Basics for Simplifying Your Life

I could tell you how to fold towels. Or give you 5 ways to streamline your kitchen. I could even give you tips on how to tame your paperwork, the #1 form of clutter everywhere. Instead, I offer what I believe are some of the most important principles for building a foundation in keeping your home clutter-free.

• Establish your culture. Or a culture will establish itself. If you don’t like the one you have, change it.
• Decide who you are and where you’re headed. Measure everything against that. Furniture, clothing, keepsakes, décor, the way you live your life. If they don’t support who you are and where you’re headed, they’re just taking up space.
• Question everything. Ask of every item, “What gives you the right to be in my house? Are you support me and helping me reach my goals?”
• Everything needs a home. This isn’t rocket science. Does it make sense for item “X” to live where it lives? Again, question everything.
• Nothing accidentally walked into your house. Own your responsibility for contributing to the mess, even if it means you stood by and let it happen.
• Do you actually use, like, and need, all that stuff? Could someone else use it instead? Share good stuff with people who need it and will use it now.
• Indecision creates clutter. Indecision produces mediocrity and ineffectiveness. Be intentional. Decide to decide.
• Life is too short to spend it serving stuff, allowing it to drain and distract you. Stuff is here to serve you, not the other way around.
• If you’re stuck, ask for help.
  
  And remember that if you are truly ready for change, it means things will have to be different.

(c) 2009 Sheri Bertolini