Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight (2 page)

You can see this unhappiness in the faces in checkout lines. You hear it from your co-workers in the morning. You can feel a low buzz of people's tired impatience as they wish they were somewhere other than where they are right now.

If you're unhappy, frazzled, and dissatisfied, then you're like many of the people around you. If the thought of feeling energetic, excited to be alive, and truly interested in the well-being of others seems foreign, perhaps it's because you don't see enough examples of people living that way.

Household clutter, obesity, and mental health concerns often travel together. In many cases, people are wobbling under the weight of more than one of these kinds of clutter. Often, they have all three.

I've seen this connection with my own eyes. Many of the clients I've worked with—and the people I've met in my many years as a professional organizer—weigh more than they'd like. They've talked to me about the stress and sadness they feel, both in relation to their household clutter and their general state of mind.

How about you? How would you describe the state of your home, your body, and your mind? What has become your “normal”? As I run through some contrasting scenarios, where do you fall on the scale from terrific to terrible?

Your
Home

When you walk into your home, do you . . .

. . . have that “I'm on vacation” feeling you get when you walk into a freshly cleaned hotel room?

Or do you . . .

. . . feel the full weight of all your possessions crush your spirit when you walk in the door?

Your Body

Does your body . . .

. . . feel light and free? Could you go for a brisk walk for an hour? Can you lean over and touch your toes? Can you get into and out of your car easily?

Or do you . . .

. . . drive around for a few minutes to find the closest parking space to your shopping destination? Do you see those electric carts at the supermarket and feel a pang of concern that your weight will cause you to need one someday?

Your Mind

Would you say that you . . .

. . . generally take note of the beauty and potential in the world around you? Do you feel grateful for the good things in your life? Do you make most of your choices deliberately and with your full attention? Are you alert and awake during the day? Do you feel no more than the occasional sadness or stress?

Or are you . . .

. . . tired . . . distracted . . . bored . . . anxious . . . or depressed? Do you often buy something to eat or drink, to read or wear,
or
to hang on a wall or put in a cabinet because it will ease your discomfort or make your life seem better? Do you feel a closer bond to the people in your life than to your
stuff
?

Perhaps these questions make you realize that you've been following the crowd for years, doing the same things they do, and you've ended up somewhere you don't want to be. How do you create a new “normal”—one that reflects the life you want and yearn for? How do you abandon all these habits? How do you start making the choices that aren't typical but that lead you to a better place?

Let Go of Your Overstuffed Life

As a professional organizer, I've been into hundreds of homes and offered advice to thousands—if not tens of thousands—of people on how to tame their messy, cluttered, disorganized spaces.

Whether from the clients I work with personally or from the large audiences I interact with online, through media, or at public events, I've fielded many questions that have the same answer. “My closet is stuffed full of quilts that Grandma left me. I never use them but can't bear to get rid of them. What should I do?” Or, “As I approach retirement, I'm thinking about downsizing to a smaller home. I have all the artwork and toys and books that belonged to my kids. I've kept this stuff for them all these years, but they don't want it. What do I do with it?”

Often, we exchange a long look, and tears spring to their eyes. This is not a casual moment in their lives. The answer has great importance to them right now. Yet they're letting a near-total stranger make the decision.

My answer is frequently the same: “If the stuff you own is not helping you create the life you want, then let it go.”

And with those words, I typically see the weight that's been crushing and smothering them disappear. They nod their heads and let themselves laugh as their sense of paralysis or guilt vanishes and their anxiety evaporates. They admit that yes, they knew that was the answer. They just needed permission to realize it.

This doesn't mean that the problem has magically disappeared. It's never that simple! Similarly, just reading this book won't solve your difficulties. With
Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight
, my goal is to offer you a clear direction for
the
changes you're seeking in your life. The words are mine, but the hard work has to be yours. This program is ambitious and at times tough. I don't apologize for that. It demands your commitment, focus, and effort. You deserve happiness and a full life, and I share that goal with you.

The lives that each of us live are built on our actions and choices, such as:

The items we've purchased

The foods and drinks we've consumed

The way we've chosen to spend our time