Ack! Don't let it in the house!

No, clutter doesn't sneak in while you're sleeping or appear when no one is home and the house is quiet.

You bring in home in your purse, in bags, and with the day's mail.

Having a less cluttered and more organized home 

starts before the front door.
It starts with awareness.
It begins when you pay attention to  

the possessions you already have.

The situation changes when you establish routines and habits that support putting things away in a specific place, buying less, and making conscious choices about who and what is important in your life.

The One In, One Out Rule (for each item that comes into your home, an item needs to go),
helps keep the pantry from becoming stuffed again, 

the jeans drawer from exploding, 

and squeezing the car out of the garage.

Five of something isn't fives times as good as one.
It's one, five times over.

And it is four more to find room for, clean and maintain.

By getting in the habit at the store (or garage sale, or free giveaway) of asking yourself
"Where will this live?"
"What will it replace?"
"How many do I need?"
you will be able to be more mindful of what you're choosing
to let into your house and into your life.

You only have so much time, money and energy:
How do you want to be spending it?

Your choices equal your life.

Habits.

Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life, and a significant element of happiness.If we have habits that work for us, we’re much more likely to be happy,
healthy, productive, and creative. Gretchen Rubin

Put your keys in the same place every day.
Sort your mail before you set it down.
Put your dirty dish into the dishwasher.
Hang up your coat.
Ask for help when you need it.
Say Thank You.

Much of our daily life is habitual actions (and reactions).
Try being a bit more mindful of what you do 

and how you do it.

Consider that even one small change in a routine
could alter the way your life works, looks and feels.

Change is a result of conscious choices.
Pay attention.
Your life is a direct result of your choices.

ps.  Yes, I am a big fan of Gretchen's.
Her ideas inspire, amuse, challenge and
remind me to lead a more thoughtful and happy life.

Those boxes of video tapes, slides and maybe reels of home movies.

Many people I work with have a box, or two, 

or five of VHS tapes 

or maybe boxes of  slides of family birthdays

or events, adventures or travel.
And most often no longer have the equipment to view the media.

They know there are services available 

to transfer the images to a useable format,
they just never quite get around to doing it.

Here's a bit of a financial incentive.
This month Costco is offering a $5 coupon on the service, with a limit of five.
True, you probably have way more than five, 

but as I like to say "Little bites".

Five dvds take up far less room than five tapes 

or boxes of slides or old home movie reels.

If they are important enough for you to save,
then take the time and effort make them accessible.

Not a Costco member?
Walgreens,  Digmypics.com and Scanmyphotos.com
offer the same services.

With the images transferred to dvd you could skip a Netflix
and reconnect with moments from your family's past.

And the new dvds could be a perfect gift.....

What if?

Amazing how such a small word, if, can loom so large for people during the decluttering process.
Usually in the form of "What if I need it again?"

Some people have stories of letting something go, then days or weeks later needing that item again.
(Of course no one has stories about all the things they gave away, recycled or trashed and never thought about again.....) 

IF an item does leave your home and you find yourself needing it again what are your options?
  1.  You could find something else you own to use in its place.  Clever repurposing is always a choice.
  2.  You could borrow the item.
  3.  You could perhaps rent the item.
  4.  You could find a used version.
  5.  You could buy a replacement.
      "But, but I already spent good money on the one I gave away."  Yes you did.  And the moment you purchased it that money was gone.  Keeping it wouldn't have gotten your money back.  And the new one you're buying probably cost less and does more than the one you used to have.

What if is Justin Case's way of getting you to store his things in your house.
Do you really have enough room to store things for someone who doesn't even exist?

Remember that your donations of useable items 

frees up space in your life
(physical, mental and emotional),
creates jobs for people in your community,
and allows people who really need and have a used for something right now the chance to acquire it.

If the item is really trash or needs to be recycled, make that decision.
Move things along and out of your house.

Choose to believe that you have a rich and abundant life.
That if you need something, you will be able to get it.
After all; you're smart, creative, resourceful, and have access to cash.

Your home.
Your life.
Your choices.

We all have full lives.
How full, and of what; we get to decide.

Being thoughtful about what we purchase,
what stories we tell in our minds,
who we make time for,
which activities we spend our money 

and energy engaged in,
and how much space (physical, mental and emotional) we devote to our own well being and happiness
directly impacts how full our lives feel.

Choosing to buy fewer things of better quality,
spending moments each day in gratitude,
giving away items we no longer need, use or care about,
and  keeping the mechanics of daily living 

as simple and easy as possible;
allows our lives to be full, but not overwhelming.

Let go of 'stuff' and hold on to those objects, relationships,
routines and rituals that fill your heart and reflect what you
love and value.