Many of us recognize the negative impact of clutter on our comfort, convenience, and relationships, but feel powerless to begin the overwhelming effort that decluttering entails. Decluttering happens piece by piece, but we can’t get it done when our stuff provokes conflicting emotions. Sometimes the reasonable voice (“I’ll never need this again”) gets drowned out by the panicked impulse to keep everything or defer every decision for another day.
For the January 2018 meeting of the Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group, we’ll suggest ways to set aside the emotional responses that stand in the way of the work of decluttering in favor of practical techniques that allow us to move forward. We’ll talk about cultivating detachment and objectivity by creating algorithms—rules to filter our stuff to fit our spaces and our present lives. We’ll offer examples of criteria you can apply to your own collections, or that will guide you as you define your own practical rules.
As usual, we’ll open the floor to your questions, success stories, and tales of trouble spots.
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The Houston Clutter Coaching Meetup Group is a community of people who want to conquer their clutter and make more room in their lives for the things they love. Come learn tools and tips from an expert, and share your success stories and “ah‑hah!” moments…[READ MORE]
Can’t wait to see the video!
I have learned so much from you about decluttering and I can’t thank you enough for how much you have helped me! I am almost clutter free now.
Hi Gayle!!!!
Thank you so much for taking the time to not just reading and answering my “list of suggestions for topics for 2018”, but specially for giving me a complete lesson on how to deal with my clutter.
I was jumping up and down telling my husband “- The Clutter Fairy wrote back to me!!!!” and that was for me a HUGE motivation and what I needed to start this New Year!!
“The big sort/purge of 2018” is going full mode in my home and I am seeing our renovation as an opportunity more than a problem to work on our stuff. Like you suggested, I am using the timer (I actually put 3 to 4 songs to time my sessions!!) and little by little I can already see progress.
Regarding anxiety/depression… timing, working on hard stuff and walking away if it overwhelms me is helping a lot.
It’s not like I have to deal with that box/area all day, but I also know I don’t have to just ignore that box or whatever makes me feel bad anymore.
I can see now that I am strong to deal with the hard stuff for just a bit, so I am going bit by bit until someday when it’s gone.
Lastly, I loved when you went “STOP LOOKING AT PINTEREST!!” Hahaha…
You are so right!! Looking at done spaces and pretty accomplished rooms was less motivating and more frustating to me, because, like you well said, I am not there yet… and also when you said that sorting/purging/renovating are messy looking by nature and now it’s time to deal with that!! Think of making “pretty” later!!
I just wanted you to know that I read your comment every day, like a mantra, to guide me through this… and I know that someday I will have it all together and you will be the first to know it!!
Sorry my English, I live in Michigan for almost 7 years now, but I am from Brazil… so yes, you have a Brazilian fan/subscriber/student/friend.
Happy New Year to you too and I can’t wait to this first topic/video and more videos to come (and the book too!!). Wish I lived closer to be part of the MeetUp Group live!!
Nanda