What is clutter and how do we get rid of it?

What is clutter?  It may seem obvious that clutter is the junk laying around the house or office that doesn't belong.  But clutter is much more than that.  Clutter is anything that assaults our senses and erodes the feeling of calm in a space. Our senses can easily be overwhelmed by too much stuff, too many different noises or too much information.

Generally, clutter is the accumulation of items that you no longer need or want, items that do not have a defined "home" or excessive things. For most of us, clutter is a visual assault and reminder of decisions that need to be made and work to be done.  Every time you walk into a cluttered room, it "talks" to you.  It reminds you of the tasks that have been left undone, trash or donations that need to be taken out and the things that you have not put away because you don't know what to do with them or where to put them.

There are the items that you don't put away because you will never find them or remember where you put them.  Some items are left out so that you will remember to do something with them.  The problem with all these reminders is that the all compete for attention until there is so much that it become the visual version of white noise, nothing really gets seen or acted upon.

De-clutter for a fresh calm space.  Begin by removing anything that can be thrown out or donated.  Do you have papers at your desk that are no longer needed?  Toss them in the recycling or shredding.  Make friends with the trash and recycling bins and make sure that you have one any place that you often encounter things to throw out.

Next, look for items that you no longer use.  Ask yourself if you really will use it or love it.  If the answer is no, considering getting rid of it.  For decorations and accessories, choose some to pack away.  Keep only a portion of the collection out.  In a few months, instead of purchasing more decorations rotate collections for a fresh look and feel.

Now collect up items that don't belong in the space.  Sort them by the room or area belong to and return everything to its home.  Do you have items that have never had a home?  Now is a great time to begin deciding where things should live.  As you begin the process, you may have to de-clutter another area to make homes for things.  Set the items aside but bee sure to schedule a time to work on the next space.

Organizing is a process.  It takes time and practice but it gets easier the more you do it.  Every time you go through a space, it will take less time and be easier.

Are you still overwhelmed and not sure where to start?  Hire a professional organizer.  They can save you time and money while helping you make the most of your efforts while offering an outside perspective and fresh ideas.