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Clutter Stress Syndrome
Mountains of junk mail and overstuffed closets arent just
eyesores; they can also increase anxiety. Clutter makes it
impossible to get anything done on time. As a result, we
miss deadlines, forget appointments, and annoy our friends and
work associates--all of which cause stress that makes it even
harder to get organized. It's a vicious cycle.
Messes, however, often serve a subconscious purpose; They can
hide problems in our lives we dont want to confront.
Recognizing this root cause is the first step to staying
organized 1. You're avoiding something. Bills and
statements, for example, may be piling up because you dont want
to confront money woes. People think, If I get organized,
Im going to find out my finances are in horrible shape.
Then theyre going to have to change their spending habits.
2. You fear failure. People
say, " If only I were organized, Id go back to college or
finish a book proposal"... but the mess lets them put
off taking a shot at their dream If they failed, thed have
no one to blame but themselves. Blaming a mess is easier
3. You've changed--and arent prepared for it. Possessions
let us hold on to a part of ourselves we arent ready to give up
Clothing is often the culprit: Keeping "skinny" clothes
you hope you will sqeeze into again shows youre unhappy with the
extra pounds youve put on. And holding on to
"fat" clothes is a sign youre sick of your workout
regimen or diet. But old apparel can subtly undermine your
idenitiy. The sight of your "skinny clothes" will
quietly convince you are fat. The sight of "fat
clothes" after youve lost weight may beckon you to relapse
into your old eating habits. 4. You want to retreat. Can't
throw a dinner party because your house is a pigsty? Deep
down, you may want to withdraw from friends and family --even
from people in your own home. Women will deliberately not do
housework if theyre having problems with their husbands. The home
is often where women have power, so this is a way to express
their hostility. But such passive-agressessive tactics
rarely solve problems. Instead, they fuel the fire--and the
disorganization can lead to divorce. 5. You're holding on to
someone. While its natural to save mementos of a loved one whos
recently died or moved out, keeping too much can keep you from
moving forward, whether thats finding new friends or a new career
path. When you have too many "memory joggers,"
you become distracted and overwhelmed." Parents
who have kids go away to college, have kept every outfit theyd
ever put on that child. What these people dont realize
is, their memories arent in these objects, its in them. FACT: The average disorganized person has more
than 300 documents at home COST" due to the
chaos--late fees, paying last minute, premium prices can be 15 to
20% of your budget. Too much stuff in
the average home, creates an estimated 40% more house work.
Eighty% of what you file is never looked at again. If it
doesnt affect your taxes, you probably dont need it. Keep
only the most recent paycheck stub, utility bill, mortgage
payment, mutual-fund prospectus, insurance policy. As you
file the latest, throw out the last. Hold for 7 yrs: Bank
statements, canceled checks and credit-card statements. Keep long-term: one copy of each successive version of
your resume; diplomas, and certificates; school transcripts;
reciepts for car repairs and large purchases; mortage and real
estate documents; home-improvement records; annual statements of
stocks, bonds, mutual funds, IRAs or 401ks and legal
documents. Keep tax returns at least 7 years. (keep
quarterly until you receive the year-end summary) (Leases, trust
papers, etc) No filing system? Here are ideas from clutter
experts (for use After you decide what to keep, not before!
Buy straight-cut manila folders without tabs. If you
put two identical labels on each folder- on both the front top
right corner and back top left- you will find what you need right
away Use white 1" by 3" removable labels on your
folders rather than typical labels, which are too small to write
on and lose their adheasive with age. FIll out all your
labels with a black, fine tipped marker. Avoid color
coding- such systems are hard to remember and diffcult to
keep supplied- or using a variety of pens, which gives files a
jumbled , messy look. Closets and Cabinets To maximize
space, buy six tiered hangers for skirts, and hang pants upside
down from the cuff, so bulkier waistbands fall below shirt level.
Use a hanging shoe bag with clear plastic pockets to store panty
hose and socks. Also great for storing mittens in a coat
closet or for organizing small toys in kids' rooms. Place
rubber-coated wire racks on cabinet shelves to make best use of
the vertical space. Kids' Stuff If toys are taking over
your home, hold a "toy garage sale" and let your kids
keep the proceeds from everything they coose to see. You
might have a budding entrepreneur in your midst. One
surefire way to cut down on kids' clutter is to work on building
"memories, not possessions". Taking children to
the zoo, a museum or the theater instead of buying them the
latest video game. Garage, Basement and
Attic Most garages and attics are dimly lit, shadowy or
downright dar,, making the impulse to just add to the pile and
run almost irresistible. Insall extra fixtures or keeping
battery powered lights on hand. If you bought a new one,
youre not going to fix the old one....broken VCRs, toasters,
typewriters and computers you have got stashed in various
places. Dontate them to your local Inspector Gadget or say
goodbye to them for goo THROW THEM OUT.
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