When you were a little girl, how did you picture your grown up life? I know mine involved travel, a fairytale wedding and a lovely home.
What I didn't picture was divorce, being made redundant, disorganisation and exhaustion. All pretty distressing stuff. At one point I moved eight times in less than twelve months - four of which were interstate. I lost income, confidence and faith in people and I also collected a lot of 'baggage' - both the emotional type and the physical.
Eventually - through sheer bloody determination, hard work and (I totally admit) a fair share of good luck - I managed to turn my life around, which has included getting on top of my clutter. In recent years I've realised when I take stock, that I actually have achieved those childhood dreams and I am both humbled by and proud of that.
I do believe that drowning under clutter can make it very hard to achieve anything much. Clutter affects our internal conversation with ourselves, and it can become exhausting - like the hamster in the wheel....just going round and round without ever progressing.
While there is NO magic wand to wave to achieve a great life, there are some things that are simple, don't cost anything and can be done by yourself in your own time that I sincerely believe can help.
Clear your mind - Visualise your ideal life
When I say "your ideal life" I don't mean something ridiculously unobtainable like buying a $700 million yacht and never working again. I mean things like, pay off the mortgage, enjoy coffee catchups with friends, get more exercise, spend more fun time with the kids. These things ARE attainable with planning and a little determination.
Picture your house as you would LOVE it to be: laundry done and put away, fresh flowers in the kitchen, a nice scent in the living room, finances under control. Without sitting down and thinking about this and being clear what it is you want, you are unlikely to accidently achieve it. Setting goals and steps you need to take to achieve these are the way forward. Whether its a weekly meal plan, savings plan or beauty routine, writing it down in actionable steps will help you achieve your goals.
Once you've written it down check back in a few months to see how you're going. Coaches train elite sportspeople to visualise what their goals look and feel like. This all helps the subconscious focus on what you want and how to get it. Don't beat yourself up if it hasn't happened. It's ok. You can try again. By reviewing it, you can tweak what is needed to move forward again.
Clear your heart - Learn to love yourself
This one might be a surprise on the list, but I can't tell you how many times I've heard that the client maybe doesn't deserve a nice, tidy house. Every time I hear this - or something like this - I hear a broken person and this is so sad to me. Sometimes these people have put so much pressure on themselves, spread themselves so thin for others, or really don't think they're worth anything. We can only give to others if our own tanks are full, so it is in everyone's best interest if we ALSO look after and care for ourselves.
So, I recommend taking a few minutes every day to do something nice for yourself. Might be as simple as going out for a fancy cup of tea or buying a bunch of flowers or having a fun phone call with a friend. Life is too short for self loathing and it gets you no where....take steps to give back to yourself and watch as you blossom!
And it might sound like a cliche, but starting a gratitude diary might be a help. It's all about beginning a new habit - to see the silver linings in each day (even when they feel few and far between!). You've got to tell yourself that you deserve the good things in life AND then enjoy them to the fullest when they happen! This is the sweet nectar of life and everyone deserves that!
Clear your space - declutter a room
No matter how humble or fancy your castle is, you can tell when it is loved. Little touches here and there show this more than words ever can. And it isn't about a house being perfect - in fact I personally think they are rather stiff and unwelcoming. A few imperfections - in my humble opinion - adds to an interior's interest. Patina, a chop off the paint...these aren't a problem.
It's the disorganisation that makes a home feel a bit off. Piles of clothes on everything, rubbish lying around, stacks of old papers are the things that take away from a space.
One of my fave decluttering hacks is to get a humble old laundry basket, set a timer for ten minutes and 'attack' one room! Put everything that does NOT belong in the room in the basket, tidy the rest and BAM! The space will feel so much better (and so will you!). The secret to success is to process the items in the basket straight away - don't let them sit for weeks in the basket making you feel guilty!! Either return those items to their rightful place OR pop them in the donate pile. It's all rather cathartic, darlings!
Aim to do a room a week or if that's too overwhelming, once and fortnight and build up to weekly. It's addictive and gets easier each time. It's also a great habit to teach kids if you have them!
Once a space feels organised, I feel amazing! I'm proud of it, I want to spend time in it and I feel free to turn my attention to other goals. See? It's all a bit circular!
Anyhoo....I would sincerely love to hear your decluttering tips and nice things you do for yourself!
And if you need help getting on top of your clutter, we of course offer services to Sydney folk (or Zoom sessions to others).
