On a typical workday, I was helping a lovely individual organize their home. When it was time to deal with paperwork, I happily sat down to pre-sort bags of unopened mail.
 
In short order, it became apparent that this individual was quite generous. Most of the bags’ contents consisted of solicitation letters from non-profits. The number of organizations was staggering. As I sorted, I was bombarded with the standard tactics designed to pull at the heartstrings and purses of donors: a penny here, a dime there, a letter from a child, a metal medallion, a notepad, stickers, and a slew of return address labels. I sorted by name so that the unfortunate owner of this unsolicited mountain of mail had a fighting chance of reclaiming space.
 
As I steadily progressed through the piles, one envelope gave me pause. Behind the cellophane window was a tiny crutch constructed with toothpicks. It was a sad little crutch whose sole purpose was to create such an avalanche of sadness upon any hapless recipient that they would have no choice but to immediately whip out their checkbook and make a donation to this non-profit that aided disabled children overseas.
 
At that moment, I noticed a curious sensation arise. Certainly, it was not the sensation that the non-profit intended. This individual’s generosity was seemingly rewarded with growing mountains of requests, undoubtedly usurping minutes of their day, crowding their mailbox, and overtaking their space. I could not help but feel frustrated on their behalf. It seemed as if they were being punished for their generosity. Not only were they selflessly donating hard-earned money, but now they had to spend additional money figuring out how to deal with the resulting flood of paper. “How could anyone possibly keep up with all these letters?” I wondered to myself. 
 
On the one hand, I understood the organizations’ objectives. I once worked for a wonderful non-profit and knew donations were integral to their much-needed services. So on an individual basis, I could understand why each organization sent requests.
 
On the other hand, it was frustrating to witness the aggregate of non-profits wasting so much of this individual’s time, energy, and ability to keep up with more critical mail. Additionally, the sheer waste of resources was over the top, especially from the organizations that sent the most egregious volume of letters.
 
Unfortunately, this was not an isolated incident. Incoming mail and resulting paperwork are common challenges for my clients. While I thankfully have yet to run across that sad little crutch again, I have spent more than my fair share of time helping clients get out of the non-profit deluge.
 
During these sorting sessions, I have noticed a time and energy-sapping pattern for this particular mail category. Those who donate to the largest number of organizations are penalized by receiving the highest volume of mail; mail that they do not have time to deal with, nor should they have to. I work with these benevolent individuals to remove their information from mailing lists so they can regain precious time and space.
 
I conducted some online research, and what I learned was quite eye-opening. The more organizations we donate to, the more we will be bothered with requests. That may seem obvious, but the following is not: if the donation is small enough, the non-profit might sell our information to other organizations to recoup the price of printing and mailing. The number of solicitations then increases, and we receive mail from organizations we never knew existed. Let the onslaught begin.
 
So what is a kind, generous soul to do? The best course of action is to decide which causes elicit the most passion. Pick a select few organizations within those causes. Since you will no longer be sending lots of smaller denominations to numerous organizations, you can donate more significant amounts to fewer organizations.
 
It can be a challenge. Much like purging extraneous memorabilia, purging organizations can be an emotional struggle. Nevertheless, it is a worthwhile endeavor. According to my research, the more money an organization receives, the less mail it will send you. They cannot risk annoying a generous donor with crutch-laden letters. Your donation will also help the organization much more than a small one could.
 
Once you have whittled down that list, you can use the pre-paid return envelopes to tell other organizations to stop sending you mail and to refrain from sharing your information. If you still want to receive a paper request from a few choice organizations once a year, you can let them know. If you wish to stop all mail, you can tell them that you will donate electronically, so there is no need for snail mail. (Ensure they do not start sending you weekly email requests instead. Otherwise, they will start wreaking havoc in your digital inbox.)
 
Many feel bad for organizations that will no longer make the cut, but there is a different perspective that could be helpful. By stopping the requests, you will help organizations avoid wasting monetary and physical resources by sending letters that will most likely end up in the recycling bin.
 
Think of how relaxing donating could become if there was less mail to deal with every week. An overwhelming task could become quite enjoyable. 
 
So if you start to feel like poor Lucy and Ethel trying to keep up with the conveyer belt at the chocolate factory, it might be time to slow that belt down. Then you will be able to enjoy working with the chocolate at a more leisurely pace!

When clearing space in bedrooms and closets, clothes can be a loaded category to review. They can unearth a mountain of emotions. We regret the money squandered on a rarely worn yet expensive outfit. A dress trumpets the undeniable passage of time and the hold that gravity eventually has on our bodies as we age. A shirt happily takes us for a meandering stroll down memory lane. 
 
Additionally, the logistics of reviewing the collective volume of clothes can feel overwhelming. Sizes only sometimes match between brands. Even the mere thought of trying everything on before making decisions can elicit an audible groan. 
 
When working with clients to create spaces that better support their daily needs, I encourage purging as many items as possible without trying them on. They pull their favorites out from each category. We immediately return them to dressers and closets. Then we assess any remaining space. If room is still available, they grab their second most-favorite items from the categories and repeat the process. In this fashion, we tackle most clothes without trying them on.
 
The thought of trying on thick clothing when it is hot out or summer clothes when it is cold out is less than appealing. Inevitably there will be some items to try on, but the task will be much more manageable if fewer clothes are in this category.
 
So here are questions you can ask to make as many cuts as possible before resorting to trying clothes on:

• Does this item fit? The answer is sometimes complicated. Many of us deal with fluctuating weight, so keeping a few things that are slightly too small or big can be logical. Keep them to a manageable number, though. Otherwise, getting dressed takes too long because we are forced to ignore ill-fitting clothes as we scan our wardrobe for something that fits. By purging many of these, we can also avoid the uncomfortable feeling of repeatedly seeing small sizes each morning as we get dressed. 
• Was the material pleasant against your skin?
• Was the fabric itchy?
• Was it comfortable or constricting in some sections while loose in others?
• Do you still like the color and pattern?
• Was the item flattering?
• Did you feel confident wearing it, or were you itching to race home and rip it off?
• How many items do you already have in this category?
• How much space do you want to devote to this category vs others?
• If you saw it in the store today, would you buy it or leave it on the rack?
• Can one outfit serve the purpose of multiple occasions, or is it only appropriate for once-yearly events? Is it worth the space in the closet for the few times you will wear it?
• Is there already a different item in the category that could serve the same purpose?
• Styles return after some time, but typically with a new twist. So, vintage outfits might still appear dated, even if they are generally “on trend.” Was the style so avant-garde that now only the trendiest of 20-year-olds could get away with wearing it?
• Is the item more important than the ability to quickly get dressed and put clothes away? Be aware of the mental trickery that whispers, “This one thin item won’t make a difference.” If we held all these one-offs to the side, they would collectively take up a surprising amount of real estate in our closets. 

 
Asking any combination of these questions can help determine whether items deserve to continue demanding precious space in your life. The more frequently you ask and answer these questions sincerely, the easier the process becomes. Additionally, you will spend less time trying on outfits. So give these questions a try. With enough practice, they will become a trusted method that quickly reveals which clothes earn the privilege to remain in your home.

​Rarely does paper organization land at the top of anyone’s list of enjoyable activities. So it is understandable that one might mistake the “muttering game” as a list of the most common phrases of frustration that one mutters under his breath as he deals with the papers. 
 
The “muttering game” is a nontraditional organizing tool for handling papers. In the books Conquering Chronic Disorganization and ADD-Friendly Way to Organize Your Life, professional organizing pioneer Judith Kolberg explains how to play. It is an untraditional way of labeling files for easy retrieval. It relies on emotion to guide naming conventions.
 
Instead of using traditional words to label files, such as “Bills to Pay,” one can mutter the first phrase that comes to mind. Instead of “Bills,” one might mutter, “The bane of my existence!” or “Collections is gonna come after me!” Having this emotional tie to the category can reduce the time it takes to find time-sensitive documents.
 
Here are a few other examples:

• Instead of “Estate” or “Trust,” you can write something to the effect of “After I die.” 
• Instead of “Urgent Tasks,” try “I’ll lose my job if I don’t do this!”
• Instead of “Home Repairs,” you could inject more humor and use the phrase “Money Pit.” Feel free to use as much humor as possible to make categories more memorable.

 
Pop the first papers into the folders as you create them. When you encounter other documents that lead to the same feeling, add them to the folders. By the end of your game, you have hopefully cleared space to deal with said papers. 
 
For this tactic, you will need folders with tabs extending across the entire width instead of traditional one-third-cut tabs. You will need all that extra space at the top to write your phrases.
 
Try this unconventional tactic if traditional labeling techniques have left you feeling defeated. I would love to hear what phrases you create; I will venture to guess that they will be amusing and memory-provoking.

What does a parking lot have to do with organizing? Seemingly nothing, but, plenty. A world of pings and rings distracts us from our intended tasks. Let us not forget that incessant internal clatter, either. It is a miracle that we get anything done with all the noise.
 
For those with ADHD, it is even more challenging to ignore those pings, rings, and internal noise than for a neurotypical individual. According to what I have read online and in various books, we only have four “working memory” slots. Working memory is the section of our brain where we temporarily store information while we work with other information. 
 
For instance, to mentally add two large numbers, we must remember the first number, the second number, and also do the addition. I am grossly oversimplifying the concept, but the gist is that we do not have infinite working memory slots to hold multiple thoughts simultaneously. If we happen to pick up a ringing phone as we add those two numbers, the visual process and resulting thought could boot out one of the two numbers. Now you only remember the last number and the new thought. Goodbye, first number; back to the drawing board.
 
Those with ADHD face a more considerable challenge with working memory. The same goes for aging neurotypicals. So, what are we to do if we have important tasks to complete, yet we repeatedly pull ourselves off-task, regardless of our best intentions? We can turn on our phones’ Do Not Disturb or Airplane Mode. We can mute audible or visual cues that alert us of unread emails. 
 
What about all those competing thoughts that pop up during every waking hour? I have read varying statistics stating we have anywhere from 6,200 to 10,000 thoughts on any given day. That is a lot of distraction deterring us from essential tasks! 
 
So how can we give ourselves a fighting chance of staying focused? We can use a “parking lot.” Years ago, I was in a multi-departmental meeting. There were complex issues to discuss, so naturally, many offshoots grew from the main discussion. I learned a great tactic in that meeting. 
​
The facilitator set up a large Post-It easel pad and labeled it “parking lot.” Anytime someone had a related question, concern, or idea that was not on the agenda, we wrote it on the “parking lot” so we did not forget it but could avoid going off-track. Someone later added the parking lot ideas to the next meeting’s agenda or captured it elsewhere to be addressed at a later date.
 
At the time, I found it to be a novel concept. It can truly be helpful and you do not have to spend money to use this tool. Your parking lot could come in various forms:

• A dry-erase board
• A daily planner
• A pad of paper
• A digital task app
• A voice-activated digital assistant, such as Siri, Google Assistant, or Bixby.

 
You might notice that I did not include loose scraps of paper. Sometimes we do not have a choice, but I prefer getting ideas onto or into something that is not easily lost.
 
When working at my computer, I enjoy using a dry-erase board. The board sits within arm’s reach so I can quickly capture the thought instead of impulsively going off-task. As a competing idea pops into consciousness, such as returning a text message, I write, “return Sarah’s text,” on my board instead of halting progress to text her right then and there.
 
It can be a boon for getting things done when combined with a timer and Pomodoro sessions. 
For the Pomodoro, I set my timer for twenty-five or fifty minutes. When the timer rings, I take a short break. I can stretch, move around, and spend a few minutes attending to those other tasks or scheduling them into my calendar or digital task list. After my break, I can sit down for another focused Pomodoro session.
 
I enjoy my dry-erase board because it has limited space to write. I force myself to calendar or input the task into my app then because I need a fresh slate to write down new ideas that inevitably pop up as I start my next Pomodoro. Additionally, I can avoid dealing with a daunting list of tasks to address at the end of the day when I am already tired. 
 
The biggest drawback to this tool is that it is too bulky to use on the go. So, one could employ a daily planner, so long as it contains blank space to write the ideas before they leave the working memory slot. 
 
We can use paper pads too. The benefit is that we can quickly capture the thought before it is forgotten. Its Achilles’ heel is that ripped-off papers might add more bulk to an existing pile of clutter.
 
A digital planner or task app can work too. The benefit is that many of us typically have cell phones within arm’s reach, but for me personally, it has a significant drawback. As I age, I notice that fleeting thoughts flee my consciousness much faster than they used to, so I have to get the idea out of my head quickly. A lot could distract me on the way to getting the task into the app, thus knocking the thought out of my working memory until it randomly pops up again later on, usually at the wrong time to address it. To enter the task before the idea evaporates into thin air, I have to:

1. Grab my phone.
2. Unlock my phone.
3. Actively ignore any new notifications that have popped up since I last used my phone.
4. Open the task app and type the task. 

 
At any given time during these steps, another thought could race in and knock out the idea I wanted to remember. I am left holding my phone, ready to type, and frustratingly racking my brain for the thought that disappeared into the ether. So, rather than forcing myself to jump through those hoops, I skip the steps by more quickly grabbing my pen and dry-erase board. When I take a break, I schedule any tasks or add them to my digital task app.

You can use digital voice assistants too. For instance, if you are working and remember that you need to buy milk tonight, you could launch Google Assistant on your digital device by saying, “OK, Google,” and then, “Remind me to get milk tonight at 7 pm.” The reminder will ring at the appropriate time instead of ruining your focus when you cannot go to the store.
 
Whichever tool you use, a “parking lot” for dumping distracting thoughts can help keep us on track. We can then avoid the dreaded, “It’s 4 pm already! How did that happen? I was supposed to be done, but I just sat down and got started!” Getting those competing thoughts out of your working memory and into a receptacle outside of your memory gives you a fighting chance to get things done that truly matter. 

​Have you ever done the Limbo? Do you remember an announcer asking, “How low can you go?” as someone moved the pole closer to the ground each successive round? I have long forgotten when I did the Limbo, but I still remember that man’s voice repeating the phrase. I was out of the game relatively quickly.
 
If you have ever seen or done the Limbo, you remember that the host always started with the pole at the highest position. Beginning with the lowest setting would have undoubtedly resulted in awkward silence. So, to recruit any willing participants, the announcer had to start with the Limbo stick at the highest position.
 
As it is with the Limbo, so should it be with decluttering. Many individuals tell me that they started from the opposite direction before our collaboration began. That lowest pole setting might take the appearance of organizing an entire garage in one day. It could be attempting to review a lifetime of objects a few weeks before a large downsize. It may be trying to decrease possessions by 50% in one go, even though the last considerable reduction was excruciating and, thus, done years ago.
 
You can set that pole high rather than starting with the Limbo pole at the lowest setting! Otherwise, your goal will look as appealing as a Limbo stick that rests an impossible 6 inches from the floor. That is not exactly enticing. You will likely sit the game out entirely because it is too difficult.
 
So, what would a high and low Limbo pole look like? Let us look at how this could play out with a typical garage decluttering project.
 
Starting with a painfully low Limbo stick:
“I’m going to clean out the garage this weekend, once and for all!” That might be ok if you have practiced higher Limbo settings with more manageable decluttering projects. But if you have not decluttered in months, years, or even decades, your Limbo muscles are probably too weak to make it under that pole. When the weekend rolls around, you will likely take one look and walk away defeatedly.
 
Starting with a seemingly ridiculously high Limbo stick:
“I really want to clean out that garage because I’d love access to my holiday decorations again. I had so much fun decorating, and I miss it. But I haven’t decluttered in a while. Given how many items are in there, there’s no way I can declutter that entire garage this weekend. Plus, at least a few categories will be hard to cull. So let me list how I could start so small that it almost feels ridiculously easy.” Your list might look something like this:
 

• Write the reasons why you want to declutter on a big piece of paper. Affix it to the garage door as a great reminder.
• Walk through the garage (if you can) and start writing a list of categories you can identify.
• Write a list of categories you hope to have in the garage.
• Pick a category or section of the garage that feels easiest to purge.
• Gather your decluttering session supplies, such as trash bags for donations and trash.
• Schedule the first actual decluttering session into your calendar. Start with a five, ten, or fifteen-minute session, not an eight-hour session. Whatever feels almost painless to start.
• Do that first session, see how it goes, and schedule the next one for the same length (or less if the first session was too long to be repeated).

 
Do some of these steps sound ridiculously simple? If so, good! So many individuals I work with are dubious when I suggest they start their solo decluttering sessions this way. “How can I possibly get anything done with such a short session?” Of course they have a valid point, but my counterpoint is that many people mention previous unsuccessful marathon decluttering sessions. If they got anything productive accomplished during that marathon, they were left so frustrated and exhausted that they never wanted to declutter again. Who can blame them? I generally avoid full-day sessions when I work on-site unless there is a hard deadline. Even then, we ensure they take more breaks than they might be used to.
 
As you start, the goal is not to clear all the clutter. That would be the same as attending a party and expecting to Limbo at the lowest setting, even though you last did the Limbo decades ago. The initial goal is to anesthetize yourself to decluttering. You need to acclimate to the organizing process with a Limbo pole set so high that you can practically waltz under it, but it is slightly uncomfortable. 
 
Keep repeating that level until it feels much too easy, almost as easy as sitting the game out entirely. Then you can increase the length of your decluttering sessions, but only by a few minutes, which will be almost imperceptible to your internal clock. Keep repeating this process. 
 
You might argue that it will take forever to declutter in this fashion. It will be slower than spending twenty-four hours in one-weekend decluttering, but I would bet that rarely comes to fruition anyway. If it does, I will go out on a limb and say that the weekend left you feeling exhausted, frustrated by the lack of progress, and defeated. Why not try a new method that is not agonizing? There is very little risk in experimenting with this method. Clients who try this method report more success than trying longer sessions, especially when they are starting out.
 
With enough practice, you could start to enjoy decluttering! I have witnessed this fun phenomenon with multiple clients. With their steady, realistic sessions, they resemble individuals who appear to effortlessly bend below the lowest Limbo pole that is mere inches from the floor!

We are speeding toward the middle of the year; where did the time go? How are your New Year’s decluttering goals coming along? Have you fallen off the horse? Not to worry; you still have time to get back in the saddle. It is not too late. 
 
If your horse never left the stable, you can take him out for a walk today; he might be chomping at the bit for some fresh air! 2023 still contains nearly six more months to complete that decluttering project. As a result of this year’s efforts, 2024 can be a year of more enjoyable and creative goals. 
 
Think of all the activities you could do with your free time once you handle the clutter.
 
How can you realistically start today? I recommend beginning with such an infinitesimally small task that it almost feels painless. Here are some suggestions:

• Revisit the original decluttering goal. Spend a few minutes addressing why the project stalled so you can course-correct it. For instance:
• Was the goal too big? Was it realistic?
• Did I break it down into small tasks that do not take too long, or did I keep it in the original form of a large (and potentially daunting) project?
• Did I get stuck trying to determine where to start?
• Was I trying to do the task perfectly?
• Did I realize that a different decluttering project had to happen before I could address the ultimate goal?
• Did I get distracted?
• Did I procrastinate because the project felt too scary, boring, or hard?
• Did I think about why this project was essential to undertake? 
• Set a timer for five minutes and “treasure hunt” for items you are ready to ditch. It might be five minutes of throwing away the trash. It could be sorting things into categories for later review. You can celebrate your effort when the alarm rings. If you want to work longer, set the timer for another five minutes. This allows you to stop after the second five-minute round without feeling guilty. If you do not set the alarm again, you risk going on a decluttering marathon that could easily leave you exhausted and likely to avoid the next session. You can increase the session length by a few minutes once five minutes feels manageable.
• Remember why you initially determined the goal to be necessary. If you can reconnect with the emotion behind it, you are more likely to start.
• Enlist a friend to help, especially one who needs help decluttering their home.
• If you realize that letting go of objects feels impossible, enlist outside support. You could gain insight as to what emotional need the items fill. Then you have the additional power to create workarounds. You can do this by connecting with a local Clutterers Anonymous group, joining a local Buried in Treasures support group, or researching a local therapist who understands the challenges of collecting behaviors and/or hoarding disorder.

​No matter where you start, the critical part is just to start. So many individuals get tripped up by attempting to find the perfect place to start. Then the stakes feel too high because the possibility of making a mistake feels too dangerous. Start imperfectly and start small. When all else fails, it might be time to enlist the help of a Certified Professional Organizer. I am only a phone call away!