fbpx

The ART of Letting Go

Letting go is never easy, but it can be easier.  Read our 3 simple steps below…

As professional organizers we regularly witness the immense pain, struggle and hopelessness that comes from having too much stuff and not knowing what to do with it. As human beings we’ve also experienced these emotions ourselves. As a society we’ve learned to value things “because they belonged to grandma”, “they’ll be worth something one day”, “because we might need them in the future”, and so on.

Our beliefs are now shifting because we are overwhelmed with too much stuff. We no longer believe that anything is worth keeping if it causes us stress, depletes our energy or keeps us from living a good life. We deserve to wake up each day free of stress, smile with a grateful heart for the day ahead, a day filled with what matters most.

To get to this point takes practice and shedding layers upon layers; choosing into gratitude; releasing possessions, commitments and energy that no longer serve us; deciding that we really are the masters of our lives and our destinies.

If you are ready to begin this process, we invite you to read The ART of Letting Go by our own Marla Dee.

“This treasure of an ebook will give you inspiration and steps to clear the clutter that is dragging you down and keeping you stuck.” – Marla Dee

Excerpt:

Let’s explore the ART of Letting Go

Because the nature of clutter is heavy and dense, I wanted to simplify the process into three meaningful steps. I want you to hear that there are three stages we go through over and over again. Acknowledging that these three steps are the natural way will make the letting go easier. We will use the word ART to guide you through:

~ Acceptance ~ Release ~ Trust

ACCEPTANCE

All of our clutter tells a story and everyone has their own form of it in some area of their life. Accepting this fact is the beginning. Accepting that your environment is simply a reflection of your life up until now, a reflection of what has happened to you and what is going on inside you is vital. There does not need to be shame or blame in looking at this picture. That would only keep you in the role of a victim. In order to step into the power of change and growth you must be willing to open your eyes and look at it.

There is no purpose or healthy payoff in focusing on the clutter itself, on staying locked up in guilt – not for you or for others. However, there is great power in becoming accountable for the fact that you are the creator of your life and of your environment. Your old things, your old patterns, your old relationships reflect who you have been and what you have built or what you have avoided – it is YOUR PAST!

Download your FREE copy now to continue reading.

“I honor your willingness to reach out and seek help so you can let go of the clutter at last. As a Professional Organizer for many years, I have witnessed tremendous courage from my clients in their willingness to get real with the story their clutter tells; to let go of the past and welcome a new change. Letting go is never easy, but it can be made easier.” – Marla Dee

Your life is waiting for you,

Marla, Kate and Team

Meet The Minimalists – Modern Day Messengers

What’s all this talk about minimalism?!

Minimalism is a very personal thing. At it’s core it means mindfully choosing to live simply with less possessions in order to have more time, more financial freedom, more health, more fun, more of whatever you want your life to truly be about.

We’ve been what we call “aspiring simplists” for quite some time now, but a few months ago we became “aspiring minimalists” after having the privilege of hearing a couple of minimalists speak at the NAPO Conference. Joshua Fields Millburn & Ryan Nicodemus, aka The Minimalists, shared with us their journey from six-figure salaries, 50+ hour work weeks, big houses full of possessions, fancy and pricey cars, failing relationships to a lives of minimalism. We grabbed and gobbled up their book Everything That Remains and it has become our main resource.

Check out a recent post from them…

“There isn’t an invisible committee of maniacal minimalists somewhere conspiring to force everybody to get rid of their material possessions.

Like your stuff? Keep it!

Find value in that wardrobe teeming with unworn clothes?
That closet brimming with mismatched bath towels
That basement abound with un-played-with toys?

That garage stuffed with collections of trinkets?
That shelf overrun by dusty DVDs, CDs, VHS tapes?
Great! Hold tighter if you feel so inclined. Permission granted.

You have permission to keep anything that adds value to your life.
And you have permission to keep anything that doesn’t.

But you also have permission to let go.
You have permission to clear the clutter.
You have permission to remove the excess—the clothes you don’t wear, the junk you don’t use, the things you hold on to just in case—and focus on what’s truly important to you: health, relationships, passions.

Either way—you have permission.
Of course, you don’t need anyone else’s permission—only your own.”

We couldn’t agree more about permission. This is your life and we want to encourage you in living it the way your HEART most desires. Getting support from different places is very helpful. We’re not meant to do this life on our own. We hope you find valuable guidance and wisdom from these fantastic men.

For those of you living in or near to Salt Lake, we’d like you to invite you to join Marla at a FREE event that Joshua is hosting, called The WordTasting Tour. Some very special people will be sharing about minimalism, travel and more. Another one of our favorite minimalists, and Salt Lake local, Courtney Carver of Be More With Less, will be joining. Get your FREE Tickets.

Big love and support to you!

Marla, Kate and Team

 

 

Our Top Ten Tips for Summer

Our Top Ten Tips for Summer

Make this your best summer ever using the Clear & Simple Way!

____________________________________________________________________________

SEE IT – get in touch with what is most important to you

MAP IT – make it happen by writing it down on your calendar

DO IT – then enjoy each event to its fullest!

____________________________________________________________________________

  1. Put FUN First – Choose the most important FUN Activity and fill up on the juicy energy it offers.
  2. Before you leave on vacation – make two copies of each document in your wallet. Keep one in a safe place at home and take one with you to put in the hotel safe. Then you are prepared if anything should happen.
  3. Connect with the Earth – Choose one morning or evening each week to be your time to connect with the earth – a long walk, sitting outside under a tree, a bike ride, or soaking up the sun. Let this be a time that fills you!
  4. Garden – If you want to garden but just never have the time, plant a container with a favorite flower or vegetable. You will still enjoy gardening but on a more manageable scale.
  5. Family Passes – Buy a family pass to your favorite summer place, then as a family review the schedule of events and mark your calendar with those you don’t want to miss!
  6. Three Most Important Things – Every morning, when you are planning your day, write down the three things that truly matter most that day. The sense of accomplishment that you will feel when you complete these three things will free you to do other things.
  7. Organize Last Years School Papers – Make a date with your child to spend an afternoon to go through all of the papers you saved from the last school year.Lay them all out on the dining room table or the floor. Enjoy reliving the last year. Then choose the keepers and treasures. Next simply three hole punch them and put in a fun binder so your child can look at it whenever he/she wants too.
  8. Birthdays, Graduations, Weddings – Take one hour and make a master list of all the birthdays, graduations, and weddings, which are coming up this summer. Keep a copy with you so you can jot down gift ideas and have it handy when you are shopping
  9. Weekend Project – Take one weekend, pick one project, (i.e. a closet, pantry or storage) and using the Clear & Simple Systems (see download below) organize the space. Then mentally let go of the rest and enjoy your summer.
  10. Keep it simple, take a deep breath.

We would love to hear from you – what are your favorite Summer Tips?

Marla Dee & Team

Download a pdf copy of our TOP TEN TIPS for Summer.

Get more guidance with SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. © and S.T.A.C.K.S. © by downloading our Systems Card.

SEE IT. MAP IT. DO IT. © and S.T.A.C.K.S. © are property of Clear & Simple, LLC. All Rights Reserved

How being organized – or not – affects our relationships.

What does organization have to do with relationships you might ask?

Why is it that “Mr. Organized” partners with “Ms. Chaos”? Think about how often you are at odds with someone in your life because of organization issues:

  • Not being able to find what your boss is looking for.
  • Arguing with your child about the way their room looks.
  • Being accused of throwing important things away.
  • Always being asked where something is.

As professional organizers we constantly witness the stress in our clients relationships over organization styles and decisions.  Too often those with the ability to organize do not understand when others cannot maintain their environment. Those that are organized need to keep in mind that our research shows only 10 – 15% of the population is naturally organized. Hence, the need to be able to communicate and get help when lack of organization gets in the way.

This barrier between those who naturally know how to organize and the other 90% who don’t is why our main focus is teaching people how.  The foundation for any organizing project or communication is three simple steps outlined below.

SEE IT – take a look at where you’ve been

Begin by taking a realistic look at where a lack of organization is impacting your life and relationships. Choose just one area or issue. What’s working,  what’s not and why?  Keep it simple. Then look at it from both sides and try to see what is at the heart of the conflict. Often our relationships serve as mirrors to look at ourselves. Once you have clarity, why not share your truth with this person or persons and then ask for them to share.

MAP IT – make a plan for where you want to go

Now that you have each shared your truth, each person can create a simple vision for what needs to change.  Try asking – what is the single most important change that needs to happen?  What is one action you can take? Let this be enough. It is imperative to the relationship that each person has a chance to share their vision and what is important to them.

DO IT – take the actions to make it happen

How you choose to implement your changes or DO IT will be very specific to the relationship. Some may come up with a way to do it together, while others might call in outside help, and still others will compromise on different levels.

Some examples of this are:

  • A family sets up a system for incoming mail and an active paper system together.
  • A mother and child call it fun time, put on music, and make a game of putting everything back in its’ home.
  • A couple decides to hire a professional organizer because they would rather enjoy their time together hiking or taking dance lessons.
  • A boss and assistant set up a weekly 1 hour focused time to go through all the lists and questions.
  • Two friends or buddies get excited about helping each other one weekend a month with the clutter areas – We all have them you know.

(more…)