“I’m overwhelmed and I need help.”

Sound familiar? A client recently painted the picture of a relatively neat house with a basement growling from below. Stuff had been stashed in the basement after a move; it serves as an overflow area for the rest of the house. Trouble is, she can’t craft or work out in the designated spaces on the lower level because the chaos drives her crazy. Recognizing that she didn’t have the time or energy to address the mess, she reached out to Spirit & Space for help.

Organizing professionals have lots of ideas about how to get started addressing the chaos. The best tip I’ve heard? START SMALL. Instead of attacking the overflowing basement or the abominable attic, start with a junk drawer or the top of a table. Commit to taking just 10 minutes a day to declutter; set your timer and stick with it. Stay focused on one area until it’s done.  After seeing some progress, even small progress, you’ll begin to realize that there’s hope after all; you may be surprised at the natural motivation to keep going after that first week.

I’ve been reading a lot about decluttering and downsizing. Why is it so hard to get rid of stuff?  I’m working on a 30-minute virtual session for those of you who are interested in scratching the surface and getting some tips.  Stay tuned for details and let me know if you’re interested!