Kat Kelly – Anyone who has read my other writing about clutter knows that it is my nemesis. And for those of us who are wrapping up the year 2020, we know it has been a hot mess express. With that in mind, I thought now would be the perfect time to launch a series dedicated to offering quick hits to help tidy up. Welcome to Vexteo’s Tidy Tips series!
At the time of this writing, we are getting ready to head into a brand-new year after a year of complete headwinds for the entire world. But regardless of when you might catch this, there is no time like the present to take stock of what is cluttering your own life.
While we all work differently, our physical space is really important. For me, as a hippie-dippie energy person, when I am surrounded by an array of stuff it can completely disrupt my flow. There are times where I can feel myself drowning in “stuff.”
I thrive on getting things done and on movement; literally and figuratively. So, what happens for me is that if “stuff” disrupts that movement, I have to reclear my path in order to get back on it.
As someone who lives in a home with three adults, two young children, two dogs, and three cats, it can feel like the path is constantly getting blocked and that these efforts are often futile. But I have to constantly remind myself that they are not.
If you are just getting started on your own decluttering journey, there are so many resources out there that are amazing. Trust me – I’ve probably read, watched, and listened to 80% of them. But what I know is that there is no one-size-fits-all. So, what I have found beneficial is to read, watch, and listen to a lot, and take pieces that work for you to devise your own process.
Here is how that looks for me these days:
First, I focus my energy on intention. My intention is to know that everything that gets “put away” gets put into its permanent placement. In simple language, that means, I am working really hard not to just shove things into drawers, onto shelves, and in closets. Rather, when I put them away, that is where they are going to live. And when I take them out and I am done with them, I put them back in the spot where they live.
The above is often easier said than done…see the note about a houseful of people and animals. But, it’s an intention that I am working hard to stand firm on.
Second, I try to accept what I am able to control in any given moment. If I follow my first rule and recognize that things will get put into their permanent homes, once they have them, it allows me to view the clutter piles as temporary; albeit at times, long-term visitors in those temporary spots.
Third, I’m working really hard not to get so frustrated at myself for “allowing” the clutter to accumulate. Hey, it’s not all me. But, I can only control my reaction to it.
And finally, I am an avid multitasker. I always will be. But, one thing I’m trying to do is work on one thing at a time. For example, if I have 15 projects going, I am not bouncing back and forth simultaneously on things that need to get done for each project. Rather, I will complete one task and while I may move onto another task for a different project, it is helping to ensure that I am focused on one thing at any given moment.
Hopefully, there will be a lot more where this came from. We would love to see your thoughts as part of this series. We may go to video. We may do a podcast. Where we go with this, no one knows, but one thing is for certain, we’ll be a whole lot more organized in the process.
Kat Kelly is the founder of Vexteo. She would love to have you share some of your own Tidy Tips. If you would like to share, please reach out to stories@vexteo.com .
