We have all seen the beatiful Instagram Influencer’s feeds with every inch of their home completely organized and believe it or not there are some people that live that way. Not me, I am not that person, I want to be that person but I have not reached that goal yet. Since that is the case, I created a challenge for myself and others who are like me. Procrastinators, busy people, those who lack the knowledge to organize, sentimentals who hang on to far too many things and anyone else that just needed the nudge to get some things done in their home. It is the perfect time with Spring being here, it seems to always give everyone fresh perspective and a little desire for change.

In this challenge, we are not striving for perfection, or at least I am not. I am here to reclaim the home that I have allowed to become cluttered through my procrastination, lack of using my time wisely, and honestly, just not putting items where they belong. I also live with a husband that believes if I create a space for something it is optional to replace things in those spaces. He too will have to learn some lessons in this challenge or face the wrath. I said that when I did this about four years ago that I would not let it get this way and once he started not putting things up correctly, I decided what the heck and I wouldn’t either. Where did that get me? Four years later with a cramped house and disgust that I allowed it to get that way.

I created a workbook and a private Facebook group. In the workbook, I have shared tips, ideas, resources, and inspiration for working through this challenge. Our group is set up for accountability and support for one another. All of these are helpful if you choose to take the first step which is to sign up for the challenge. It has to begin somewhere right? I am including the link right here because it is never too late to sign up and what makes it even better is that it is free. So put your excuses down and join us. https://form.jotform.com/240697072693062

We are not all cluttered and unorganized by choice, sometimes, life happens. But there are methods of decluttering and organizing your home that will bring peace and clarity into your home and your life.

I want to be all things all the time and it is not always possible to do that. If you can focus on one task at a time, you are much more likely to suceed. Using this challenge, I found some instant satisifaction in the areas that I have already decluttered and organized. I have also found that there are many things in my home that I don’t need. One thing that I believe to be very important during this challenge is to be ready to throw out expired items, donate gently used items, or sell items that are worth your time to sell. The key is to do it as soon as possible, there is nothing gained by decluttering only to have a box or a room that is ful of the items that you took out and never do anything with. Be prepared. You will find my favorite local charities to donate to, and my method for determining if it is worth your time to sell. I will tell you that you must toss the expried items. Do not donate them, that is not okay, you are only moving your trash to another location. Don’t waste your time or anyone elses. If you are the sentimental type and find it difficult to let go of things that you don’t even take out of a box or haven’t looked at in twenty years, I have some ideas for that also. Here is a clue, you are probably holding it in your hand right now.

I have been blessed and cursed in the last four years in my life with health issues. I say cursed because having diabetes is a challenge. I say blessed because without it, I would not have lost 90lbs. With this amount of weightloss, came lots of excess in my closet. I did make piles of items that no longer fit, and I even took some of them to charities to donate. But, part of me wondered if I would need those items again. That is not a closet clutter problem, it is a mind clutter problem. Our brains can only process so much information at a time and when we leave shitty thoughts in there, guess what? Not only do they take up space they create thoughts that you don’t need in your life. I believe that there is a true connection to our hearts because where our minds go, our hearts will follow. You can’t live a life fully or boldly hanging onto thoughts that damage your well being.

In clearing out your spaces, you must be willing to clear out your mind also. This is not as easy at it sounds. You probably have more shitty thoughts than you imagined. You likely didn’t realize that they were also filling your heart. Here is the thing, it takes work. You have to excercise your mind and create space to create new thoughts to replace the old shitty ones. When you clear the physical clutter this actually also clears space in our brains. I am not making this up. Think about it in this way: Your brain has space for 10 thoughts. One of your thoughts is “I need to clean out my closet”. Another thought is I need to go the restroom, what are we having for dinner tonight, I have an appointment at 2pm, I should’nt have eaten that chocolate, I am nothing but a fat pig, I should probably hang onto at least two sizes in my closet because I might gain the weight back. (your actual brain process far more thoughts at once, this is merely an example). Now follow the connection. I had a thought about my closet along with other daily tasks, all of which are taking up space but those thoughts immediately included other thoughts that were detrimental to my well being. If I clean my closet, I clear a thought. Then I can replace it with a new one. My nice neat closet shows off my pretty new small size clothes that I can’t wait to wear. I have instantly removed several other negative thoughts occupying space in my brain and I am showing my self some self love.

Now I bet you didn’t realize that clutter and organizing was so deep? In actuality, this is surface skimming the impact these have on our lives. For those of us that procrastinate, there could be some undiagnosed ADHD, or perhaps there has been grief that we are going through. Our lives are so connected to our homes and our homes become the true manifestation of our hearts.

Okay, I got a little deep with the last section so I will bring it back to the physical realm. My number one cluttered space in my home is my office. Now, what I told everyone in the challenge to do was “Swallow the Frog” which means to tackle the most difficult challenge in their home first. What I did instead was to choose the space that I knew would motivate me the most because I will procrastinate about that office all day long because I can close the door. I know that I am the type of person that once I get going, I will not stop. Neither of those methods are incorrect, the difference comes in knowing who you are, what motivates you, and giving yourself permission to start. Start somewhere, anywhere, but just get started. You will thank me and yourself later.

One last thought before I end this post. There are times when life does not allow you the time to do this yourself, or maybe the situation is just too overwhelming. There is no shame in hiring an organizing service to help you. Do not let that hold you back. Take shame out of the equation and you will get more done either way.

I hope to see you in our challenge and I can’t wait to see what you change in your life and your home.

Until next time, Live Life Boldly, my friends.