So many rules, challenges and styles have emerged; it’s hard to keep up with them all. And so it goes, decluttering is decluttering, no matter what it is called.

While the decision to let go comes with relief, it is often accompanied by a surprising feeling of stress. ‘Where will my stuff go?’ Generally speaking, no one wants to think that their longtime prized possessions will end up in a landfill and yet that often is the prevailing thought about what happens to stuff once it is removed from home.

As we all continue to age, our bodies and minds are prone to changes which often make us vulnerable in our own homes. Decreases in hearing, vision and mobility for instance can all contribute to an increasingly untidy home and therefore, risk.

The systems would be created to accommodate their lifestyle and ideas would be introduced with the goal of being able to return to baseline with no more than a few minutes of their time each day. Home organizing systems are great, but maintenance of those systems is key to get from clutter to calm.

Decluttering and downsizing are words that you have probably heard countless times. It has practically become a national pastime to engage in one or both activities these days. Although they are often used interchangeably, there are subtle differences between the two and each speaks to its own purpose.

Let me first say this post begins with a somewhat shameless plug. Rightsize Today to Create Your Best Life Tomorrow, by Marni Jameson recently came out, and I am in it. I met Marni a few years back when she contacted me as a professional resource while working on another piece of writing. The subject matter could not have been timelier for me, as my personal and professional lives collided.

For professional organizers, the entire month of January is practically a national holiday. It’s GO Month! In other words, it is Get Organized Month. GO Month is an initiative of the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO) that celebrates how NAPO members (like me!) improve the lives of their clients by helping them create environments that support productivity, general health and well-being. 

‘You should get rid of that’. In the case of downsizing and decluttering, how do we get out of the way of what we should keep or get rid of? Applying the principles of preference, passion, and priority can help. It’s another tool in the decluttering and downsizing toolbox that helps steer our decision-making toward solutions that are meaningful and intentional.

Books are a precious commodity for many reasons. It is said that to look at the books in a person’s home is to look into a person’s soul. Maybe so. The titles on our bookshelves show us and others what it is we’re interested in, for learning and for fun. Books connect us with the world, opening our minds to possibilities we may not have known existed.

Another year of learning and growing is in the rear-view mirror. The kiddos have been bringing home worksheets, reports, artwork, event flyers and more all year long, evidence of a jam-packed academic year. But wait there’s more!