Clear Your Clutter in 4 Easy Steps

June is here and the sun is shining which helps to make everything look and feel so much brighter.  As I am still slightly traumatised by my encounter with the zip wire last week I am very pleased to note that June's resolution is so much calmer.

Adopt Better Habits.

Boring!

I came up with this challenge when I realised how I'd let my recycling slip, so this goal was a way to get back on track.  As I gave it some extra thought I came to the conclusion that recycling my rubbish was a pretty lame topic to cover and all my readers would be nodding off before I'd managed to soak the
label off an old baked bean tin.

So...yes I am going to adopt better habits, my tins are stripped and ready for collection, my milk cartons are washed out and crushed and my cardboard is flat and bound for the paper truck - how good am I?

But... for my blog, I am going to recycle in a more holistic way.  Intrigued? 

When I run my personal development workshops I often refer to space clearing which in turn helps to clear the mind.  This is a great starting point for any new venture, idea or period of recovery.  A clean slate if you like.

Clearing Your Clutter is one of the most effective ways to feel amazing, lighter, brighter - and very often a wee bit richer.  So here are your 4 easy steps to achieve inner peace...

1.  Take Responsibility - Look around you, are there piles of magazines, old books, Cd's you no longer listen to (or have uploaded to your iPod).  Do you own fourteen glass vases but never buy flowers?  Does your wardrobe contain 'thin' clothes and 'fat' clothes and 'not in a month of Sunday am I going to wear again' clothes?  If you said yes (go on admit it) then clearing the clutter is for you.

It is incredibly empowering to steam in and have a good sort out.  I do this on a regular basis, normally when I feel my energy levels dip.  I take a look around and may notice that the cupboard under the stairs is full of the kids shoes, coats and other 'out of sight, out of mind' rubbish.  A quick tidy up and I feel my energy levels begin to rise.

I love this Japanese proverb and have it stuck on my pin board 'The day you decide to do, it is your lucky day.'  It works on so many levels but for the purpose of clearing clutter I can tell you I have found the odd fiver tucked away in old coats on more than one occasion!

2.  Take it Slowly - I do everything at a hundred miles an hour but when I clear my clutter I tend to savour the moment.  If you are looking around at a mountain of 'stuff' don't panic, it may look overwhelming but it doesn't have to be.  You've taken responsibility so the hard bit's over - now is the action part of the plan.

Take it one room at a time.  When you look around the room you have chosen break it down even further, take it one piece of furniture at a time.  Clear a desk drawer or one shelf on the bookcase and then build up to the entire desk or a couple of other shelves.

3.  Tools to Help - The only tools you will need are a big mug of coffee and 3 cardboard boxes.  Label the boxes, Donate, Bin and Sell.

Donate - this is your charity box, anything that isn't broken but no longer has any place in your home could make someone else very happy and become their most prized possession - you did that, you made someone else happy, wow!

Bin - we all gather bits and bobs which have no value or reason.  I recently cleared my desk out and threw nineteen pens which had run out of ink - god knows why I had put them back in my desk?  On the plus side it gave me a perfect excuse to buy a new pen (I'm so easily pleased).

Sell - summer is here and it's car boot season.  If you've never done one before then give it a go, it's great for getting rid of bulky items as well as unloved ornaments, books, DVDs and clothes.  My kids grow that fast I could hold a regular slot at the local car boot and just sell their cast offs! 

Top tips for car booting - take plenty of loose change, a flask and packed lunch, old carrier bags, plastic bags or sheets in case it rains, an old table (I use a paste table) and a friend.

4.  Completion - You've done so well if you have made it this far, well done you.  Now you just need to complete the process.  You've signed up for a car boot so the Sell box will be going.  You've driven to the local refuse centre and dropped off your Bin box, all that's left is to load up the car with your Charity box and deliver it to your nearest shop.  DON'T leave it by the front door - DON'T leave it in the boot of your car.  You've done so well, don't stop now.

Top Tip - anything you don't sell at the car boot, transfer directly into your charity box, don't re-introduce it to your home.

There you go, clearing clutter in 4 easy steps.  You will feel empowered and lighter for doing this.  It doesn't matter how long it takes you either, making a start is a fantastic achievement and keeping the flow going brings about a wave of energy for you and your home.  What a great habit to adopt.

I would love to hear your clutter clearing tales or recycling routines, why not let me know how you cope (or don't).  If you have any other top tips please let me know.