At the Clutter Diet, we have a lot of fun with the weight loss metaphor—how the personal change involved in getting organized is very parallel to what it takes to lose weight.

Both endeavors are not an overnight process. Little choices and little changes add up to a lot… It’s choosing baked chips instead of fried; it’s eating just one cookie instead of two; it’s switching from sodas to sparkling water. It’s no different for organizing!

Lose those Clutter-Pounds from your home and your life by sowing these simple seeds of change, and before long, you too will reap the benefits of a streamlined environment:

·         Don’t pass things by—pick them up now! So many times people step over something like a newspaper on the floor or a blanket that fell off the sofa. Make it second nature to handle those things as you see them.

·         Think before you act—how can I consolidate my efforts? Before going up or down stairs, before running errands, before heading over to the office… always ask yourself how you can maximize that trip.

·         Morning routine: Just “DEW” it. Have a morning routine to support the rest of your day. We recommend the “To DEW” List… Dishes, Eating, and Wash.  Empty the dishwasher, decide what’s for dinner, and take the laundry to the next step.

·         Have an evening routine that supports you in the morning. We recommend the three S’s:  Start the dishwasher, Straighten up the house, and Set for tomorrow. Make it as easy as possible to leave the house on time by gathering up things you’ll need the next day.

·         Stop yourself when you delay a decision. If you catch yourself saying, “I’ll put it here for now,” or “I will come back to that later,” STOP. Instead think about how you can finalize that decision now. Where will you put it? What is the next action?

·         Think before you buy.  Make sure you have space to store the item and that you really need it. Will the item add value and pleasure to your life, or is it another thing to maintain?

·         Unsubscribe to publications you’re not reading. We’ve worked with so many clients who took the daily newspaper subscription just because it was a good deal. In reality, they only have time to read it on the weekends and would be much happier with a weekend-only subscription. Is your reading material stacking up?

·         Teach your children organizing skills whenever you can. Sow the seeds of good habits in your kids so they will know how to care for their own homes in the future, and hopefully they can learn to support you with your own changes too.

·         Establish homes for the important things. Most people know where the milk is stored, and most people have an underwear drawer. Take this concept of having definite homes for your items and apply it to as much as possible in your environment.

Making change all at once is rarely as effective long-term. Take time to sow these small seeds of organization, and they will bear very rewarding and productive fruit as the years pass!

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