Clutter-Freedom: A New Beginning

I have had a clutter and organization concern for as long as I can remember. Home is supposed to be where you find rest and escape everything else. As an adult I often made my home the place where I nurtured everyone else's goals and dreams and took mine to bed. Writing is my talent - obviously organizing is not. I've read numerous books and articles about clutter and organization but all they did was add to clutter after I read them. Two of my favorites are Throw Out Fifty Things  and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. I enjoyed the books and applied the techniques but I needed help to get rid of things that did not bring me joy or add value to the sanctuary of our home.

This problem goes back to my childhood. My parents had to threaten to throw all of my belongings away because my room was cluttered.  In my creative mind, everything was organized but my parents could see only "junk." Every weekend I would clean my room to get prepared for school and my mom's famous words were, "You're making progress." I don't know if I ever met the standard of excellence they were looking for at that time. In 3rd Grade my daddy went to parent teacher conference and cleaned out my desk. I still recall the feeling of seeing a note on my chair which was on top of my desk. It is ironic to me that I just did the same thing to my daughter who is eight. The excessive Bobby Brown poster collection and Maya Angelou books were not neatly arranged in high school years. I celebrated Bobby Brown and Maya Angelou and did not nurture my own passions enough.

The office desk BEFORE
A New Beginnings Organizational Consulting

As a working mom and wife I get overwhelmed with my to do list. My priorities do not explain the papers I have kept in folders dating back to high school, the unorganized closets or piles of disorganization in my sanctuary.  I admit that clutter was consuming us. It was minor, but clutter in any form is unhealthy for my family. I tried to solve the problem by getting rid of our things but that only caused hurt feelings and frustration when I gave away things that were important to them. After months of this back and forth, I admitted that the possessions were not the cause of the problem, it was how they were organized.  

The office DESK AFTER
A New Beginnings Organizational Consulting

I would surmise that in recent months, my desire to purchase a home of our own has awakened the intention to keep our space pristine, I needed a magic wand or a maid to come help figure out this dilemma but instead, my aunt came to visit us for a few days. She sent a nice text message asking if she could wipe the dust from the window sills. I hadn't done it in a while and thought it was a great idea. Not only did she wipe the window sills in the room she was sleeping in, she cleaned the house as a way to think us for our hospitality. She did everything from vacuuming and wiping walls to mopping and seemed to dance in the process. Initially I was embarrassed but she encouraged me to think of her cleaning as a gift to our family. 

It was a great gift. Thank you Auntie. Not only did her cleaning spree obliterate the dust monsters that had been attacking my family with crazy sneezing episodes,  it shifted the atmosphere in the house.  The cleaner space made us all  healthier and brought a sense of clarity to me about the purpose of being organized. When my aunt explained the she had a friend who had done the same thing for her, I was relieved. She reassured me, "Sweetie everyone needs help sometimes."

My gift did not meet the need of the assignment. I needed to bring someone onto my team who could help my accomplish my goal. I solicited the organizational services of Michelle Shelly Solomon who owns  A New Beginning Organizational Consulting to aid me in gifting a sanctuary space to my husband for our ten year wedding anniversary.  I invited my friend SE to come over so she could see Shelly at work but she jumped in and helped with the task at hand. As I watched them, I could admit to myself, "I'm not good at that!" But I was thankful that they both were willing to help me.

The mission of A New Beginning Organizational Consulting is "Helping others to become better managed in their business and personal lives."

Shelly and SE worked productively; SE's eye for detail complimented Shelly's. I felt like I was being held up on both sides while  I walked into a new season of clutter-freedom. They did not know each other but they made an awesome team like the famous magicians Penn and Teller. Each one had a trick up their sleeve to balance the other. They organized all of Shelly's tools and put the plan into action to redesign the room. As the two ladies were laughing and hanging out I had fun preparing a lunch feast. 

Although they put the furniture together, I did the work necessary to pave the way. Shelly was adamant that I learn what to do to keep the space clutter free. Part of the process was giving myself permission to let go of anything that I did not want, or need. "Just because someone gave it to you does not mean that you have to keep it." She was compassionate with me, "You need to create a safe place of things you and your family value."  She explained, "Just because you don't have a space to store things right now does not mean you have to get rid of them." 

It is hard to admit that Shelly was not my friend when she was wearing her organizational hat. Shelly kept reminding me that I have a daughter who is watching me. She was concerned that my daughter will pick up my bad habits if I don't change my ways. Shelly emphasized how clutter blocks creativity, "you have books to write," she said. I learned that clutter can prevent a person from having true rest. These are things I already knew, I just did not know HOW to make it happen. Shelly was a great teacher. 

Thank you Auntie, SE and A New Beginnings Organizational Consulting for helping me breathe again. I feel so much better. The office is now a place I can write in peace and that was a long awaited gift. Scribes, I encourage you to find a way to share your gift and bring joy to someone who needs to breathe again. Write your poetry, finish your book or make something special. There is work to be done and as a Scribe, it is your duty to record the results. 

After

Before

Free to be Unpluckable,