You’ll feel less rattled, more in control and be more creative and productive. Organizing that paper mess will instill you and your surroundings with a sense of harmony.
HELP BOYFRIEND UNCLUTTER PROFESSIONAL
“When things pile up we feel mentally defeated and exhausted, and the task of organizing seems impossible,” says Linda Chu, a professional organizer and owner of Out of Chaos in Vancouver. Usually the result of indecision (should I respond to this now or later, file it or dump it?), paper clutter can weigh you down with anxiety and guilt and turn you into a raging monster as you frantically search for that passport application or overdue bill. “I feel immense relief and, strange as it sounds, mentally and physically lighter.” Writer Marianne Scott recently unloaded 150 pounds of papers and two shelves of books when she purged her home office in Victoria. Indulge instead in consumable treats (for example, some artisanal cheese or handmade chocolates) or save up for a top-quality chef’s knife. Resist the urge to splurge on new kitchen gadgets. (Seasonal items such as the turkey baster and barbecue tongs are exceptions.) After three months, pack up what’s still in the box to give away. When you use one, put it back into a drawer or onto a shelf. Here’s how: Transfer all your gadgets to a box. Separate the must-haves from the wannabes.“It’s the love of food, quality ingredients and a good sharp knife that matter,” he says, “not the latest gadgets.” Chef David Evans of Santos, Montreal’s latest Old Port hot spot, can put all his personal kitchen tools in one cupboard. “When an item doesn’t live up to its promise, we feel inadequate and blame ourselves, not the product,” says Hellen Buttigieg, a professional organizer and president of We Organize U in Oakville, Ont.ĭitch the excess items and your negative feelings you don’t need gimmickry to perfect your culinary skills. It’s quite common to fall prey to the lure of gadgets that promise to save time or make you the next great Canadian chef.īut all too often, they simply take up space - and create frustration. Six corkscrews, three egg slicers, multiple melon ball scoops and a cheese grinder still in the package: these were the items crammed into the kitchen drawers of my friend Catherine. Your bank account just might flourish, too.ĭeclutter Your Kitchen Cupboards 2. Keep just the clothes that make you look and feel great. Pass unflattering or out-of-date clothes along to vintage stores, consignment shops or charity. Keep clothes that fit properly and make you feel good about yourself. “I feel unburdened, freer and better about myself.”
“Although I have much less now, I love each piece,” she says.
She realized she didn’t have to keep clothes she didn’t like or ones that were uncomfortable. Together, we emptied her closet and kept just her A-list clothes (those passing the “I-look-and-feel-wonderful” test). Other clothes were robbing her of any positive self-image. “I had kept pants that had become so tight they made me feel hopelessly overweight, dowdy jackets and other things so heavy with memories I felt trapped in the past.” The closet also harboured guilt in the form of things such as a pricey suit Lynn had bought on a whim but never worn.
“My closet was suffocating me,” says Lynn Van Bakel, a children’s author and retired teacher in Victoria. Here are six top clutter crimes and ways to cope with them. Rather than being rattled by mountains of mess, you can take on life with clarity and confidence. Clearing clutter not only liberates your physical space but also evicts emotional clutter. Just trying to find an overdue library book among the stacks of papers on the floor can spawn feelings of confusion, guilt and anger. If left unchecked, clutter not only poses physical constraints, but it can also pollute mental well-being. “I’m buried by my debris,” she says tearfully. But the prospect of dealing with the massive clutter is overwhelming. Now the kids are gone, and Maggie is selling the house. Her tiny Winnipeg bungalow is filled to the rafters with every homemade card, piece of art and dollar-store gift her children ever gave to her. Uncluttered Space = Uncluttered Mind was written by Katherine Gibson and originally published in Canadian Living.
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