Too much stuff – Deal with it.

I’ve just had a brilliant idea – instead of reducing clutter (ie taking hours on spring cleaning), say no to ‘stuff’ before it becomes clutter. Clutter breeds more clutter

This message support’s both the global warming movement and reducing the  ‘stress’ we experience as a direct result of having too much clutter in our lives. According to the Australia Institute research “Stuff Happens” 88 percent of Australians have at least one room full of trash stashed and it is making us stressed just thinking about it.

Some how the RedBalloon ‘funky’ office space has turned into a storage house… what once looked like productive chaos now seems like we are bursting at the seams and cannot cope. This weekend we are about to have a massive spring clean.

This is bothering more than just me – apparently

84% of people feel stressed by the clutter in their lives.

I’m in the fortunate position of having a fellow RedBallooner who is a professionally trained organizer (and she sits across from me). At first I found this rather daunting – like having a personified conscience – until I realised that she was not judging everything that I brought to my desk – in fact she was looking for ways to support me in this never ending habit.

She advised me: Never deal with something twice (or more than that) when you bring something into your environment determine its purpose. Have three piles

1. Action now (use it or file it in it’s permanent place)
2. Action by end of month
3. Action never (so bin now)

On point 2 – ‘Action by end of month’ – if you haven’t used it by the end of the month then process the pile straight to option three (the bin).

It simply is a waste of mental energy which has the opportunity cost of not allowing me to focus on the bigger game – the plan and delivering on the strategy.

So exactly which pile do I put the ‘Jumbo collapsible toy horn’ (it is red) in? It seemed funny at the time. But it’s just a piece of plastic that now clutters my desk. Note to self ‘deal with it – and fast’ and  ‘keep clutter out’ – I’m sure my campaign will catch on.