Simplify

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I’ve been thinking about that word a lot lately.

Maybe it’s because the summer is ending or because it’s back to school time – even though I don’t have anyone in school – but I’ve been feeling the need to get rid of stuff, declutter, and just organize what’s left.

Maybe it’s because my life feels so out of control and crazy, I don’t know.

If you read about My Life Makeover you might have sensed this already.

Did you know that when you try to work or do anything in a cluttered environment, it’s harder to be productive?

Take a look around you right now as you read this. How many things are within your line of sight that you could either get rid of or put away? Personally, I’m not sure I can count that high. 😉

I have stacks of books everywhere and notebooks and I have an addiction to colored pens and markers.

My closets are a disaster.

The area under my kitchen sink? I don’t want to go there. Literally.

So if you have issues like mine, what do you do about it?

For me, some of my more pressing issues went on My Life Makeover list, like organizing my pantry and fridge. Those are sort of health related for my dad and I so that’s the reason for that.

For you, take a look at what’s really bugging you. Maybe you’ve had a life change and need to make some changes in your environment. Find a place to start.

Alternatively, you could begin by getting rid of anything that’s obviously trash. Just walk around the house with a trash bag in hand and see what you find. Oh, and you don’t have to do it all at once. Try it for 15 minutes a day for a week or so.

Now you may think that you don’t have any trash lying around and you might be right. But I’m not talking about tuna cans and banana peels; I’m talking about stuff that has outlived it’s usefulness but that you haven’t gotten rid of for one reason or another.

Here’s an example from my house: I have an old Flip video cam that hasn’t worked in years, a book light that I don’t use, and an mP3 player that it both cheap and never used. Why are they cluttering up my space? Here’s one hint: they’re all small so they don’t take up much space. And of course, I haven’t gotten around to it.

Did you know that this kind of clutter can cause negative or stagnant energy in your home? It sort of drags everything down with it. It can also make you more distracted, not to mention making it harder to find things.

This principle is true in Feng Shui, a practice that helps you bring positive energy to your environment. You might also enjoy this article about one actresses’s experience.

Obviously there is more to simplifying than just clearing out the trash, but it’s a great beginning. Give it a try and then note how you feel and how your space feels. I’d love to hear about it – leave me a comment!

Picture of Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle

Lacy Estelle is the writer of Lacyestelle.com and the Podcast host for An ADD Woman.

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