This Habit Determines Whether Your Home Is Crazy Cluttered Or Beautifully Organized

June 1, 2016

In my work with clients, I teach them to rewire their thinking about stuff, since their old way of thinking and dealing with material objects clearly wasn’t working.

One of the most important of these is the thought process that accompanies capacity. That is, your mental process when you go to put something away and find there’s no more room for it.

 

The habit that professional organizer Annie Traurig swears is responsible for whether your home is crazy cluttered and beautifully organized!

Those who don’t yet know how to Live Simply will, in that scenario, either to try to figure out how to fit the additional item into that drawer, closet, etc., by brute force, ignoring all evidence of having reached their spatial means, or, they’ll try to find another spot to, without rhyme or reason, cast off the item. If it’s put somewhere—anywhere—then at least then they’ll be done dealing with it.

Looking at a full-to-capacity drawer, shelf, closet, cupboard, or rack of clothes, a Simplifier will naturally lean in the opposite direction. Rather than ask, “How can I fit more in?” the Simplifier will ask themselves, “How can I make more room by editing out that which I no longer want and need?” And then they take a moment, right then and there to scan the contents and decide.

That, right there, is a key distinction in behavior. Colloquially, it’s everything.

It’s the key distinction between Another-bin-itis and Forever an editor.

The first process leads to overstuffed storage areas, which disrupts order, which invites further haphazard accumulation and placement of objects, which leads to more rummaging and tossing about in order to locate an item, which leads to less clarity about what one owns and where to find it, which encourages more thoughtless consumerism, which leads to more clutter, and on and on it goes. That one mental attitude, compounded over time, can create a situation of chaos and clutter so severe it will require an expert (hi) and hundreds of hours to reverse.

The second process eliminates clutter on a consistent basis, ensures order is enabled, emphasizes clarity of belongings, which allows for informed, conscientious consumerism.

Seeing them stacked side by side like that, what’s your choice?

 

Image credit: Photography by Christopher Patey via My Domaine

 

 

3 Comments

  1. Elaina on June 2, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    This is soooooo true!!!! I admit I used to try to stuff more things into drawers , forever buying new bins to try and organize …. !!! Finally I think what really helped was when I moved to Greece, to an apartment and I was forced to downsize! Whats that rule? “When you bring something in ,take something out” . Great piece as always Annie :))))

    • Annie on June 2, 2016 at 12:37 pm

      Yes!! Often times smaller space can be the biggest blessing because it forces clarity and decision making. Proud of you!!

      • Elaina on June 2, 2016 at 12:54 pm

        :))))

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3 Comments

  1. Elaina on June 2, 2016 at 12:11 pm

    This is soooooo true!!!! I admit I used to try to stuff more things into drawers , forever buying new bins to try and organize …. !!! Finally I think what really helped was when I moved to Greece, to an apartment and I was forced to downsize! Whats that rule? “When you bring something in ,take something out” . Great piece as always Annie :))))

    • Annie on June 2, 2016 at 12:37 pm

      Yes!! Often times smaller space can be the biggest blessing because it forces clarity and decision making. Proud of you!!

      • Elaina on June 2, 2016 at 12:54 pm

        :))))

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