Dear FlyLady,
I have been fluttering on and off for nearly a year now. Some rooms in my home are approaching a peaceful state, others…not so much.
After reading your recent email, it was apparent that I suffer from a rather severe case of DeClutter Anxiety.
Decluttering my sock drawer took forever. After all, each and every pair required careful evaluation. Do I really need them? I mean REALLY? Could I get another “wear” out of them? Just one? How about two?
And I can’t even tell you how much I agonized over the six drawers (yes, six) of kitchen utensils.
So I invented the Rule of Two.
When faced with multiple items, I pick out the two in the worst condition and toss them in the “Throw Away” bag. No evaluation or judgement needed. Once I get to where everything is in good condition, I pick out the two that I use the least and toss them in the “Give Away” bag. I may need to do this over and over, but eventually I have just what I need. Everything is in good condition and everything is loved.
Today, all my clothes fit in my drawers (none hidden in a laundry basket somewhere) and I am down to two drawers of kitchen utensils. Funny, I can’t even remember all the “precious” items I threw away. What was in those drawers, anyway?
I am working 15 minutes a day on my home office with my faithful timer on the desk beside me so that I don’t crash and burn. It also keeps me focused because I race the timer to try and get just a bit more sorted than I did yesterday. Today is day 7 and I actually know what color the floor is now, under all those boxes!
I am finding my peace, 15 minutes at a time.
Thank you, FlyLady.
FlyBaby L
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FlyLady here: I am so proud of this FlyBaby for establishing a routine to help her deal with her decluttering anxiety.
The declutter kit and the timer are two tools that help you declutter without anxiety or stress!