Lesson 2.
Definition of clutter.
Clutter is a personal perception and it can mean something different for every individual.
What is clutter to you,
It may not be clutter to another person.
It's very important to get on the same page when it comes to clutter,
Especially between family members and people you share your life with.
Communication is essential to force the respect and awareness of each other's needs.
There is a huge relationship between clutter and mental health.
Clutter can overload your senses,
Creating stress,
Making you feel overwhelmed,
Frustrated,
Isolated,
Ashamed,
Depressed,
And prevent your ability to think clearly and make good decisions.
It can also decrease your productivity and energy levels.
But what is clutter?
There are a few definitions to help you define what clutter is.
A collection of things laying about in a disordered manner.
Items that don't belong in the space.
Items that don't have a permanent home.
Items that you don't use.
Items that are broken.
Items that don't add value to your life.
Stuff you are storing for someone else.
Things that don't fit in the space.
Items that prevent you from using the space for its intended purpose.
Objects that break the natural flow of the space.
Items that back you or are meaningless to you.
Stuff that take away your time from doing meaningful things,
So distractions.
And this last definition is my favorite one.
It's from an association called Clutterers Anonymous.
And they say that clutter is anything we don't need,
We don't want,
Or we don't use that takes our time,
Energy,
Or space and destroys our serenity.
Clutter can also be a constant reminder of unfinished projects.
Projects that you need to find time to finish and maybe projects that are not relevant to you anymore.
Things start piling up over time and it becomes more and more difficult to get started.
There are many different kinds of clutter.
Physical,
Social,
Mental,
Emotional,
Financial,
Digital,
Just to name a few.
Everybody can be a victim of clutter at any point in their lives.
Clutter can be a result of lack of time,
Too many projects on the go,
Tasks or commitments,
Storing stuff for someone else,
Unbalanced lifestyle,
Working too many hours,
Traveling too much.
Big life events like divorce,
Moving to a new home,
Getting a new job or being fired,
Having a baby,
Downsizing,
And just not having enough time to adjust to these changes.
Lack of systems to keep things organized.
Not having permanent homes for every item.
Living with others and not finding a balance.
Bringing too many objects at home and not having the space to deal with them and store them.
There are some best practices to reduce and eliminate clutter from your life.
Before bringing items home,
Ask yourself,
Can I afford this?
Can I afford the money,
The time,
The space,
And the energy that this item will require from me?
Learn how to say no to things that you don't need.
Don't accept items from family members or friends unless they bring value into your life and you have space,
Time,
And energy to deal with them.
You are working very hard to conquer the clutter in your life.
Ask your loved ones to respect your decision and to support you on this journey.
The same apply to commitments,
Social events,
And anything to do with your time.
Learn how to be intentional and learn how to say no to things that don't bring value to your life.
I want to finish this lesson with a quote from Lana Nakon.
She says,
When you understand what drives you,
What truly motivates you,
You are then able to create an environment that facilitates your goals.
It frees up space so the new you can step in.
There is purpose in how you live.
It's time to create your environment so that you can thrive in life.
Are you ready?
