Thinking about clutter from the viewpoint of the end of your life puts a different twist on things. Just before xmas I came up with a concept for a presentation I’ll be doing in February for and old school friend Lisa Adderson who is putting together a seminar for women called “It’s All About You” . Lisa asked me to speak about Clutter and Organizing and I wanted to find a way to make what I already had more interesting.

The idea was to ask people to imagine that they were lying ‘on there deathbed’ – cheery stuff I know – and to ask themselves what would be the things they remember the most about their life. (Please comment below about what you’ll remember). My guess is that answers will predominantly be about events and experiences like, births, accidents, celebrations, adventures, happy times, das times etc etc. My bet is that it won’t be about THINGS, you know – designer toilet brushes, collections of matching crystal glasses, little plastic objects the shape of the latest movie character etc etc, am I right?

Well the whole concept of talking about ones impending doom took on a different twist when last Sunday I noticed a small lump in my left breast (is that body clutter do you think?), now I’m yet to have it scanned (haven’t figured out how to close the lid on the scanner over a 3D object yet but I’ll get there) yes I am booked in for an ultrasound next week – I went to the Doc the very next day – aren’t I a good girl? So lots of things run through ones mind with something like this and it’s hard not to think fatalistically. So I did, I indulged to see what happened and this is what I thought.

Shit! not much time and lots to do, wow life is awesome and I need to stop pigging around, heck I’m gonna have to get Mark (my partner) on track financially so he can cope when I’m gone, I can’t keep wasting my skills and talent people need me because I can help them.

Well for anyone who knows me well they’ll recognise the enormity of those statements. I can tell you right now that it’s not what I would have said a year or two ago and that change has come about due solely to my use of the holosync program which, I increasingly am a evangelist of as my internal life changes for the better, which will undoubtedly lead to great changes externally.(I had intended to blog more about this program this year so I shall endeavor to do that)

The fact that my focus was not really on myself was revelation number one and then to say I have talent I must share was equally extraordinary. So anyway back to the issue of experiences versus stuff. Even in my uncluttered house I can think of heaps of stuff that will be meaningless and also valueless to anyone but me, what should one do with these kinds of things when planning or preparing for either an impending death or just in case of a accidental one? Now I”m talking here about stuff that has meaning to me now not extra stuff as in the case of folks with a bit too much stuff or lots too much stuff.

If you’re answers to my earlier question was mostly events and experiences and you also have lots of extra stuff in your life then perhaps now is a good time to reconsider it’s importance in your life particularly if you tend to get a bit attached to things and those around you ‘cop it’ if they don’t deal with those things it ‘the right way’ according to you – how important is it really if you’re not even going to remember it at the end of your life.

In the end it’ll be all too much for someone else to deal with.

Tweet This Post

I new it! and now here’s the proof. A woman in the UK died due solely to her clutter!  Read the story here.And if you think that it’s an extreme case you may be right but harm from lots of stuff in your home does come in far more subtle forms. The lack of air flow that generally accompanies even mildly cluttered homes (windows not being opened cause you can’t easliy get ot them) can be the cause of skin problems, breathing problems to name just a couple.

In this case of course the piles of stuff became unstable and fell – not a nice way to expire!

What do you think about this story and what can be learned from it? Make a comment below. “I think it just gave her pleasure to buy things” is at the core of this issue. What’s going on for people who buys things they don’t need and don’t really have the space for? It’s filling a void they feel but only temporarily otherwise one shopping session would do the trick!

So my advice – really think twice about your purchases and ask yourself do you really need what it is you wish to buy.

Tweet This Post

  Happy New Year! I hope everyone had a great transition and that you’re  sticking to your resolutions! HUH? yep those things that we get all worked up about but seem to fizzle out after a short while, some in days others weeks or months. Was ‘getting organized’ one your resolutions, maybe in just one part of your life? Perhaps just your office or your time management or certain rooms in your house.

It’s certainly the prime time of year for this kind of big sorting and organzing to happen or get started. Where the problem often lies is in the planning that precedes it or more to the point doesn’t precede it and hence ultimate failure. Planning is of course a type of organising in itself and it that isn’t our strong point then you run into trouble right from the get go.

One of the most common ways to do so is to make lists. Now for the less linear oriented thinkers mindmaps are the perfect alternative where it looks more like a drawing with things grouped together in related bunches on the page. Whatever works best  for you, don’t just slavishly follow a recommended techniques if it doesn’t jag with you.

You could start by just doing a list of everything you can think of at the moment that you need to do or get done or want to do this year. These can be anything from ballroom dancing lessons to patching the hole in the kitchen ceiling. As a way of prompting your memory take a wander around your house and list things to be done in each room. Next you can then break the list up into various categories that make sense to you.

Such things as Self/Personal, House, Family, Finances and so forth. Next prioritise each task in each list from most important to least important. Finally go through each task a look into what’s required to make that goal happen – if it’s to patch the ceiling then step 1 might be to ringing a number of repairmen to come out and quote etc.

Now you have a to do list that has some very logical and sequential steps in it for you to follow in order to achieve your goals.

Next time; How to put this list into your weekly schedule.

Tweet This Post