What's the story?

I love a good story.
One of the things I like most about my job as an Organizer is getting to hear my client's stories.
The narratives they share about their lives, 

the back story on their things, 

the account of how they ended up working with me.

Our lives are made up of stories: Threads we weave together, conversations we repeat, 

moments we hold  in our minds.
We give meaning to our lives and the things in our lives by the stories we tell about them.

Sometimes when it is challenging to let go of something, 

it's because of the story we've attached to that item.
Who gave it to us,
how much we spent,
the length of time it has been in our life,
what we hope the item says about us, or
how someone else would feel if we were to let the item go.

But you know, the story and the item are two completely different things.
Being able to recognize and separate the two is what allows us to make good choices about what has real meaning and value in our lives,
and what is just stuff.

Letting go of the thing doesn't mean we have to forget the story, or the memories we may have attached to the item.
Although sometimes that can be exactly what we may want and need to do!

The money is gone, holding onto the thing doesn't get us the money back.
Just because we've had the book for ten years doesn't mean we need to keep it for another ten.
People are far more impressed by what you do and say than anything you may have in your home.
And you can't control anyone else's feelings.  

Hopefully your best relationships aren't predicated on you displaying gifts that person gave you.

Start paying attention to the stories you tell yourself.
About your stuff.
About others.
About yourself.

You're the one that gives the story its meaning and power.

Honor your time and your life 

by filling your home and your heart
with stories of connection and whole heartedness.

Keeping, instead of letting go.

What if instead of focusing your decluttering energy on 

what you are willing to let go,
you focused on what you want to keep?

What clothes look great on you?
Which books are you really going to read or reread?
How much of that yarn are you going to take the time and energy to knit?
What art work inspires you?
Which kitchen tools get used on a regular basis?
How many sheets and towels are necessary?

Each room in your home holds items that have meaning,
use and value to you.
Start with recognizing those.
Not every item on a shelf, or in a drawer, 

or hanging in a closet is necessary or appropriate 

for the life you are living now.
Or the life you are consciously trying to create as you go forward.

As you focus on the real keepers,
and you work from "what do I really want?",
deciding what to let go of becomes easier and more obvious.

Consciously choosing what has meaning,
and what you want to be surrounded by
creates gratitude
for the people and things filling your life.
Gratitude allows you to feel you have enough.
You experience a sense of abundance and are able to
let go of the extras, the duplicates, and the Justin Case.

It's your life
and your choices.

Space, time and energy.

It's a fact:  Your space is limited.
As is your time and your energy.

However, you get to decide how to
fill your space,
use your time and
spend your energy.

How full do you want your space to look and feel?
What do you want to devote your time to accomplish?
How tired do you want to be at the end of each day?

How much space, time and energy in your life is taken up
by your past?
How many physical items from that life surround you?
How much time do you spend rethinking decisions,
  retelling stories, reliving conversations?
How much energy does 'then' take away from your present?

There is certainly nothing wrong with memories, or sentimental items
or holding on to things that reflect what you love and value.
But, if there is so much of the past that it crowds out the present,
or leaves you little time and energy for moving forward,
or is a constant reminder of unfinished projects-
let those things go.

That was then.
This is now.

Letting go of things, ideas, supplies, beliefs,  and relationships that no longer serve us
frees up space and energy for this life.  Now.

A full rich life, has space in it.
Breathing room.
Free time.
Energy for the activities and people we love.

Create some space.
See how full your present life can really be.

E Clutter

I am not referring to little piles and stacks of the letter e littering your house.
I'm talking about Electronic clutter.

One kind is the old computers, monitors, cables, cords
and other accessories in your closet, drawer, garage
and attic.
Those I'll address another day......

Today I want you to declutter the stuff on your devices.
The outdated folders on your desk top,
the two year old emails,
the bookmarked favorites that aren't,
the contacts you no longer want to contact,
the electronic information you no longer need, use or value.

Start with your desk top.
What do you really need and want to have immediately accessible?
What folders, documents, photos,  and spread sheets are no longer
useful, necessary, or relevant?
The delete key is your friend!

Could you condense the visual clutter by
grouping like documents in one folder?
Or have one folder for each project?

Move on to your Favorites.
Scan through the sites you have bookmarked.
Trash any that no longer are important, no longer concern you,
or you made your purchase and no longer need.
Again, could you put like types of sites/pages in folders?
Blogs, news sites, specific hobbies or interests.

On to email.
Really, do you need to keep emails from three years ago?
Even six months?
Different email programs give you different options
for grouping email that is important or necessary.
Take advantage of your system and use it to help you
keep and access what is important, but dump the rest.
Look through your contacts/address book.
Who needs to be in there?

Those three areas are just a starting point.
Look through photos and decide which are keepers and organize
them to make it easier to access and share.
Look through documents, spread sheets, Power Point presentations,
notes, drafts, graphs and proposals for any you can easily delete
and happily move out of your life!

The less stuff you have on your computer (just like in your life and home)
the more smoothly and easily it will operate.
Storing like with like on your device is as helpful as doing so
in your closet.

By simplifying the look and navigation on your screens
you can make your electronic life less overwhelming.

I encourage you to make friends with your DELETE key.
(Be sure to empty the trash and recycle bins when you're finished)

Looking for signs.

Drawers that you can't shove closed.
Book shelves two books deep.
Slip sliding piles of mail.
Stuffed full linen closets.
Skinnier and skinnier paths through the garage.

These are all signs and omens that you have too much stuff!

Your physical surroundings do have an impact on
the mechanics of daily living.
The effort needed to dig through piles,
avoid dealing with certain areas or
even ignore the chaos takes a mental toll.

Free up space in your home and your mind by
sorting, prioritizing and then organizing
these overfilled, cluttered, and inefficient areas.

Choose one drawer, one shelf, one surface.
Just start.

Create a less cluttered space as a sign of the life you
are choosing to live now.

Happy New Year

 

Wishing you the most Happiest of New Years!

May 2015 be filled with experiences,
connecting with people you love and care about,
and activities you jump into whole heartedly!

Laughing all the way.......

Chose to be light.
Believe that people mean well.
Give someone the benefit of the doubt.
Remember, it really is the thought that counts.
Forgive someone by accepting you can't change the past.

Do you want to be right? Or kind?

Our lives reflect the choices we are willing to make.
Be brave.
Take a risk.
Act with integrity.
Honor your most heartfelt desires.

You are the Light and Gift of the Season.
Be Merry and Bright.