Secrets to Eliminating Emotional Clutter

Are you plagued by clutter in your personal or professional life? Is there someone in your family or your work who is? Based on my experience, the answer is probably "Yes!"

As a professional organizing consultant for more than 20 years, I have discovered that eight out of ten people are bogged down in life with physical clutter somewhere in their lives. Ironically, most of them suffer in silence. In many cases, you would never know it just by seeing them, or even working with them, because they are frequently some of the smartest and most successful people in the world. In far more cases than most people believe, the clutter actually drives them to do or not to do the very things they want most or want not to do. In some cases, it causes emotional paralysis, even mental illness. The only thing stronger that their desire to get of the clutter is their desire to hang on to it, and a vicious cycle results.

My consulting business has been built on the concept "Clutter is Postponed Decisions®." In the beginning, I was referring to the physical clutter that plagues so many people in our increasingly materialist society. When I began to explore this issue, it became evident that the physical clutter was an outgrowth of another kind of clutter: emotional clutter ? internal beliefs that control our behavior and our results.

If I just get organized, I will be able to do it all. I, or someone else I know, might need it someday If I keep it long enough, I can justify the fact that I bought it. I can't get rid of it because someone else gave it to me.

You can keep everything you want if you are willing to pay the price: time, space, money, and energy.

It suddenly occurred to me that decision-making about our emotional environment is just as important as decision-making about our physical environment. Deciding what thoughts to keep determine whether we just "keep on keeping on" or learn from our experiences, move on to even better things, and help others to learn by our example.

I once interviewed an extremely talented and prolific painter in her home studio. It was filled with beautiful paintings. "Do you ever like something you create so much that you can't let go of it," I asked. "On, no," she immediately responded. "I have to. Otherwise nothing new would come."

© Barbara Hemphill is the author of Kiplinger's Taming the Paper Tiger at Work and Taming the Paper Tiger at Home and co-author of Love It or Lose It: Living Clutter-Free Forever. The mission of Hemphill Productivity Institute is to help individuals and organizations create and sustain a productive environment so they can accomplish their work and enjoy their lives. We do this by organizing space, information, and time. We can be reached at 800-427-0237 or at www.ProductiveEnvironment.com

---

Sticking to Your New Years Resolutions: Ten Tips for a More Organized Life

1. A calendar is an essential organizing tool ? start... Read More

The Top 10 Habits of Organized People

Have you ever wondered how some people seem to have... Read More

10 Tips on Color Coding Your Paper: From Chaos to Coherence

Color-There Is No SubstituteIn anatomical illustrations you see the brain's... Read More

Can You Really Improve Your Organisation Skills

I'm sure most of you have heard of Zig Ziglar... Read More

Everything Fits Together Perfectly!

Here's a little lesson I experienced while packing boxes for... Read More

What Momma Never Told Me About Housekeeping

A lot of us grew up with Mom taking care... Read More

Time for a Clean Out

Time has flown. It's been six months since you came... Read More

How Long Do I Need to Keep This? - A Guide to Receipts, Statements and Financial Clutter at Home

In most homes, paper causes clutter. And it seems to... Read More

Organize Yourself Otherwise Your Work Could Kill You

We are in a society where people are applauded for... Read More

Basic Organizing Principles

So you've decided to get organized, but you just don't... Read More

Success at Work : Techniques : A Cluttered Desk

I followed my boss to a co-worker's cubicle where my... Read More

The Magnificent 7: Tips for Cleaning Up Clutter

Clutter is postponed decisions®. Here are some suggestions to simplify... Read More

Organizing Solutions for the Disorganized Entrepreneur

After more than 20 years as an entrepreneur and a... Read More

Are You Stuck In The Clutter Trap?

You arrived on earth without clutter. Your parents and doting... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 2

We previously noted that papers must be sorted before they... Read More

Breathing Life Into Dead Spaces

"I don't have enough room!" -- this is a common... Read More

Calendars and Personality Type

I recently conducted a survey to look at the relationship... Read More

Words That Inspire - SIMPLIFY

What do you gain if you SIMPLIFY?Dictionary* says:to reduce to... Read More

Organizing Lessons from a Bookstore

The store reminded me of a well-worn slipper ? tattered... Read More

Organisation - Getting Back To Basics

If you look at any major organisation, there is this... Read More

Digging out of Paper Clutter - part 1

Digging out from under stacks of paper might seem like... Read More

The 4-Keys to Clutter Free Living - Design a Space that Nurtures Your Soul

Decluttering is a simple-to-learn process, once you break it down... Read More

How Much Is Your Time Worth?

Does Your Present Internet Filing System Work?Do You Really Know... Read More

Managing Mealtime Madness

It is 5:00 pm and Cindy has no idea what... Read More

Files vs Piles

I recently read an article that had some interesting but... Read More

The Organized Move: Packing Made Simple

(This is the second in a series of three articles... Read More

10 Common Roadblocks to Getting Organized

1. All or nothing thinking/taking on too much." I'm going... Read More

Dont Get Lost In The Shuffle

I have a good friend whom (also being in the... Read More

Is Your To Do List The Problem?

You start each week with great intentions. You are determined... Read More

Daily Systems Keep You Organized

Ever wonder how they do it? How a short-order cook... Read More

Your Organizing DNA

Do you like storing your papers on top of your... Read More

Ending The Morning Madness

Back-to-school time ? what does that mean to you? For... Read More

Ten Signs That Your Life Is Cluttered

How do you know if you need to clean out?... Read More