Get the Urge To Purge!

By Patty Kreamer, CPO

Lately, it seems like every time I turn around, someone is writing about how to simplify your life. Since that is my message, it’s the same as when you are considering buying a red car; you suddenly realize just how many there are on the road. So, at the risk of complicating the simplicity issue, here is my take on how to make your life simple.

On a daily basis, I am in contact with folks that have accumulated so much "stuff" in their life that, in some cases, they have almost literally become paralyzed by it. By that, I mean that they don’t know where to start to dig out due to the amount of clutter and there is just nowhere to put it. My first solution is to get the "Urge to Purge". If you are going to acquire things, you have to know how and when to let go of them. It’s part of the ebb and flow of life.

We have become a society of instant gratification, and I don’t knock that theory as long as you can maintain what you accrue. That is wherein the problem lies.

Take the test…

If half of your belongings disappeared tomorrow, how would that make you feel? In many cases, it would provide relief. You would still have more than enough things to keep you active—I guarantee it! No matter how much stuff you have, you still only have so much time in your day to indulge yourself, and so much space in which to store everything.

How about if you were in a flood and the water started to rise and you only had 20 minutes to take those items most important to you. What possessions would you take (we’ll assume that your family and pets are safe)? Most people would take their photo albums and any mementos that have sentimental value. That should tell you plenty right there. Many of our possessions mean nothing to us as human beings. It is the people in our life that make the difference.

So why do we insist on building up our collection of things? Because we can. If I weren’t such a techno-geek, I would say that I was born in the wrong era. Don’t get me wrong; I love my computer, electricity, and running water. But I think the simplicity of living without TV, computers, cars, etc. would bring out the essence of who and what we are.

Clutter does not only come in physical forms. Time clutter is a biggie as well. The April issue of Bayprint Impressions reported that by age 65, most Americans have watched more than 9 years of television! One piece of technology has kept us away from just lying in the grass looking at the clouds, or baking a homemade apple pie (crust and all), or just sitting around with the whole family in the evening getting to know one another better.

Don’t let your clutter control you…you must control your clutter! Learn to let go of what may have initially given you pleasure to own but has turned into clutter and brought you nothing but stress since. The solution is simple—Get the urge to purge!

Here's to simplifying your life!

Patty Kreamer, CPO, owner of Kreamer Connect, Inc., is a Certified Professional Organizer, speaker, and author of “…But I Might Need It Someday!” and “The Power of Simplicity” available at www.ByeByeClutter.com.