Got Mess?
An environment filled with clutter and disorganization sets the stage for *disempowerment*. In such a space, things easily get lost, our minds can get distracted, and time is wasted. Emotional triggers run rampant here — we may very quickly find ourselves feeling 
- frustrated,
- incompetent,
- reactive,
- freaked out, and
- stressed!
It’s common to feel feelings of overwhelm when considering HOW to GET ORGANIZED, yet it is actually very *possible* to get clear, focused AND moving! Try my “Ten at a Time Method…”
1.) Select up to three spaces you wish to get organized.
2.) Each day, put away or purge ten items from the messy area(s).
3.) With every item you touch, acknowledge yourself!
4.) Embrace all the good feelings that come with clearing your space.
After a week, you will see a difference and this motivating energy will carry you through to completion.
Comment on this question:
What cluttered area will you commit to getting organized today?
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Susan Liddy is the author of the “Body Benevolence eBook; 8 Weeks to Loving Your Body” and “The Secrets to Ultimate Living; What You Wish You Knew When You Were 20!”. Find more of her tips and articles to create an ultimate life and an extraordinary business here: SusanLiddy.com
©copyright, All Rights Reserved Internationally, Susan Liddy, Susan Liddy International
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{ 15 comments… read them below or add one }
Boy, oh boy, getting organized can feel like such a challenge. I find that when I can break *any* big project into smaller pieces, I’m on my way!
I’m going to focus on organizing my hall bathroom this week. It’s gotten a bit disheveled as the “spare bathroom” and could use a little love.
I have learned(but have yet to implement daily–DUH) that Yes if my spaces are cluttered/messy than so is my mind/outlook.
I am going to use the Ten at a Time method on my closet and kitchen cabinets this week!
Way to go Reginia!
*Really* excited to hear a closet and kitchen update next week!
As a fellow coach and a person who lives with a tendency to clutter, I enjoyed your post very much. It was only when I looked beneath the surface and started to think about why I was keeping stuff that I learnt to let go of some of it. What I now have around me ticks a yes to vital questions – do I need it? – do I use it? – do I like/enjoy it? – does it make me feel alive rather than make me feel hemmed in? – is it in good working order? I’ll certainly never be a minimalist but I can truly say that I enjoy my environment a lot more now.
Great tip Marian!
I really like this method…
(I paraphrased a teensy bit…)
1.) Do I need it?
2.) Do I use it?
3.) Do I like/enjoy it?
4.) Does it bring me up or down?
5.) Does it work?
So, what if I don’t need it, but I use it, don’t necessarily like it but it does bring up and it does work? (giggle)
Thanks for these fabulous and practical tip.
Another thing I’ve recently been trying to implement is with every new piece of paper or mail, try to only touch it once.
So junk mail, straight to recycling
credit card offers or other confidential mail that you don’t want to keep, straight to the shredder
statement or stuff to keep straight to appropriate file
bills, straight to “to be paid” basket
misc. stuff that needs action… straight to inbox
This is helping with papers piling up too badly.
I do want to know your social media time management strategies, I just started using Hootsuite to post tweets throughout the day, and I am really trying not to get on FB too often…that’s one of my challenges along with the email.
One of my mentors Sharla Jacobs of Rejuvenate Training says before she checks her email, she spends about 90 minutes working on her project of the day, because inevitably, her emails will create more work and delay her projects. I have not been able to do that one yet.
I have been trying to work in 90 minute chunks though and taking a snack, stretch or tea break for 30 minutes before starting the next 90 minute chunk….
Wow, can’t believe I had so much to say about this…hopefully some of it helpful
Dianne
Clutter can really slow you down. That is what I like about spring. That is when I do my uncluttering. When it comes to mail there is a way to stop some of that. When you get an offer in the mail with a return envelope just return the application with a big X in the middle. These people only have to pay the postage when the return envelope is used. They will quite sending this junk mail to you. Try it.
Thanks Susan, you always have great idea’s
Debbie
.-= Debbie @ Happy Maker´s last blog ..Does Music Contribute to the Secret of Happiness? =-.
This getting organized is soooo overwhelming…everyday I try to start and somehow it never gets done…or I’ll start and then leave everything in an undone pile. Seriously, I’m at my wits end!!! Carole
Carole, you sound SO frustrated! I want to acknowledge you for trying so hard to get organized, and to let you know that you’re not alone! I’m a Professional Organizer, and have many clients who are just too busy, or get too distracted by their kids and their life, to be able to finish their organizing projects. If you’re REALLY at your wit’s end, I’d love to help!
Let me know!
Thanks, Susan! I feel the same way about you! My e-mail is: carla@embracingyourspace.com, and my website (not quite finished!!) is http://www.embracingyourspace.com.. Hope I can help!
I love this topic! De-cluttering and clearing old stuff out is rejuvenating…once you get over the hump and get started. This process always reveals something to me that I hadn’t noticed before. Shopaholic tendencies, for instance. I ask myself, “why did I buy that?” The answer isn’t always “because I needed it.” Cleaning is therapeutic for me
.-= Cheryl from thatgirlisfunny´s last blog ..250 Super Useful Stay Young from the Inside Out Health Tips =-.
Susan, I was on a few of your calls when I first “met” you, and I don’t recall you saying you used to have a clutter problem! And I’m sure I told you I have a severe clutter problem, so it shoudl hae come up! I wish I could afford to work with you; am in such desperate need of your help! My life is total chaos, and this week in particular, I am really stressed. My landlord wants to come in to do a maintenance inspection and I am just beyond overwhelmed with all my stuff, and because it is so cluttered, it isn’t too clean either. And I have not had enough time to get it “all” cleared away. I am so stressed! I am afraid they will be upset with how bad it is in here. I don’t like the work “hoarding.” I’ve watched some of those shows, and that picture up make me realize I might be one – yikes! If not, I am quickly getting close to becoing one! My home is not functional at all, and this is leading me to have too many (possibly incorrect) ideas of my mental status. I am diagnosing myself with all kinds of things! Help! How did yu train yuorself to not ant to buy more things or to not keep the stuff you don’t want to get rid of? That’s the hardest part for me; I don’t want to let go of anything!
Jeremy forwarded me this since he knows I come from a long line of pack rats
Anyway, my fear is feeling unappreciative when we receive gifts (usually for the kids) that we don’t “need” or have room for. What is the best practice for gifts like these?
I like the tips for the mail. One thing I started doing is paying all bills online, so as soon as they come in, I log in and set the payment date to match the bill and then mark the bill as paid and put it in the “to file” pile
What do you do with coupons? I have a bin that I put them in and then try to purge expired ones from time to time.
What about memory stuff? I have major issues with that and save everything! Although I have gotten better with cards people send and my kids artwork
I try to go through my clothes from time to time as well and giveaway anything that I haven’t worn in a while. I am even going through the kids clothes and only saving “my favorite outfits” rather than saving everything like I did after my first.
One thing that helped with my paperwork and desk stuff is getting a desk with lots of drawers, so I can keep the surfaces clean. Not that they are, but they are better than they would be if I did not have drawers! Got a great desk with 5 drawers on each side from ikea. Love it!
I could go on and on. Starting with small spaces and trying to let go of things that you don’t need or use is the best practice. It feels really good when you lighten your load!
Hi Ma,
Wow! Thank you so much for a great and informative post. Well, My challange of the week will be to use a diary, you know like try and diarize important dates, call and mails that I need to urgently attend to and also my clothing capboard, thruth is, I dont know but somehow I manage to clutter it in no time. Its like I subcounciously, unitentionally choose to create mess which I will then struggle with in the mornings whilst I choose my out fit for the day and lastly I will organize my handbag, carry only what I need. No tons of stuff anymore.As a young woman who is passionate about empowering my peers, I have to role model good behaviors even in their absence, that makes a great, influencial leader!!!
Those are some great tips Susan, I also feel that when I’m becoming overwhelmed with the size of a particular task, that by breaking it up into smaller tasks it suddenly becomes very do-able. If my task for the day is to simply decide on the fate of 2 or 3 objects in a cluttered room, then I will feel amazing when I’ve accomplished that task!
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