An important step in getting organized is understanding your surroundings and possessions, and beginning to delineate what is useful and what is clutter.
Wikipedia defines clutter as “A confusing or disorderly state or collection; or the creation thereof.” I think this is a good starting point, but can be difficult to put into useful practice. To help identify clutter, look around you and start asking these questions of your surroundings and belongings:
- Does it have a useful purpose?
- Do I use it for that purpose?
- Does it do its job well?
- Do I need to keep it?
- Is it the right size/shape?
- Is it too poor to use?
- Is it too good to use?
- Is it too fragile to use?
- Have I outgrown the use of it?
- Is it obsolete?
- Do I like it?
- Is it sentimental?
Busting clutter is usually the first step in getting organized, and becomes a lot easier when you begin to understand what clutter is. When you start to identify the things around you that are useful and valued, and that which is definitely clutter, you can start to gain control of your environment and will probably feel better for it. Of course, identifying your clutter achieves nothing if you don’t do something about it!
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