Declutter

Recently we heard from one of our readers that her 2012 theme is “simplify.” (See January 3 Tuesday Tip)  Another way of looking at simplification is to eliminate stuff or declutter life. The benefits of reducing the clutter in your life include freeing your time and energy, reduced complexity, less stress and even cost savings!
Here are some ideas on how you can remove clutter from your life:

• – Decrease Homelessness – find a place for everything. Whether it’s your keys, the papers on your desk, spare change in your pocket or project files in a pile, it’s all clutter until it has a home.
• – Box and Banish – gather all the clutter and put it in a box; keep filling boxes until your space is clutter free then box by box go through the clutter and decide whether to put it away, give it away, throw it away or store it.
• – Reduce Your Commitments – there are only so many hours in a day; spend them on what really matters to you. Evaluate your commitments and determine whether they are serving a purpose or cluttering your life.
• – Reconsider Your Routines and Habits – write down all of your weekly and daily obligations, chores, and tasks, and then update or create daily and weekly routines. It’s easy to keep doing things because you’ve always done them. Rethinking your routines may bring a new sense of calm and order to your life.

Be free, reduce complexity and lessen stress by decluttering your life and your spaces. Letting go is like a breath of fresh air. You’ll feel lighter and happier.