3.8.19
Daylight savings time in the Spring is my favorite. It’s like breathing a sigh of relief. We now have our evenings back. Spring flowers are blooming and everything is fresh and new. When I think about this time of renewal, I also think that it is a great time to really take a look at how we are living our lives. How are you living? What do your surroundings look like? Often times we are living in clutter. When I say clutter, it can be various forms of clutter. Small clutter like paperwork or laundry that you cannot keep up with. Medium clutter is perhaps items that you bought and don’t need. Large clutter would be the result of not keeping up with anything over a long period of time.
Today, I invite you to think about the way you shop. The stores are very clever. Think about places like Ikea, At Home, Target and even boutiques. They set up true room spaces for you to see the merchandise and they do a good job of it. It often looks so good that you think that you must have something that is on display. However, when you bring it home, you cannot find just the right spot for it and then it becomes clutter because you are waiting to figure out what to do with it or planning on taking it back to the store, which may or may not happen.
This also happens with apparel. The stores have the mannequins styled gorgeously in the windows and you are enticed to see more. Once you enter, they have more items beautifully displayed. That’s when our impulse shopping occurs. We see it, we like, we buy it; whether we need it or not.
Then there are the times that we see something that is the best deal and we have to seize the opportunity and get it before it’s gone. Have you heard the term FOMO (fear of missing out)? We see something that we like and it’s a good deal so you better get it or you might regret it, but would you? Again, there are times that those impulse purchases come with a lot of baggage. Meaning that you purchase something on impulse for a future project down the road (like a man cave or project) but then you have to find a place to store those items. In some cases that means renting a storage unit or storing in your garage but then it cannot be used for your cars anymore. If you have future projects that you are planning, wait to purchase what you need when the project is complete. Otherwise, you may be wasting your time, energy, money, and precious space storing something indefinitely. There will most likely be another “deal” available when you actually need it.
When you are shopping, I encourage you to shop with intention. Before you hand over your credit card ask yourself these questions:
1. Do I have the perfect spot for this?
2. Is it similar to something that I already have?
3. Can I use it now?
4. Do I really need it?
If you find yourself challenged with small, medium or large clutter and feel overwhelmed, call me. We can talk about the state of your home. I’m not here to judge you or your situation, I simply want to help. I offer complimentary consultations and would be more than happy to look at your challenges, whatever the size! The time for change is now!
Contact Julie for help with your organizing needs or to schedule a speaking engagement.