Is Your Life Full Of Clutter?
The Hoarder: ''This might come in handy someday!''
Hoarding is rooted in financial insecurity. Hoarders fear they'll never have the resources needed if they let go of a
possession, no matter how worn, useless or superfluous. Hoarders need to remind themselves that resources will
always be available.
The Deferrer: ''I'll think about that tomorrow!''
The deferral types are guilty of the ''great set-aside.'' Bills, notices, old newspapers, items that need cleaning or
repair and household projects are set aside to be dealt with another day. The Deferrer leaves dishes in the sink,
laundry in the washer and dropped fruit underneath the backyard apple tree.
Deferrers must be reminded that tomorrow has no more time or energy than today - that deferring decisions drags
down each new day with yesterday's unfinished business. This behavior is grounded in procrastination, and simply
making a start creates the momentum needed to finish the job.
The Rebel: ''I don't wanna and you can't make me!''
Somehow, it's Moms' fault. Rebels were forced to pick up after themselves as children; as adults, they're still expressing
the mute and stubborn determination of a four-year-old refusing to pick up toys.
Rebel clutter often centers on household activities. Tell that inner Rebel, ''It's okay--I'm the parent now, and I want
a house that's nice to live in. '' By switching places with the old authority figure, the Rebel can find a way out of ''I
don't wanna!''
The Perfectionist: ''Next week, I'll organize everything ... Perfectly!''
Perfectionists live in an all-or-nothing world. They do wonderful things--when they do them!
Perfectionism forms an inner barrier to cutting clutter because the Perfectionist can't do a less-than-perfect job.
Without time to give 110% to the project, the Perfectionist Clutterer prefers to let matters--and piles of stuff--slide.
Perfectionist Clutterers need to remind themselves of the 20-80 rule: 20% of every job takes care of 80% of the
problem, while fixing the remaining 20% will gobble 80% of the job. By giving themselves permission to do only
20%, Perfectionist Clutterers can say, ''Today, I'll do the important 20% of that job: later, I'll do the other 80%. If
later never comes? Well, you've outwitted your inner Perfectionist Clutterer ... congratulations!
The Sentimentalist: ''Oh, the little darling!''
Sentimentalists never met a memento they didn't like--or keep. Children's clothing and school papers, faded greeting
cards, souvenirs from long-ago trips and jumbled keepsakes crowd the environment of the Sentimental Clutterer.
The truly endearing items get lost. Who can find the first grade report card in an attic full of boxes of paper?
The Sentimental Clutterer needs to reduce the mass of mementos to a more portable state.
To rein in a rampant Sentimental Clutterer; consider scrap booking the best photos and papers, or photographing
surplus sentimental clutter before letting it go. Sort it out, choose the best, keep the memories and dump the rest!
Why do we hang onto possessions such as that
1990 prom dress? Some of us want to hold on
to what we consider the ''good ole days'' while
for others it is the wishful thinking that, ''one
day I will get back into that.'' If you are holding
onto items for these reasons you fall into
the hoarder category. Actually, there is a little
bit of the hoarder in all of us.
What is your clutter personality? Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor at
Organized.com, offers this information regarding these personalities.
KNOW YOUR TYPE AND TAKE ACTION
Now that you know your personality type, take action and get organized. Don't focus on the things you are doing
wrong, but rather the things you are doing right and fine tune them.
The first step is to know who you are. Next, deal with any issue(s) that causes the behavior. Last step, de-clutter
your life. Remember all of your "stuff'' was not accumulated in one day, so it will take some time to get things
back on track. You may cruise along for a few days or even a few weeks, then find yourself ''fallen off the wagon.''
Don't despair, simply get up and start again. This is a process, your mind has to be reprogrammed from a habit that
you may have operated with for years and years.
Local organizations can turn your trash into treasure for someone else. If you are not able to find a local organization,
try one of the following. You will not only de-clutter your life you will share it with someone else.
Reader-to Reader, www.readertoreader.org, gives children and teen books to schools.
Give the Gift of Sight, www.givethegiftofsight.com, sends prescription eyeglasses to developing countries
One Warm Coat, www.onewarmcoat.org, distributes outwear to those in need.
Fairy Godmothers Inc., www.fairygodmothersinc.com, gives prom dresses and shoes to needy high school girls.
Just like anything else that we want to change, we must have a plan of action. What steps will you take to declutter
your life for good? Buy organizational systems, develop or change the household cleaning schedule, or hire
a professional. Do what it takes - only you know the real reason you allowed the clutter in the first place.
Hoarding is rooted in financial insecurity. Hoarders fear they'll never have the resources needed if they let go of a
possession, no matter how worn, useless or superfluous. Hoarders need to remind themselves that resources will
always be available.
The Deferrer: ''I'll think about that tomorrow!''
The deferral types are guilty of the ''great set-aside.'' Bills, notices, old newspapers, items that need cleaning or
repair and household projects are set aside to be dealt with another day. The Deferrer leaves dishes in the sink,
laundry in the washer and dropped fruit underneath the backyard apple tree.
Deferrers must be reminded that tomorrow has no more time or energy than today - that deferring decisions drags
down each new day with yesterday's unfinished business. This behavior is grounded in procrastination, and simply
making a start creates the momentum needed to finish the job.
The Rebel: ''I don't wanna and you can't make me!''
Somehow, it's Moms' fault. Rebels were forced to pick up after themselves as children; as adults, they're still expressing
the mute and stubborn determination of a four-year-old refusing to pick up toys.
Rebel clutter often centers on household activities. Tell that inner Rebel, ''It's okay--I'm the parent now, and I want
a house that's nice to live in. '' By switching places with the old authority figure, the Rebel can find a way out of ''I
don't wanna!''
The Perfectionist: ''Next week, I'll organize everything ... Perfectly!''
Perfectionists live in an all-or-nothing world. They do wonderful things--when they do them!
Perfectionism forms an inner barrier to cutting clutter because the Perfectionist can't do a less-than-perfect job.
Without time to give 110% to the project, the Perfectionist Clutterer prefers to let matters--and piles of stuff--slide.
Perfectionist Clutterers need to remind themselves of the 20-80 rule: 20% of every job takes care of 80% of the
problem, while fixing the remaining 20% will gobble 80% of the job. By giving themselves permission to do only
20%, Perfectionist Clutterers can say, ''Today, I'll do the important 20% of that job: later, I'll do the other 80%. If
later never comes? Well, you've outwitted your inner Perfectionist Clutterer ... congratulations!
The Sentimentalist: ''Oh, the little darling!''
Sentimentalists never met a memento they didn't like--or keep. Children's clothing and school papers, faded greeting
cards, souvenirs from long-ago trips and jumbled keepsakes crowd the environment of the Sentimental Clutterer.
The truly endearing items get lost. Who can find the first grade report card in an attic full of boxes of paper?
The Sentimental Clutterer needs to reduce the mass of mementos to a more portable state.
To rein in a rampant Sentimental Clutterer; consider scrap booking the best photos and papers, or photographing
surplus sentimental clutter before letting it go. Sort it out, choose the best, keep the memories and dump the rest!
Why do we hang onto possessions such as that
1990 prom dress? Some of us want to hold on
to what we consider the ''good ole days'' while
for others it is the wishful thinking that, ''one
day I will get back into that.'' If you are holding
onto items for these reasons you fall into
the hoarder category. Actually, there is a little
bit of the hoarder in all of us.
What is your clutter personality? Cynthia Townley Ewer, editor at
Organized.com, offers this information regarding these personalities.
KNOW YOUR TYPE AND TAKE ACTION
Now that you know your personality type, take action and get organized. Don't focus on the things you are doing
wrong, but rather the things you are doing right and fine tune them.
The first step is to know who you are. Next, deal with any issue(s) that causes the behavior. Last step, de-clutter
your life. Remember all of your "stuff'' was not accumulated in one day, so it will take some time to get things
back on track. You may cruise along for a few days or even a few weeks, then find yourself ''fallen off the wagon.''
Don't despair, simply get up and start again. This is a process, your mind has to be reprogrammed from a habit that
you may have operated with for years and years.
Local organizations can turn your trash into treasure for someone else. If you are not able to find a local organization,
try one of the following. You will not only de-clutter your life you will share it with someone else.
Reader-to Reader, www.readertoreader.org, gives children and teen books to schools.
Give the Gift of Sight, www.givethegiftofsight.com, sends prescription eyeglasses to developing countries
One Warm Coat, www.onewarmcoat.org, distributes outwear to those in need.
Fairy Godmothers Inc., www.fairygodmothersinc.com, gives prom dresses and shoes to needy high school girls.
Just like anything else that we want to change, we must have a plan of action. What steps will you take to declutter
your life for good? Buy organizational systems, develop or change the household cleaning schedule, or hire
a professional. Do what it takes - only you know the real reason you allowed the clutter in the first place.
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