Take a seat somewhere, anywhere, in your house. Okay… take a look around. I mean reeeally look.
Are you asking yourself: “Where did all this stuff come from?!”
If that’s you, first let me tell you, you’re not alone. According to New York Times Magazine, 1 out of every 10 Americans rent offsite storage. Even less surprising, storage companies are the FASTEST growing segment of the commercial real estate industry over the past four decades!
If it’s not second-hand stores cluttering your space, it’s hand me downs from your sister or sales at The Pants Store, or that awesome lamp you found sitting at the corner of 5th and Main.
Just like everyone else, I’d fallen into this same bit of madness. I did it for years! My junk took up more space than the things I actually loved and used! There were old papers, things I’d obviously die without or a piece of something broken that I’d “make something out of one day.”
In our lifetime, we spend over ONE-THIRD of the 365 days that make up a year just searching for lost stuff; whether that’s sunglasses, keys, or that sweater your Aunt Susan gave you last Christmas. And still, we buy more.
If you haven’t noticed a growing epidemic by now, you may be out of the loop.
Now comes the question I want to ask you. What are we going to do about it?
According to WebMD, the official site of hypochondriacs, our clutter literally drains us. They suggest that getting clutter under control can actually improve your attitude and more importantly, your health.
As a professional organizer, the same phrases are used over and over from almost every client I see.
“The energy just feels drained from this place.”
“I am completely overwhelmed by this mess.”
And my personal favorite…
”I am starting to have a hard time navigating this staircase.”
All jokes aside, now’s the perfect time to take back control. Whether it’s hiring someone to do the job for you or tackling the monster with your (and your closest friends) bare hands, decide you’re going to do it.
First of many tips: Start with the hardest task first. 😊
