Before Action, there is Preparation – the essential third stage most people want to dive over. The fifth stage is Maintenance.

Before jumping in, Susan needed to first slow down  to prepare.

We began phone coaching. She was doubtful, thinking she would only make progress if I were in her  home. Yet through dialogue, I helped her line up her motivation with a new perspective and approach. We quickly removed misconceptions and the emotional barriers – the stuff that really gets in the way of the physical work.

Susan began to replace anxiety with confidence, frustration with steady progress.

With preparation, she knew when she jumped in now, she wouldn't drown in all her stuff.  

Phone coaching quickly gets to what's under all the stuff, "the deep end."  Everything is less murky, the waters clear. To learn more, go to www.ClutterClarity.com.