Ready to change your relationship with clutter, money, busyness and overwhelm? Start here and now.

Do you feel overwhelmed by too much stuff, having to make too many decisions and all the obligations you ‘have’ to meet? Are you running exhausted and feeling short of mental clarity? Are your closets full but your bank account closer to empty? Though often it seems we have few choices, you can begin to simplify and say yes to LESS starting today. Much of the time, we make our own misery because when we string all those seemingly small decisions (and spends) together, they impact our quality of life. It’s not just about the money we spend on bringing in what will be considered clutter in 3 months; it’s how we spend our energy and focus. If you find you would like to have more mental clarity, more meaningful time with friends and family, clearer counters and floors and have a cushion in your bank account, it will take a new approach. It will also take time, dedication and arresting some of your old habits… and that may be a challenge to your friends and family at first but this is about YOU taking control of your life, happiness and future. Life is short. Make it count. When you do, it will ultimately be better for you and your family. Real friends will support the newer healthier (mentally, emotionally, better rested) and happier you. Start here and now.

Step 1 Declutter: Identify who would love, need or appreciate the things that no longer serve you well. EBay, Donate, recycle and return items today because every day that you feel overwhelmed or controlled by your stuff/environment, is a compromised day that can lead to a compromised life and compromised relationships.

Step 2 Organize what remains so you know what you have and where it is. Eighty percent of the time we only use 20 percent of our stuff including food, clothes and papers. If you need help, enlist a Professional Organizer or you can contact me directly mary@withinreach.biz I work in person and coach remotely.

Step 3 Change your habits around shopping and acquiring. If you are a reader, I highly recommend Your Money or Your Life by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez. That single book changed my relationship with stuff and money and I have shared those lessons learned with all my clients and audiences. The book should be required reading for all high school students. If you read this book, share it with your family so they can understand why you are making or requesting changes of them moving forward.

Step 4 Take control of your digital feed. Disable store/shopping notifications. Unsubscribe from their daily emails and feeds. Don’t click on shopping banner links in your apps, erase your cookies, opt out wherever you can. Don’t EVER let advertisers control your mind or they will control your wallet and future. I spent 10 years in market research before becoming a Certified Professional Organizer. Your privacy has already been compromised and your shopping and web surfing habits are followed. Most of the time, you are not as much in control of your mind and thoughts as you believe because of nonstop sophisticated advertising.

Step 5 Start prioritizing and goal setting for both short and long term. This is key when I work with my clients as it directs all efforts. Meaningful change cannot happen without identifying the ‘why’ and building a vision of what you want to create. It will become more compelling as you become more aware of the swift passage of time and the value of your focus and resources.

Step 6 Reassess your schedule and activities. After completing steps 1 through 5, you will probably be ready to make changes.

Step 7 Onboard your family and friends to your new goals and habits so they can support positive and meaningful change.

Finally, surround yourself with people who appreciate you, your talents and the value you place on relationships over stuff and peace over drama/chaos. If you need help with any of these steps or would like to know more, please connect. I’m www.WithinReach.Biz

It’s Time To Let It Go  

As so many, during Covid19, we have been streamlining our home environment. I asked my husband a few weeks ago what he was willing to let go. What you have to know about my husband is that he is meticulous in his care of things. Everything is in like-new condition.  

One of the things he offered was a beautiful high-end juicer. Clean and in the box with the original packaging, recipe book and original cash register receipt. I remember when we were together at Costco and he got it. It was a quality product at a great price and would help support a healthy lifestyle. I agreed. But because it took a lot of space and he traveled for work quite a bit, it was kept in the basement.  You can see the upshot coming I think he used it twice.  

 The good news is that it was easy to list on a local sales app as I had everything needed to make a beautiful and visually compelling listing. The challenging news is that it sold for only 25% of the original purchase price.  The surprising news was what I saw on the receipt before I handed off the box to the happy new owner: I finally looked at the purchase date. January 10, 2010. It has literally been taking up valuable storage space for more than a decade. Where did that time go???? If you had asked me to approximate the purchase date, I would have said maybe 5 or 6 years.  

 My point is that time goes more quickly than we think, and we often allow things to stay in our lives long past their usefulness to us. Some of my clients have difficulty letting go of items they have bought or acquired because the items are still ‘good’ or ‘useful’.   

 Life gets better and more refined when we have the clarity to let go of the things that take space and are not actively adding benefit to our lives. We buy something thinking it’s a great idea, but it turns out that the idea was better than the reality. When that happens, can you revisit those items and make a new decision to let them go regardless of the purchase price?  

 My husband (fiancée at the time) spent $100, used the item only twice yet continued to house it for more than a decade. This is not about him making a poor decision or leading a unhealthy lifestyle. It was a ‘close to home’ aha moment for me. A decade of nonuse on the shelves I often walk past. It tied up money, space and time without benefit to ANYONE. We had literally stopped seeing it on the shelf. When we really looked at it again, we were good to let it go to someone who would actually put it to use. If it did not sell within another week, we were both willing to donate it to get our space back and free up our minds.  

 We have not stopped there. Don and I have been reviewing a number of idle items and we are successfully posting and parting with outdated things. We feel great and are looking to further simplify. Sometimes it is difficult in the moment but once you embrace keeping only what supports the lifestyle and activities that you are working toward, it is freeing and money saving. I hope this encourages you to reevaluate your possessions and to let things go that are no longer a good fit.  Remember, it’s not about if the item still has value or is useful. It’s about how those items are actually serving you. Remove the guilt and set your sights on a brighter future. Re-home those things that no longer are used or loved. If you need help, connect, I’m WithinReach.biz  

It was beautiful in the store but looks like clutter in my home. What happened?

Marketers call it staging. When you look at an item in a store, catalog or online, you are literally seduced by a beautifully staged and marketed item. It is presented in a simple environment with great lighting and space around it. It is a focal point. The problem is, that for most of us, that is NOT the environment it will be displayed in our homes. Our homes are ‘messy’ with our items of daily living and past purchases.
Continue reading “It was beautiful in the store but looks like clutter in my home. What happened?”