Imagine the feeling you get when you open your closet and it's jammed full - full of things you do like, and things you don't like, and items that haven't fit in a long time, and things you probably don't even know you own anymore! Instead of making getting ready for the day a nice experience, it can make you want to go back to bed, or least wear pajamas all day.

The end of the school year always makes me feel overwhelmed with "stuff" too. This was my kitchen table until about an hour ago - overflowing with school papers and folders, end of year gifts, new dog supplies, and who knows what else. The dead flowers are an especially nice touch! Spots like these pop up in my house when I'm feeling overwhelmed. I feel like I have so much to do but I can't figure out exactly what. It makes me feel "stuck" somehow. I made time to sort and clean up the mess, and I felt immediately better. I could think straight again.

"Clutter Smothers. Simplicity Breathes."
Terry Guillimets

Clutter and disorder can be overwhelming, especially if you are thinking about your entire house. So here's my proposal for you this weekend. Try it. Try to declutter one very small, manageable space. Set a timer for 15 minutes and get busy! You don't have to prep anything, buy anything, or commit to doing anything further than this one small project. Some ideas for a small place that can make a big difference:

Your purse
A junk drawer
Your car
Your kids' backpacks
The "drop zone" where you put keys/purse/shoes when you get home
A kid's dresser drawer - surely you have a drawer or two that has the wrong sizes or winter sweaters still hanging around?
Your coffee mugs or cups
Shoes

Once you pick your area, follow these easy steps. Don't forget to set your timer for 15 minutes and take a before pic!

Take everything out.
Sort - Put into 3 piles: Trash, Give Away, or Keep. Be brutal with this! Do not hang onto items "just in case" or because you used to love it.
Take the keep items and sort into similar categories.
Put them back in an organized fashion. Stop the timer and take your after pic.

DONE! Take your after pic and bask in your success. Note how it makes you feel every time you open your junk drawer, coffee mug cabinet, or purse for the rest of the weekend. After I declutter a small space, I always feel motivated to do more. I feel more creative, too.

Here's my example. I was looking for a sharp pencil the other morning and nearly lost my mind at the sight of this drawer!

After 12 minutes, which did include sharpening all of the pencils!!

And yes I do have a drawer with pencils and de-tangler in my kitchen. Random but it works for me.

I would love to see your before and after, or hear how you feel after you clean out your space.

Talking about your physical space is always part of my coaching. I feel so strongly about it that I'm working on a coaching program that is specifically focused on decluttering. I will be giving away 3 free sessions to a local person in the near future. Stay tuned!

If you haven't already, join my closed facebook group for more conversation and encouragement!

Have a great weekend.

Is Your Closet Trying to Tell You Something?