I heard a recent episode of Optimal Living Daily podcast titled “Busyness is a Kind of Debt”. One point that stuck with me was the comparison that clearing clutter and getting to “clutter zero” provides the same feeling as getting rid of credit card debt. The...
As we enter each day, we make tradeoffs on where to spend our time. We have deliverables for work, errands to run, dinner to make. Our plates are full. We likely also have non-urgent activities on the list causing mental clutter. A deliverable that is further out but...
In a previous post, we discussed how clutter can be found in all 8 dimensions of wellbeing – physical, environmental, emotional, social, spiritual, financial, occupational, and intellectual. We have also reviewed how clutter can cause anxiety and put us into a...
I came across a quote by Bill Gates that is worth thinking about. “The barrier to change isn’t too little caring, it’s too much complexity.” – Bill Gates The world today is full of challenges that need to be overcome. Yet, we are busy with lives that can be...
We have made it to our last dimension of wellbeing – environmental. This does mean nature and outdoors. However, it also means the spaces in which we spend our time. Our rooms, desk at work, or even that corner of a coffee shop we choose every time. Having spaces we...
This post was going to be titled “nesting for retirement”. However, the concept of retirement has changed with many working for years beyond what used to be considered retirement age. We spend the first half of our lives building things – growing a career,...
The start of the new year brings new energy to cleaning up. We pack away holiday decorations and aspire to get rid of the clutter. When the word clutter is used, we automatically think about environmental clutter. A messy kitchen. An overflowing closet where we can’t...
Last week, there was a post about the infrastructure of our lives. Our bank accounts, apps on our phone, subscriptions, insurance, and more. On the heels of that post, I heard a podcast about the cycles in our home life. Things like Laundry. Paying Bills. Grocery...
My yearlong project to spend 15-minutes a day tackling projects around the house continued. For this final post of the year, I’ll highlight what happened in Q4, discuss how the project “drifted”, and on what I learned, and consider the year ahead. The Progress Like...
For the last 5 years, I’ve spent time in December reflecting on the year past. I use the 8 dimensions of wellbeing that were covered in the last two weeks: Physical, emotional, occupational, intellectual, environmental, financial, spiritual, and social. This year, I’m...
There was a podcast a month or so ago that touched on the idea of how clutter causes anxiety. I’ve seen this happen in myself and in others. Yet, I don’t think that clutter is anxiety inducing for everyone. For those who do suffer from clutter...
The goal is to move from overwork and overwhelm to a sense of calm. To find the space in life to do the things we want to do. In theory, this sounds great. Yet the work to get there is difficult and setbacks are all along the route. My Perspective The evolution away...
When I think about clutter and what is holding us back from having more space in our lives, I have written posts on all kinds of clutter – rooms, closets, calendars, email, and mental – just to name a few. Yesterday, I heard a podcast that expanded my perspective to...
The concept of reverse organizing is to empty a space and only bring back what you use. Then, after a month or so, the things that haven’t been used can be addressed. Some things may need to be kept for occasional events, others may be recycled or donated. The process...
There was a podcast where the statement was made that we waste a lot of time “managing our mess”. The statement intrigued me, and I started looking for stats. A study by Wakefield Research and Elastic found that “digging for files” was employee’s #1 challenge. The...
How do our spaces and “things” make us feel? I’ve been doing a lot of research on finding time and space in our lives. This week, there were a couple ideas that crossed my desk and made me realize I haven’t done much to explore the feelings associated with physical,...
In May, Seth Godin had a post on his blog that really struck me titled Chores. There was one statement toward the end that summed up the idea perfectly. “The truth is that if we stop doing chores, we have to do real work instead. The things that aren’t...
A pack rat is a rodent who collects things. They tend to accumulate mounds of sticks and debris in their nest hole. They are prone to collect shiny things. The things they collect are often unneeded. Yet, they hold on to them. We are like this too. We may not collect...
In early January, I had written a post titled "Start by Starting". The concept was to pick a present moment in time and place AND begin an activity or undertaking. I brought up the dreaded task of cleaning and organizing my basement. My idea was to tackle the project...
Last week on the blog, we covered clutter and organization through the lens of self-awareness. Starting to reduce clutter and feel more in control of your life and stuff starts with that awareness. Once we have some insight, it’s time to shift gears and focus on...
Each week, I listen to a LOT of podcasts. On Saturday's, I'm going to start providing a list of some that inspired me throughout the week. There will never be more than 1-2 hours of content referenced. My notes may provide enough summary or they will guide you on...