To get started with the process of building healthy routines and decluttering their lives, I tell new clients to think of three key areas in their homes that they would most love to see clean and organized. I have them sit and just imagine what it would be like to have that spot of their home totally in order. I have them describe what the area looks like once it’s clean and really consider what blocks would be lifted.
If you imagine how the space will serve your greater good, the “how” will come to pass more easily. After this practice, I have my clients let go of any judgment regarding why they have let a particular area in their home get chaotic. I say, “Just let it go, it’s okay! The mess is just a message for you to pay attention to where your life in general is overstuffed or too meager!”
Then, I have my clients keep imagining the spaces as perfect without yet doing any work toward tidying them up. Instead of tackling these big projects, I have my clients spend 8 minutes a day straightening up smaller areas. I say, “Ignore the guest room project that you’re dying to do but putting off, and just spend 8 minutes reorganizing your makeup or clearing out a drawer in the kitchen.”
Clients will text me things like “Oh my gosh, 8 minutes is all it took to clean out my car. Now I do it every time I pump my gas!” Or “I spent 8 minutes on my kids’ rooms and now they see how quick it can be to pick up!” Eight minutes turns out to be all it takes to think through your routines and make decisions as to where you need more structure and discipline.
Plus, by understanding that it’s all connected to the mindset of creating sacred spaces, you’re much more likely to value these commitments.
Questions I will Ask During my “Spring Clean Your Life” Teleclass include…
The first step toward building a tidier life filled with healthier and happier habits is to learn more about yourself. For your exercise this month, take a few minutes to think through the following questions. You can write the questions down and really think about your answers during your morning writing practice—the more you come to understand your own habits, the easier your planning will become.
- What daily and weekly routines help you the most?
- Do you plan your meals each evening for the next day?
- What does your kitchen look like on a daily basis? What would make cooking and tidying up easier?
- What does your laundry routine look like? What might you do to improve it?
- What three areas of your home need decluttering the most? Describe the areas as if they are already tidy. Ask yourself, “what does it feel like to have these spaces decluttered?”
- Where is your life overstuffed and where is it sparse?
- Do you see any connections between your above answers and your physical surroundings?
- What types of things around your home and life might you organize or declutter in just 8 minutes a day?
For more support with this process, check out the “21 Days to Declutter Your Life” e-course coming soon; an online version of what I am doing with my most successful one on one clients! Sign up below if you’re interested in being part of this class.