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Messy, cluttered work area

 

Clutter can take many forms. Sometimes it is physical, like the papers on my desk or the junk in your house. Sometimes it is emotional.  This post is about letting it go.

Today’s the day I tell you about one of my failings. I have a hard time letting go of some things. Read on for my true confession and more.  Coaches are certainly not perfect people. I will tell you what I am doing to overcome this failing too.

So here’s my confession:

I have a really bad habit (for me) of taking copious, often illegible notes at seminars, webinars, etc.  I end up with stacks of paper and many notebooks cluttering up my workspace, and often never look at my notes again.  This is my biggest form of clutter.  I think it’s the paper equivalent of hoarding. “Perhaps I will need this gem at some point.  Maybe I will use it for an article or a story or poem” Maybe even, “Other people’s wisdom is better than my own”, or “I loved the seminar so much, I want to make sure I never forget the wisdom because it just might change my life”.
 
I have spent some time examining why I do this.   I  decided to coach myself, to forget about the why and to look for solutions.
 

So, I committed to taking fewer notes (which sometimes impede my listening anyway and coaches must listen carefully). Now I go through my desk-pile clutter once a week, usually on Mondays. I sort through everything, but when I find a “gem” that seems useful, I put it in the equivalent of my old Idea Catcher box. I no longer maintain the physical box, but I have a file on my computer with this title. I always back it up and now can refer to it often. I spend a few minutes entering the gist of the idea, or the actual quote, if I like it a lot. Then I throw away the rest without mercy.  It feels soooooo good!I don’t know if you have a similar failing or habit, or how hard it is for you to let go of certain things.  I do know this type of hanging on can be applied to other areas of our lives. When we find ourselves hanging on to to items from the past to the degree that they are creating clutter, it’s time to do something about it.  We may hold stubbornly to the physical reminders of lost loved ones, or of times in the past that we cherished and now miss.  At first we look at them often, so they serve a purpose in our grief journey.  They help us reconnect and, at times, to bring on the cleansing tears.

When these items begin to encroach on our comfort, on our usable living space, or perhaps to depress and sadden us more than they provide happy memories, smiles and feelings of well-being, it is indeed time to let go of at least some of them.
You can examine the reasons behind your hanging on to stuff from now until doomsday, but it won’t help you change a thing about your life.
Old possessions-collage
Stuff We Hang On To

So choose a day of the week that works for you, and then maybe even just a half-hour of that day, and start your task.  First make a brief list of anybody you know who may want something you have been holding on to. Ask them once and if they say no, it’s time to A) Donate the item somewhere, if it’s something practical B) Chuck it in the trash.  Remember that it’s only a thing. It isn’t really vitally connected to the person, time or place you have convinced yourself it helps you keep alive. You will continue to keep these alive in your memory.

If your clutter and disorganization issues are  extreme, perhaps you need a professional organizer to help?  Don’t wait till you are buried in things that impede your enjoyment of your living space and your life. Now is the time to let go of whatever holds you back, physical and concrete, or emotional.

https://www.angieslist.com/articles/what-do-professional-organizers-charge.htm

Will you share with me what you have been hanging on to?  You may do it as a response to this blog, or in a private message. Do you need some help letting go and building something new? Do you need help figuring out how to honor your past by creating some meaningful rituals that will also help you heal and live more successfully? I’m all ears.