Resource Guide

“Have nothing in your house you do not believe to be useful or

beautiful.” —William Morris

Do You Feel Overwhelmed By Your Belongings? If the once innocent piles have turned
into anxiety-inducing mountains, it is most likely because you have been putting off
“getting organized.” It is easy to feel overwhelmed when days or months have gone by and
the mess is caving in on you. There is no time like the present to start changing your
habits and step into a life of healthy organization.

Start with the Clutter Healing™ Action Plan:

Set an intention! What do you want to accomplish and why?
Choose the area of the home you want to organize.
Designate a sorting area.
Sort like items into piles. Take an inventory of what you have. For example, if you are
working on editing your jeans, make sure you have all your jeans with you. Go to the
laundry room, storage bins and any other areas in your home where you might have
additional jeans.
Go through each category and edit items into the following groups: keep, donate,
garbage or sell. I like to use clearly marked bins for each category to ensure items go to
their proper destination.
Designate “homes” for each item based on frequency of use and ease of accessibility.
Purchase and install organizational tools such as drawer dividers, bins and labels that
work for you and the spaces your items will now live.
Always put items back in their designated “homes” post use.
The Clutter Healing™ 5 Questions to Clear Your Clutter

As you are editing your belongings, these are the five essential questions to ask yourself.

1). Would I buy this item today if it were in a retail store, online shop, etc.?
2). Have I used the item within the last year? The last 6 years? If I haven’t, why not?
3). Does the item have sentimental value that holds a positive or negative charge?
Examples:
a). My aunt gave it to me. If I get rid of it she will find out and get upset.
b). The sweater reminds me of my deceased father.
4). Am I holding onto the item because I have a limiting belief about the item?
Examples:
a). “If I let it go, I will never be able to afford it again.”
b). “I will never have time to go back to the place where I purchased the item.”
Breaking through your limiting beliefs might prove to be your biggest challenge,
yet they provide a huge opportunity for the biggest reward. Here are a couple of
ways to bust through your limiting beliefs:
a). Identify the belief and commit to work on it daily.
b). Create a mantra to challenge your limiting thoughts. For example, if you feel
you will never be able to afford the item again, repeat an empowering statement
such as, “I am fully supported” or “I am living a life filled with abundance.”
c). Take an action that challenges your limiting beliefs. If your belief is that
letting go will leave you empty, try donating a few items to a charity you identify
with and see how you feel. You won’t know how giving makes you feel unless you
try it. Most people experience deep joy upon giving.
5). Do I believe the item to be both useful AND beautiful?
When working through a client’s clutter, I often refer to the William Morris quote, “Have
nothing in your house you do not believe to be useful or beautiful.” Even if it is a practical
piece like hiking shoes, try to find the beauty.
Remember To Stay Open and Positive
Goals and ideal scenes are a plus, but try to approach your organizational project with an
open mind and no expectations. As you look at each item, remember that your organizing
journey is unique and personal. Use your intention as an anchor throughout the process.
If you feel called to measure your progress, keep in mind a very simple phrase: “progress
not perfection.” When it comes to organizing your life, there is no such thing as doing it
“right” or “perfectly.”

It’s been proven more sustainable to organize an entire space in one fell swoop rather than
piecemeal. As humans, we need to feel a sense of accomplishment in order to maintain
anything in life. You don’t go to the gym one time and become fit. It’s the same concept
with organizing. It takes dedication, nurturing and an investment of time to maintain any
organizational system. Here’s to your new state of being—a happy home is a happy life.

Recommended Reading

“The Magic of Tidying Up”– Marie Kondo

“Clutter Busting”– Brooks Palmer
“The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” – Stephen R. Covey
“A Year to Clear” – Stephanie Bennett Vogt
“Healing” – David Elliott

Contact information
Lili Pettit, Founder
Clutter Healing™ Inc.
lili@clutterhealing.com
www.clutterhealing.com
Copyright ©2010-2017 Clutter Healing™, Inc. All rights reserved.