This week on CBS Sunday Morning, I had the privilege of working alongside organizer Fern Silvernagle to help contributor Nancy Giles, have an “aha moment” in taming the chaos in her house. As she confronted the mountains of clutter that had overtaken her hallway closet, she observed that “organizing is a process…it’s a lot like therapy.” It was fun to work with Fern, a protégé of my inside out method, who believes in helping people find their own motivation for clearing out the chaos.
I’ve always been viewed as more of a Clutter Whisperer, than a Clutter Buster. I don’t advocate the “tough love” approaches that make for entertaining TV—or that people hear from genuinely well meaning friends, family, and even from inside their own heads: “Don’t think, don’t hesitate, get rid of that junk! Come on….it’s time to move on! What good is that stuff doing you?! Throw it all away!”
People who are shamed into throwing things away may comply in the moment, but they will feel sick to their stomach the entire time, and will quickly refill their barren spaces, ending up back right where they started. Cavalierly tossing things from your home, office or schedule (due to shame or pressure) never provides a lasting solution. And, if you are a well-meaning friend or family member who has been pressuring a loved one to clean up their act…but to no avail…consider the following common MYTHS about clutter:
Myth #1: Clutter is just a bunch of junk you should easily be able to toss.
Truth: Clutter represents an attachment to something you are struggling to release: an old belief system, obsolete need, or unexpressed part of you that needs to be discovered.
Myth #2: Getting rid of clutter will get you organized
Truth: Decluttering will not create a system….it will help you manage change. Releasing the obsolete will get you unstuck—by opening up space for something new. It creates the energy, space to think, and time to figure out what’s next.
Myth #3: Clutter is always messy
Truth: Clutter is what is obsolete, the objects, things and habits that no longer serve you—and it doesn’t have to be disorganized. A perfectly arranged closet filled with clothes you never wear is clutter. So is a perfectly organized day filled with activities that no longer fuel you.
The key is to understand your attachment to the clutter before releasing it—so that you can fulfill the need in a more effective way—or determine that you no longer have that need at all.
What about you…? What experiences do you have either pressuring others or being pushed to get rid of things? Has it worked? What do you think of considering clutter a “point of entry”—an opportunity to gain insight into an attachment you are struggling to release? When have you been able to release clutter for good?
Share your insights and comments here!
