The newest installment (v36) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature has my latest finds which inform, educate, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique, inspiring, enlisting help discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme. 

You are a generous, communicative, and engaged group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Enlisting Help Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Focus Help

I’ve often said the quality of your questions profoundly influences the quality of your decisions. In The Focus Project – The Not So Simple Art of Doing Less, author and keynote speaker Erik Qualman has cultivated the art of asking great questions. Qualman asked people what led to their sustained success and what was their greatest challenge. The answers, which came from CEOs, teachers, parents, entrepreneurs, and others, responded similarly. Their key to success was “focus.” Their greatest challenge was “staying focused.”

These responses resonated with Qualman so intensely that he created The Focus Project, a yearlong journey to help himself and others “to focus on what matters most.” He selected twelve areas to explore (one per month), including Growth, Health, Relationships, Gratitude, and Mindfulness. There’s even a chapter on Time/Energy Management, which includes ideas about organizing, multitasking, and scheduling. You will love this book if you need help focusing on WIN (What’s Important Now) in an “increasingly unfocused world.” 

2. Interesting Trend – Home Office Help

While many have returned to the office, others still work from home. If you’re working from home, you might have a dedicated room as your home office. However, many do not because there is no space. Instead, they continually shift their workspace from dining room tables to couches or kitchen counters. For those who desire a dedicated office area but are tight on space, help is here.

Have you heard of the cloffice? Yes, you read it correctly. The cloffice is a closet turned into an office. If you don't have a closet that can be repurposed, consider using an alcove instead. Elements to consider incorporating are a work surface, storage space, electricity, and good lighting.

“There are times when it’s beneficial to reach out for help.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Interesting Product  – Mood Help

There are numerous strategies to shift your mood. This can be an internal job, such as working through your negative self-talk. But external ways also help improve your mood, like being in nature or creating a positive environment. One huge mood booster is introducing pleasing scents. I love to burn candles and always look for ones that smell great.

I recently discovered Anecdote Candles, which have humorous descriptions with marvelous aromas. One of my favorites is Wanderlust, with mandarin and berry notes described as “hopeful escapes and aimless destinations.” Another fun one is Coffee Break, which “smells like procrastination and inspiration.”

4. Interesting Fact – E-Clutter Help

Do you need help with e-clutter? Is your inbox inundated with spam and unread emails? The Good Planet reported in 2019 that 293.6 billion emails were sent and received every 24 hours, which included approximately 107 billion spam emails. They propose that if every person deleted 10 emails, we could collectively save 1,725,000 gigabytes of storage space and about 55.2 million kilowatts of power. They suggest unsubscribing from emails you no longer need, deleting spam emails, and deleting emails after reading them. Declutter, which will help your inbox and the planet.

5. Interesting Thought – Unstuck Help

Have you ever felt stuck? What was the circumstance? Were you unsure of your next step? Did you need more information to continue your organizing project? Were you overwhelmed? Sometimes we can wiggle our way out of feeling stuck on our own to get things flowing by walking, writing, or sleeping. But there are also times when it’s beneficial to reach out for help. Engage in a conversation with a friend or colleague. Or hire a professional organizer like me to help work through the challenge and incorporate accountability.

What are your interesting enlisting help discoveries? Which of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

There are tons of cues that shout, “It’s time to declutter!” However, sometimes life gets so busy that you don’t see or feel the indicators. You can quickly become clutter blind and ignore the signs. The challenge, however, is when clutter creates overwhelm, procrastination, lack of direction, or anxiety.

For me, physical clutter is less problematic than mind clutter. When I notice myself aimlessly wandering from room to room and lacking focus, I know it’s time to declutter my thoughts. Depending on the situation, I might take a walk in nature, which helps me feel grounded and clear. Or, I might pull out my journal and free write to release the thoughts swirling around in my head. As a verbal processor, another helpful strategy is talking aloud with a trusted friend or loved one who is an excellent listener.

Does any of this sound familiar? If so, you’re going to love what comes next. There is power and relief in noticing, reflecting, and taking action as you’re about to learn.

I invited a stellar group of colleagues to share some of their personal discoveries with you. They explain their decluttering cues and the actions they take to get uncluttered. These generous friends include Julie Bestry, Christine Li, Seana Turner, Leslie Josel, Diane Quintana, Marcy Stoudt, Ellen Delap, Jonda Beattie, Geralin Thomas, Janet Barclay, and Yota Schneider. I asked them to respond to and elaborate on this prompt-

How do you know when to declutter your things, thoughts, space, or schedule?

Their diverse responses encompass various decluttering cues, from feeling tired to mentally blocked. My deepest gratitude goes to this inspiring group for sharing their time, hearts, and wisdom with us.

11 Pros Share Best Cues for When It’s Time to Declutter

1. Feel Pressured

“My catalyst for decluttering is pressure. I might recognize it as stress, inconvenience, irritation, or even physical friction.

If I lack buffer time between tasks, too many lower priority items squeeze against higher priority obligations, leaving no room to breathe, think, or re-set. When items in my desk, bathroom, or kitchen drawers lack margin to move smoothly or for me to retrieve them easily, the friction is a trigger to declutter. A closet packed so tightly that clothes rub against one another, causing wrinkles, means there's too much pressure in my space.

Sorting and reducing relieves the pressure!”

Julie Bestry, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer, Author, Blogger, Speaker

2. Feel Fatigued

“I know I need to declutter when I am feeling drained or fatigued. It’s a bodily response informing me that there are too many things going on or too much to focus on accurately and well. When I have that realization, I do my best to spring into decluttering mode so that I free myself up for smooth action again.” 

Christine Li, Ph.D. – Procrastination Coach, Clinical Psychologist, Make Time for Success podcast Host

3. Feel Over-Scheduled

“I am quick to declutter my spaces, but I have a tendency to over-program my schedule. I know I am in trouble when I have no chance during the week to ‘catch my breath.’ While any given day may be heavy-laden, if looking at the week ahead leaves me feeling anxious about my ability to meet my commitments or anticipating insufficient sleep, I know I’ve taken on too much. 

For me, the ‘fix’ is to intentionally block out some ‘white space’ each week, including one day of rest and at least an hour each day to relax.”

Seana Turner – Professional Organizer, Blogger, Speaker

4. Feel Mentally Blocked

“We all define clutter differently. For me, clutter isn’t about my physical stuff, as my environment is well organized and consistently edited. However, my clutter is mental blockage, time robbers, emotional demands, and digital or electronic dependency. And the list goes on and on! In essence, it’s anything taking up viable space – in my head and life. So as soon as I can’t see what direction I’m heading as too much ‘clutter’ is blocking the view, it’s time to brain dump on paper. Clear my head and edit! That’s my no-fail method for feeling less overwhelmed and staying on my path.”

Leslie Josel – ADHD Student Coach, Author, Speaker

5. Feel Overrun

“I know it’s time to declutter a space or things when I have a hard time putting something away. I declutter my thoughts by doing a brain dump – writing everything down on paper that I’m thinking about. My schedule has become a problem because I have not created boundaries for my time and make appointments even when I know my time would be better served by focusing on my own work. I decided to change this habit. Recently, I set aside two mornings a week to work for myself and will no longer make any appointments during those times.” 

Diane N. Quintana, ICD Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer, Author, Blogger

6. Feel Visually Distracted

“As a person who leans into my strength of being a highly visual person, what I see helps me know it is time to declutter. Visual clutter looks to me like there are too many items that do not fit in the designated space for them, such as clothes that do not fit into my primary closet. As I look at my paper calendar crowded with back-to-back tasks or appointments crowding the week, I see that it is time to say no more to projects. Once I see that cue, right away I take time to let go of stuff and add it to my donate bag. For my calendar, I move appointments a week out and have a prepared statement to decline requests for new projects.”

Ellen Delap, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer

“You can quickly become clutter blind and ignore the signs.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO

7. Feel Overwhelmed

“Want one solution to help you declutter anything from papers on your desk to putting away laundry to your email inbox? It's setting a timer and monotasking. When I'm out of time and feel overwhelmed, I simplify my thoughts and say a mantra: I can do anything in 15 minutes.

To put this in practice, pick one task, end a meeting early, set a timer, and be amazed at what you can accomplish by monotasking for 15 minutes.” 

Marcy Stoudt – CEO of Revel Coach, Founder of The Executive Mom Nest

8. Feel Encumbered

“Out of sight- out of mind, or is it? I store archival papers in my attic. That means at least once a year, I climb a ladder to the attic and schlep up tax papers and anything else I feel I should keep but deem archival. The plan is that when I take up new files, old ones can be gotten rid of. You can guess how well that worked. 

This past year the weight of 7 years of not decluttering those papers haunted me. It felt so wonderful to finally get all that weight off my head!” 

Jonda S. Beattie, M.Ed – Professional Organizer, Author, Speaker

9. Feel Inspired

“To remain as clutter-free as possible, I follow calendar prompts for inspiration. For example, June is National Safety Month, and I add it to my calendar. This alerts me to update first aid supplies, our hurricane prep kit, and my vital documents file. In June, the second week is National E-mail Week, which cues me to declutter my email and delete or merge duplicate contacts. The second week in June is also Small Business Week. My calendar prompts me to inventory and organize Metropolitan Organizing’s office bookshelves and office supplies.

Personally, this system feels less overwhelming than trying to do everything at once or whenever I think of them.”

Geralin Thomas – Career Coach for Professional Organizers

10. Feel Confined

“I usually know it’s time to declutter when I can’t find space to store something new or when it’s too much work to do something I enjoy because of what’s involved in gathering the items I need. 

Most recently, I was feeling closed in at my desk and realized that I was tired of looking at the file organizer on my desk, which is always in my line of sight. I removed some books I no longer refer to from my bookcase, freeing up space for the organizer and making my desk a little more open.”

Janet Barclay – Certified Care Plan Specialist, Digital Business Consultant, Website Caregiver

11. Feel Rushed

“My state of mind tends to be reflected in everything I do and how I do it. My space, schedule, and thoughts are constantly informing one another. When clutter of any kind enters my life, eventually, there will be signs pointing to the need for change. I may wake up at night with my to-do list running through my head and a feeling of overwhelm pressing down to my chest. I get clumsy, anxious, irritable, or indifferent. I skip the daily rituals that support my sense of well-being and peace of mind and rush from one thing to the next. That is when I know it’s time to simplify and downsize so I can create the space I need to taste the sweetness of my life’s moments.”

Yota Schneider – Life Coach, Retreat Facilitator, Blogger

As you read this, did you increase your clutter awareness? Which decluttering cues resonated with you? What helps you move forward? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

If you are struggling and want a decluttering partner, I’m here to help. I love supporting my clients with decluttering their things, thoughts, time, and space. Create the calm you deserve. Contact me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, 914-271-5643, or click here.

The newest installment (v32) of the “What’s Interesting?” feature is here with my latest finds informing, educating, and relating to organizing and life balance. Included are unique, inspiring mindfulness-related discoveries, which reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are a generous, warm, and engaged group. I am deeply appreciative and grateful for your presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and additions to the collection I’ve sourced.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Mindfulness-Related Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Mindful Living

Do you want to introduce more mindfulness into your life? In The Mindful Day – Practical Ways to Find Focus, Calm, and Joy From Morning to Evening, Laurie Cameron, mindfulness teacher and founder of PurposeBlue, shares fifty simple strategies backed by science and experience. Laurie says, 

“… practicing mindfulness is about learning, bit by bit, how to train your attention to stay in the present instead of ruminating over the past or racing into the future.”

The book’s five sections highlight ways to start, seize, enjoy, enrich, and end the day. Laurie suggests infusing mindful awareness into breathing, showering, writing, listening, walking, touching, and other regular activities. She says, “Awareness amplifies the senses. When you live through your senses, you get a rich direct experience instead of a removed experience. You are feeling in the body instead of being lost in your head.”

2. Interesting Trend – Mindful Break

Has FOLO (Fear of Logging Off) taken over your life? While disconnecting from our digital devices is an ongoing challenge, the pandemic added a new layer. In the past year and a half, our work/life boundaries blurred dramatically as the expectation for constant availability increased. For many people working remotely, their anxiety escalated when they stepped away from their computers for even 20 minutes. If they didn’t instantly respond to an email, they felt their colleagues might think they were too lax.

To help with FOLO, Julie Morgenstern, a time management and productivity expert, suggests creating boundaries by taking short breaks throughout the day and informing your colleagues when you do. Pandemic or not, developing a mindful habit of engaging in technology breaks during the day will help you restore your energy, gain perspective, and be more productive. Disconnect and introduce mindfully eating lunch, having a snack, stretching your body, or getting some fresh air. Change your habits and say goodbye to FOLO.

3. Interesting Article  – Mindful Organizing

Are you struggling with getting organized? If so, you’re not alone. In a recent Huffington Post article, “The Biggest Home Organizing Mistakes People Make,” Caroline Bologna interviews Professional Organizers, including my colleagues Seana Turner, Lisa Zaslow, Regina Lark, and me. The piece sheds light on everyday things that can go wrong during the organizing process. Typical challenges include purchasing containers before decluttering, being overly ambitious, not paring down, failing to maintain systems, and delaying requests for help. By mindfully considering what not to do, you will get organized with greater ease and success.

“Instead of creating mini-projects and taking small steps, people get overly ambitious and try to do too much at once.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

4. Interesting Season – Mindful Time

As the kids go back to school, temperatures cool, and the trees change colors, let the changes all around inspire you to let go, de-stress, and get organized. Fall is a fantastic season to set your organizing goals, declutter the extraneous, and create the calm you deserve at home. Change is possible, especially with support. If you are struggling, enlist help from a compassionate and non-judgmental friend, family member, or professional organizer like me. I’m ready to help. Discover how virtual organizing can work for you and why my clients love it so much. Let’s talk. Call 914-271-5673 or email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com.

5. Interesting Thought – Mindful Pause
Have you experienced the “Oh” moment? During this mindful pause, you may think to yourself or say aloud, “Oh.”  You are aware of feelings, sightings, sensations, sounds, or scents. You stop to acknowledge what you are experiencing. When you slow down, you can focus on where you are, what you’re doing, and what you’re noticing. The next time you see a fall leaf that changed color, feel lighter as you let go of clutter, or experience joy at the sound of your loved one’s voice, pause to be present for your “Oh” mindfulness moment.

What are your interesting mindfulness discoveries? Which of these resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

For almost three decades, I’ve enthusiastically helped people edit and get organized. Recently, I’ve become my own client and leaned into some organizing self-help. My motivation to let go of the extraneous was partially influenced by this summer’s tiny house vacation. While I no longer am obsessed with moving into a tiny house, I want to live in our right-sized house, but with less stuff.

Our home isn’t disorganized or cluttered. Things have a place. My husband, Steve, and I can easily retrieve and return items to their designated ‘homes.’  However, there are belongings that have overstayed their welcome. Those are the things that have been stored for a long time and are no longer used, needed, or wanted. They are taking up physical and emotional space. Their time has come to move on.

After returning from vacation, I set a long-term goal to reduce the amount of stuff I own. My plan isn’t a detailed room-by-room-do-this-by-x-date proposition. It’s a low-pressure, loose plan. I added one simple daily repeat on my to-do list that says, “Edit & release some stuff.”  There is no expectation other than to do something. I spend 15-60 minutes editing what I feel like working on that day.

In the last two weeks, I edited and organized clothing, shoes, handbags, toiletries, cleaning products, paper goods, dishes, and glasses. Additional edits included candles, vases, office supplies, books, photos, cards, letters, memorabilia, personal and business files, and email inbox. These items were from the dining room, entryway, laundry room, kitchen, office, main bedroom, and bathrooms.

I let go of

• Five 13-gallon bags of trash

• Two 30-gallon bags of trash

• Two 30-gallon bags of clothing and home goods for donations

• One bag of books for donations

• One bag of paper for recycling

• One bag of paper for shredding

• One container of pens for a friend

Like with all experiments, come learning. My ‘edit & release some stuff’ plan is no exception. There will be more insights, but here are seven discoveries I made so far.

7 Best Organizing Self-Help Discoveries Made With My New Simple Plan

1. Track Your Progress

There are many ways to enjoy progress, but for me, tracking with a simple chart helps me review and acknowledge my accomplishments. I created a Word document with three columns- date, area worked on, and result. Taking photos or journaling can also be helpful.

2. Respect Random Approach

Typical organizing wisdom encourages us to organize one area before moving on to the next. I’ve shared that advice with many clients. However, as logical as that sounds, it’s not always possible or desirable. Clients sometimes get bored working in one area or encounter emotionally charged belongings they are not ready to organize. With my approach, I gifted myself the option for randomness. Instead of a specific plan of what to edit each day, I let myself choose more intuitively. Which area do I feel like working on today? It keeps the pressure low and the satisfaction high.

3. Honor Your Emotions

Is organizing emotional? It can be. While editing, I experienced a range of feelings like happiness, joy, sadness, ambivalence, resistance, frustration, annoyance, guilt, exhaustion, satisfaction, and love. I let my emotions have the space to surface. When editing my cards, I found a beautiful, love-filled note written by my mom for my 40th birthday. I felt sad that she is gone and simultaneously felt her love and encouragement. 

4. Trust the Exit

Honestly, if I wasn’t logging my progress and noting the stuff I said goodbye to, I wouldn’t remember what was gone. I have no regrets and don’t miss anything that I released. It feels good.

“It’s liberating to live with less.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVPO™

5. Live With Less

As each area or space is edited, I appreciate having less. For example, when I open the sticky note drawer, only my favorites are there, and the never-used ones are gone. When I get dressed, the clothes I like and wear most are in my closets and drawers. They have space to breathe, and it makes it easier for me to select what I’m going to wear. It’s liberating to live with less.

6. Rethink Your Space

One of the benefits of letting go is the opportunity to rethink your space. Having less visual and physical clutter makes it easier to improve flow and organization.  As I released stuff, I cleaned and asked a few questions. Is the space working as is? Or, could it use a slight tweak? Some areas were set. However, for others, I made improvements. For example, after the kitchen edit, I inserted freestanding cabinet shelves. This made use of wasted vertical space and also improved access to frequently used dishes.

7. Engage Self or Outside Help

While I’m making progress, I recognize the value of enlisting help. While I have released a lot, I’m pretty sure if someone supported and asked me questions as I edited, I’d let go of more. Help with facilitating decision-making is invaluable. For now, I continue to go it alone, coaching myself through the process. I will leave the door open to reach out for help if needed.

Have you been editing and organizing? Are you doing it on your own or did you get help? What did you learn? Did any of my discoveries resonate with you? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.