The easiest way to jump start the clutter clearing process is by harvesting the low hanging fruit first.  We all have low hanging fruit, it’s the stuff  that’s obviously past its useful life -  the stuff that’s broken, old, outdated or no longer used.

Start your harvest by taking a walk through your house and toss/recycle whatever is obviously rubbish. You might think I am being presumptuous in assuming you have some garbage and/or junk lying around. But based on my experience almost everyone does (including yours truly – a couple of empty boxes have been hanging in my office for days, last months New Yorkers still linger in the magazine basket, I could go on, but you get it, we all have some low hanging fruit and I must go on a harvest as soon as I’m done posting this!).

Low hanging fruit is even more likely to exist when you have  excess clutter, because junk easily blends into the cluttered landscape. Now let me be clear here, I am not suggesting anyone would purposely toss garbage around their home. I mean things like the broken beyond repair umbrella that’s been sitting in the hall closet forever,  the remote that powers nothing since you upgraded to the universal gadget, last week’s newspapers, the sneakers your dog chewed just enough so that are no longer wearable. You should be able to dispose of these things with ease since  it’s highly unlikely they will hold any real emotional attachment. So, what are you waiting for? Go on a harvest right now!

Have you ever been so overwhelmed by something that you can hardly see the forest for the trees? That burdened feeling makes you think you will never get through whatever you are dealing with. It may be a huge project at work, the kind that will make or break your career. It may be getting through a family crisis, the type where you can’t check out, not even for a moment . Or it might just be getting through an afternoon with sick kids -  did I just hear someone scream mommmyyyy?

When you get to that place – the seriously overwrought, OMG I have so much to do I can hardly stand it, help me now place – remember this, you don’t have to figure it all out right this minute. You only have to identify the next action you need to take. That’s it. Don’t think about the end game. Don’t think about how much more you have to do. Just think about the very next step. Identify that single action and take it. Then repeat as needed. How simple is that?

This is the complete opposite of big picture thinking. Here you are narrowing your focus so you can avoid the distraction that comes from a to-do list a mile long and all the siren calls for attention. You aren’t avoiding life though. You are just helping yourself move forward in a deliberate way. Sometimes blinders are necessary. When overwhelm sets in they can come on very handy. Why do you think horses wear them? So they don’t get distracted and scared. If that were to happen they would immediately go off course, losing their way and wind up in deep trouble.

I see this technique as a tricky little way to keep making progress even when I am feeling that I will never get it all done. By narrowing my focus to the present, I can avoid the crazy making that comes from being overwhelmed. Try it yourself the next time you feel paralyzed by all the things on your plate. I can practically guarantee you will feel better and see progress.

Clutter Quick Tip
We all have some clutter in our lives – it may be in our physical space, our head or our heart. What’s one thing can you let go of right now? Imagine what would happen if you just let go of one thing a day – that would be 365 things in a year!

I challenge you to say goodbye, right now, this minute, to just one thing. What’s not serving you well? What’s an irritation? What have you tripped over a hundred times and still not picked up? What’s hanging out that simply reminds you it was a less than stellar purchase? Let it go!

Do you know what it’s like to have just what you love, need and use? It’s balance, it’s simplicity, it’s elegance. Strive for that and you won’t regret it!

Here’s a question to ponder….how is clutter keeping you stuck?  Have you ever wished for a little more energy or a little less stress? If anyone says no, I’m going to have question whether you’re actually from this world. We all want more energy. We all want less stress. And more time to do the things we WANT to do would pretty terrific too, right?

A little while back I wrote about reclaiming time and energy. Guess what the secret was? Clear the clutter and get rid of the excess stuff!  Read about it here, and let me know how you think clutter and excess stuff blocks us.

If you haven’t signed up for the free ESCAPE Clutter E-Course, you can do so here. It walks you through the clutter clearing process in six simple steps!

Clutter – ugh! It tends to accumulate with the greatest of ease. Getting rid of  though is an entirely different story.  Eradicating clutter can seem like a monumental task.  What gives? We’ll let bunches of stuff into our spaces without giving anything much thought, so one would think we could let go of stuff without over-thinking the decision to say goodbye, right? On the face of it yes, letting go should be easy. And it would be if emotion didn’t play a role. Those damned emotions, they get us every time! Damned or not, it’s the truth, emotions really do complicate the clutter clearing process.

Guilt is the emotion that tops the list. I feel guilty getting rid of it –  as a clutter coach that’s the reason I hear most often for hanging on to the things that no longer serve a purpose. The cause of the guilt runs the gamut. Everything from ‘I paid good money for it’ to ‘Aunt Emma would never forgive me if I donated that’. Never mind that the item ‘good money’ was paid for is never, ever used. Never mind that Aunt Emma hasn’t been around for the last twenty years. In the end it’s emotion, not rational thought that rules the decision making process.

The big question then is this – how do you overcome the power of emotion when it comes to decluttering? I say let’s not try to overcome it, instead let’s use it to our advantage. It’s not difficult to do, we just need to gently redirect our focus. Think about a gem, it has many facets, so too does any problem. If the way you are thinking about an issue isn’t helping you find a solution, adjust the way you are viewing it. Look at it from a different angle.

Let’s suppose you do have clutter, and let’s also suppose, for whatever reason, you are feeling guilty about letting go of the objects you no longer use. How can you refocus the guilt so it serves you well? I’m not crazy talking, you can actually take a bad feeling and turn it into a good feeling.

Contemplate this: What if someone had something you needed. They could easily give it or sell it to you, but they choose not to. They never use it themselves, they don’t need it and they don’t love it. They just hold it, never giving anyone else an opportunity to enjoy it. What would you think of a person like this? Personally, I would think they were very poor stewards of their possessions. I would also say they are self serving and selfish.

Cold, hard truth – if we hold onto something that we don’t need, don’t use or don’t love, we are withholding that object from someone who does need it, could use it, and/or would love it. And that’s not nice. Conversely, when we release the things we no longer have use for, we are doing good, we are improving lives – our life and the lives of those who will benefit from our giving. Can you see how refocusing can turn guilt in a motivator to do good? Wouldn’t you rather be seen as generous and kind than cleaving and self-interested?

If you are unsure this can work for you, try it, there’s nothing to lose – except loads of clutter!

If you are ready to jump start the clutter clearing process you’ll want to explore Clutter Control 101 – it’s online workshop that comes with one-on-one tele-coaching – and it’s guaranteed to help you declutter your life. If you are ready to be clutter free this is the workshop for you!

You can also get free decluttering and organizing tips here.

We are well into 2012. I know many people made a resolution to get organized when we turned the calendar some six months ago. I may be biased, but I think it’s the best resolution anyone could have made. Organization supports us in so many ways. Being organized plays a huge role in just about every aspect of our lives.

Sadly, there are plenty of people who see getting organized as practically unattainable. Most just give up on their goal way too soon. Why is that? I think we can, at least in part, blame it on the organizing myths in circulation. These myths cause us to believe that getting organized is much more difficult than it actually is. They become seemingly insurmountable hurdles and essentially prevent us from even beginning the organizing process. And yes, getting organized is a process, it’s not a one time event. But the effort is so worth it! Save money, save time, create space, enjoy peace of mind – now, who doesn’t want that?

Let’s bust a few of the most widely believed myths right now:

I don’t have time.
The truth, you actually gain time by being organized. Being disorganized causes you to spend more time looking for things. It plays havoc with your schedule. A lack of organization means you are more likely to miss appointments and misuse your time. If you decide to get organized you will be making an investment that will pay you back every day. For every minute you put into getting organized, you will reap an exponentially large return.

It’s too expensive.
The truth, you actually save money by being organized. And it doesn’t necessarily have to cost anything to get organized. People tend think they have to buy expensive storage products, but organizing isn’t about the products. Organizing is about having more time to do the things you really WANT to do, and being able to get the things you have to do done efficiently. Sure, you may need certain storage, but you can easily re-purpose what you already have. The outcome, while it may not be as pretty, will be just as functional. The bottom line, being organized saves you money – no more duplicate purchases, no more late fees, and so much more. Organization allows you to budget and manage your money in a prudent, responsible manner.

I don’t have enough space.
The truth, you actually create space when you organize. Getting rid of clutter alone will begin to open up space. Designating permanent and practical homes for your possessions will open up more space. Most people have enough space, they just aren’t using its full potential. Vertical space is often untapped. Think about all the ways you can add storage to your walls. The are so many possibilities. Reconfiguring the storage you already have can also make a huge difference. For example, a chest of drawers makes fine storage for paperback books or dvds. Just place the items perpendicular to the bottom of the drawer so you can see the titles. It’s just one of many ways to maximize space.

It doesn’t work for me.
The truth, you can, you just haven’t found the right system. Organizing systems abound and there is no one size fits all. Your personality needs to be taken into account. So do your unique needs and your lifestyle. You will know you are on to something good when it feels natural. That’s doesn’t mean it won’t take effort, but the effort shouldn’t feel like it’s countering what’s intuitive. As long as it makes sense to you that’s all that matters. Don’t worry about what you think you ‘should’ be doing, do what feels right. Trial and error is often part of the process. Think about it in terms of buying jeans. You have to try on a number pair before you find something that fits and feels good. Finding the right organizing system is similar, you may have to try a variety to find the one that feels just right.

The choice to get organized is yours, don’t let a myth derail you. You can do it regardless of the time you have, the amount of your bank balance or the size of your space. If you truly want to get organized but haven’t started, ask your self why. If you have been using any of these myths as your excuse for not getting organized, you need to realize that they are no longer valid reasons for not moving ahead.

If you want to get organized, but you are feeling overwhelmed by the process, be sure to get my free Clear Clutter & Get Organized E-Course. It walks you through the six steps of my ESCAPE method.

If clutter has you down, then you definitely need to check out Clutter Control 101. It’s about addressing the root cause of your clutter and learning how to let go of ‘stuff’. If you are ready to say goodbye to clutter forever, this workshop is guaranteed to help you make it happen.

Have you decided it’s time to declutter?

Are you overwhelmed by the process? Maybe you’re on the brink, thinking you should get started but wondering if it’s possible. Well, it is possible. More than that, if you are motivated to create change it is highly probable that as you clear the clutter you will find life becomes better and better.  Read on for a real life decluttering  project progress report that is sure to motivate. And if you’re stuck in the clutter muck be sure to check out the Clutter Control 101 Workshop.

Decluttering Progress Report From Jane E. Brody

In a column last fall, I announced my intention to rid my home and myself of a half-century of accumulated “stuff” — everything from papers, books, clothing and shoes to packaging material and shopping bags. I’m happy to report significant progress.

Scores of old files, letters and mementos have been recycled. Bags of books, clothes, coats, shoes and linens have been donated to charities. New and hardly used kitchen equipment has been given to those who need it more than I do.

A decision to re-carpet three of the most cluttered rooms in my house forced me to move — and remove — hundreds of long-unused items. I replaced oversized and impractical furniture and containers with smaller, more useful items less likely to become reservoirs of dust and clutter.

Continue reading here: Progress Report on a Decluttering Project – NYTimes.com.

8 Ways To Boost Your Productivity

While your co-workers start every day enjoying a cup of coffee together in the break room, you’re barely able to find time to call your doctor. While they’re taking lunches, you’re rushing through another meal at your desk. Sound familiar? Here’s the good news: This apparent discrepancy may not mean you’ve got a bigger workload or that you’re a harder worker. Instead, it may mean that they’ve mastered certain time-saving skills and habits that you haven’t—until now. From prioritizing your workload to learning which projects don’t need to be perfect, read on to discover eight workplace habits that’ll boost your productivity and lower your stress levels.

via Career Advice – How to be more productive at WomansDay.com – Woman’s Day.

Want To Be More Productive?

I bet you do! We all want to be more productive, right? We all want to get things done. We all want to make things happen. So why don’t we just do it? It’s a common conundrum. You have a great idea and you want to make it a reality, but you get stuck. Well, you’re in luck, help is here. Take a lesson from creative types and break free of productivity paralysis.

Here are 10 laws of productivity we’ve consistently observed among serial idea executors:

1. Break the seal of hesitation.

A bias toward action is the most common trait we’ve found across the hundreds of creative professionals and entrepreneurs we’ve interviewed. While preparing properly as you start a new project is certainly valuable, it’s also easy to lose yourself in planning (and dreaming) indefinitely. We must challenge ourselves to take action sooner rather than later. The minute that you start acting (e.g. building a physical prototype, sharing a nascent concept with your community), you start getting valuable feedback that will help refine your original idea – and move forward with a more informed perspective.

2. Start small.

When our ideas are still in our head, we tend to think big, blue sky concepts. The downside is that such thinking makes the barrier to entry – and action – quite high. To avoid “blue sky paralysis,” pare your idea down to a small, immediately executable concept. Can you trial the idea of a multi-day festival with a smaller performance series? Take an idea for a skyscraper and model it in miniature? Work out the flow of an iPhone app by sketching on paper? Once you’ve road-tested your idea on a small scale, you’ll have loads more insight on how to take it to the next level.

via 10 Laws of Productivity :: Tips :: The 99 Percent.