Clutter is something that can consume you and your life very quickly. But not everyone knows how to declutter. For many people it is not just about the clutter. The clutter is many time a symptom of a bigger problem. Getting to the root of this problem is important to moving forward with your life. Clutter is not so much about being unorganized as it is about being overwhelmed.



Having been through less extreme instance of clutter while feeling overwhelmed about one thing or another, I can relate to the feeling of not knowing where to start. Even today, when I begin to feel overwhelmed about something going on in my life, the first thing I do is declutter. This may sound strange, but it helps be able to see other areas of my life a more clearly.

There is a well known organizing show on television that does a good job of looking at what has lead up to the people not wanting to part with possessions. One of the shows hosts has written a book called "Does this Clutter Make my Butt look Big." I truly believe that while you have clutter, you are going to have other problems in your life.

But as I said before, the biggest part of decluttering is getting started. Being overwhelmed keeps us from being able to see the plan clearly or at all. The easiest way to get started is to break the area down into small pieces. Start with one corner of a room or by clearing one piece of furniture at a time. For most people, this will involve large scale downsizing. For some people, counseling may be needed to help them part with things that they own. Every book you read or show that you watch, elimination of excess possessions is an important part of the decluttering process.

The other problem that results in clutter is lack of storage. The Container Store is a great place to find a container or storage solution for just about anything. Most home stores carry a number of solutions that will work for storage. There are a number of books that give detailed instructions on how to declutter and organize your home. Keep in mind that decluttering is a process and will take time. It is not something that happened in one day and it will not be gone in one day.

If you feel you need additional help, most cities have home organizers that will come to your home and declutter and organize your home for you. Whether you do it yourself or hire someone to declutter for you, it is something that is essential to moving forward with your life.