De-Cluttering Activities in Great Weather!

Finally, warm weather has arrived. It’s hard to think about de-cluttering when we want to be outside. But if we do nothing, when we do go inside, the clutter will be worse. We won’t fully enjoy the good weather when our minds are on the “mess” inside. To enjoy your time outdoors and not make matters worse inside, here are four strategies!

1. Take outside to the patio those dreaded papers you have put off sorting. Sit in your comfortable lounge chair with a cool refreshing drink and be ruthless with paper clutter, your goal being to keep up with the new mail, magazines and catalogs, and catch-up on the old mail, magazines and catalogs so by, say July 4th you are up-to-date. Plug the shredder in an outside outlet to shred address and account information as you go along.

2. Concentrate on outdoor de-clutter projects – setting up the patio, purging the storage shed, getting winter equipment cleaned and stored in the garage, weeding the garden, pruning shrubs, etc. Burn calories, enjoy the sun and make your yard more enjoyable, all at the same time.

3. Make outside “chores” a family affair, emphasizing to children and guests (yes, guests) that outdoor maintenance and projects are for the benefit of the family as a whole, not just for Mom and Dad.

4. Inside, focus on maintenance activities – keeping-up with items used each day and putting them back where they belong. Finish each daily task begun. The objective is to keep possessions contained within your space and your time space so that you live each day fully and not fall behind. You are able to start Tuesday on Tuesday, rather than start Tuesday by cleaning up Monday or Sunday or all of last week. Maintenance is like brushing your teeth – you do it at least twice everyday, but it doesn’t take long. The more you “practice,” the quicker you become and the more you accomplish.

If you own De-Clutter, De-Stress® Your Life, re-read the chapter on Preventive Maintenance for more tips and ideas. For your own copy, go to www.beyondclutter.com/books and order on-line today.

© Copyright 2008 Helen D. Volk All Rights Reserved

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