visual clutter is mental clutter

whew.  i had a huge lightbulb moment while catching up on one of my favorite instastories the other day!  the person i was following was discussing how visual clutter creates mental clutter to her, and though i feel the same way, i had never heard it put so perfectly.

i don't know about you, but i like to be in control.  there is so much of life that we cannot control, but i would challenge there is a good bit of life that we can control.  we can organize our stuff and contain the chaos of life. i cannot tell you how many homes i have walked into where you can feel the overwhelm and chaos the second you cross the threshold.  there is a burden carried on the shoulders of the adults that live in the home (especially the female, who whether she works inside or outside the home, is typically the one in charge of the home) and the stressful feeling is present.

i am not saying that homes have to picture perfect; they need to be lived in and a place of rest of those that live in the home.  i do not believe that people are okay living with stuff everywhere.  they may not want nor require a show ready home, but they want order.  God created us to crave and desire order.  He ordered the world, everything in it, and orders the days of our lives.

when homes and stuff get to the point of overwhelm, it is hard to even think about where to begin.  i wanted to offer up a few tricks and tools i use to get back to a place of peace and rest in my home.

i would start with a large cup of coffee.  put on good music [i like the ben rector pandora station or christmas jazz pandora].  grab a hamper or something to collect misplaced items in.  figure out your holding spot.  i would suggest using a guest bedroom or basement.  you need to select a room that you can close off while you're in the decluttering and placing process.

now you've got your mojo ready, walk around each room and take out what does not belong in that room.  in this step, do not put things where they belong in other rooms [for example, you have a hairbrush on the kitchen counter--do not put it in the bathroom, put it in the hamper and take to your holding room].  now you're done with step one, and all of your visual clutter is contained!

for your next step, make sure what has been left in each room truly belongs in that room and is in the object's best place.  don't know where something should go?  take it to the holding room.  now you should feel energized walking around your home bc you have taken all of the clutter and "things that don't belong" away.

now you can work in your holding room/spot.  first, look through the objects and put the ones away that already have a home [like the aforementioned hairbrush].  then think about your habits and home, and start to make piles of things in your holding room...like those things that should go in the kitchen, family room, bedroom, etc.  if you find things that you do not use and do not have a home, do not find a home for them in your home--give them away!  start a give away and trash pile right alongside your room piles in your holding room.

then steadily go through your holding room to return objects to where they should go.  put them in a spot in their new room--don't just take them and place them back on the floor.  collect like items,  and give some away if you realize you have four hammers but only need one.

continue this process until your belongings are in their place.  once all objects are in their place, you can further clean out/organize/come up with systems, but that can be done at a much slower pace.

over a matter of a few chunks of time, you will have just taken your house from overwhelming to restful without any fancy gear or spending any money.  it just takes some motivation, dedication, and perseverance,  but you will feel the weight lift off of your shoulders and be able to sit in peace on your couch without thinking of all that you could/should be doing!

preholidays is a great time to get this done, so that the new people and things that make their way into your home do not add to the overwhelm!  what are your thoughts on this?  what is your biggest hangup in starting an organizing project?