One of the most common reasons we don’t clear our clutter is because of our self-defeating thought of “What’s the point? I’ve cleaned this area 3 months ago and it’s just a matter of time before it returns to this chaotic mess.” 

I’ve been there plenty and I have only recently learned the importance of creating systems to not only clear the clutter but to keep it gone. The unfortunate thing is there isn’t a one size fits all approach. It’s about finding what works for your specific personality and tendency. Some systems are way to particular for some and others desire an alphabetical, color-coded approach. I find the differing creative approaches a beautiful thing. That’s what keeps life interesting but also complex. 

So the secret is knowing yourself and selecting for a system or approach that you will actually use and stick to. While daunting at first, the beauty is in blissfully operating the system successfully after it is in place. 

I remember when I got my new laptop and it had bluetooth capabilities! I could then scan documents with my mobile phone and bluetooth the documents to my computer to be placed on an external harddrive. Now my stacks of paper are nearly non-existent (let’s be honest, paper management is a pain) But now that I have this system in place, it’s not a pain to digitally process and store the documents. I even have my husband onboard with putting items into a filer I labelled “To Scan”. 

Step 1:  Address the the probelm, not the symptom.

Step 2:  Design a system that will be effective and doable for your personality.

Step 3: Setup a system and methodically apply until your clutter has been eliminated. 

Step 4:  Make subtle changes as necessary to keep the system streamlined and functional. 

I would love to hear from you about what systems have and have not worked for you. Even in the ‘failures’ there are lessons for us all! Comment below.