IN THIS ISSUE:
 
I. I Like My Closet Again
II. Five Quick Tips
III. References
IV. My "Clutter" Can Be Yours

I've been actively practicing the art of simplifying my life for over ten years now. This includes living in an environment that is nurturing and designing my days exactly the way I desire, for both my personal and professional lives. I do know from my years of experience that simplifying is an ongoing process. While it does become easier over time because I know what I want, I also get more uncomfortable than I used to when things get out of balance.

As an example, I have been "tolerating" my out-of-balance office closet for more than just a little while. Every time I opened the closet door, even for the briefest of moments, I didn't like what I was seeing – two large bookcases cluttered with office supplies, notebooks, computer disks, tapes, videos, books, briefcases and other paraphernalia. (My first clue I had a closet problem should have been when I began lumping stuff together and calling it "paraphernalia“!) Sometimes I would think about clearing things out and other times I would just quickly close the door. I was allowing my closet to make me feel uncomfortable and drain my energy.

I am blessed to live in Southern California where the weather these last few weeks has been absolutely beautiful. So I declared it an early spring and began to spring-clean this clutter that had accumulated.

Everything came out of the bookcases and went into piles. Yes, there was the dangerous “keeping it” pile for the things I still used or felt I still needed! There were also a donation pile for books to be given to the library, a pile for papers to go into the recycle bin, and another pile for stuff my husband could sell on E-Bay, (not that he needs any more inventory for this hobby of his, but I figured I could benefit anyway as he does enjoy doing that so much!). There was also stuff that really didn't belong in my closet, plus a bit of trash. There were also some new duplicate books that I thought you might enjoy. (That’s explained further in the “My Clutter Can Be Yours!” section near the end of this newsletter!)

It took a few hours, this de-cluttering activity, but I finally began to "feel" a big difference. Now I look into my closet and smile – there’s no more draining energy. Sometimes I open the closet just to take a peek at this newly “in balance” closet of mine!

I know there are still other little areas of cleaning, clearing and de-cluttering I can do. I also know that it is easy to get overwhelmed if I think there is too much to do. However, spring-cleaning just one area at a time, any time, can make a huge difference.

What clutter have you been tolerating that now might a good time to clear?

Linda

1. Are there areas of your life that you are tolerating that are draining your energy? Look at that cluttered "stuff" or demanding "activities" in your life that are actually energy drainers.

2. Mark time on your calendar for clutter clearing. Schedule it into your week just as you would any other important activity.

3. Don't try to conquer everything at once. Break it down into the smallest bits necessary in order to comfortably get started.

4. Get the family involved. Have a clutter-clearing evening where everyone picks an area in which to work. Kids can put aside toys that haven’t been played with for a long time and then donate them to others who can give them a new life.

5. Some boxes and drawers can be sorted and cleaned while watching TV, or tape your favorite show and watch it later when you want to relax after your de-cluttering activities.

"A place for everything and everything in its place." - Mrs. Beeton, from The Book of Household Management (1861). Source: The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase, Saying, and Quotation by Elizabeth Knowles (Editor).

III. REFERENCES

To find more resources or to order these, go to
http://www.simplifylife.com/reference.html

“Unclutter Your Home: 7 Simple Steps, 700 Tips and Ideas” by Donna Smallin
(Room 8 – Additional References of Interest - http://www.simplifylife.com/readmore.html)

"Learn how to eliminate unnecessary belongings without guilt or regret. Contain clutter with simple, inexpensive storage ideas. Read how you can get family members to participate. I even included some Internet resources for you!" -Donna Smallin

IV. MY CLUTTER CAN BE YOURS

There are publishers who send me books they think I might like to review. Some of these are books I already had but I saved the duplicates, well, just because!

These are actually some very good books that I thought you might enjoy. Here’s how you can get one.

Just share your story on how you've been simplifying your life. If I publish your submission in either the Making Lives Simpler or Virtual Reality Self-Help Center newsletter, on the SimplifyLife.com or vrselfhelp.com website, you'll receive a new book. It’s that …simple!

You can write on any one of a variety of topics ranging from creating the life you desire to creating the work you love. It can be as an article or in a tips format. It doesn't matter how far you've progressed in the simplification process or if you’ve only recently begun. Please keep it to no more than 500 words.

Your book gift could be one of the following hardbound books: "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People " by Stephen Covey, "Simplify Your Work Life" by Elaine St. James, "The Success Journey: The Process of Living Your Dreams" by John C. Maxell, "The Relaxation Response" by Herbert Benson, or a 7 X 6 inch blank journal. In soft cover, they’re "Unclutter Your Home" by Donna Smallin, "Keeping Life Simple" by Karen Levine, "Work With Passion" by Nancy Anderson, "The Sun My Heart” and "The Miracle of Mindfulness" by Thich Nhat Hanh, "Becoming a Coach" by Thomas J. Leonard, and my very own "101 Tips to Simplify Your Life" eBooklet.

Email your writings by April 30, 2003. You must include your full name, email address, mailing address and you must own the rights to the material submitted. If you have a preference for which book gifts you'd like, please include a couple of choices with your submission. I’ll do my best to honor your request. All articles we use become the property of Simplify Life and I reserve the right to edit for space. There is no guarantee that your article will be published. This offer can be withdrawn at any time. Only one book gift per person.

MORE ABOUT "MAKING LIVES SIMPLER"

Linda Manassee Buell is a full-time Personal and Business Coach, and author of the tips eBooklet, "Simplify Your Life, 101 Ways to Create the Life You Love," the audiotape, "Simplify Your Life, 7 Simple Strategies for Doing What You Love to Do," the revised edition of the workbook, "Simplify Your Life: A Journey of Personal Discovery," and her latest book, "Panic and Anxiety Disorder, 121 Tips, Real-life Advice, Resources & More."

To order your personal copy of any of the above by check or credit card, just go to http://simplifylife.com and click on "Shop the Store."

Anyone is welcome to subscribe to this free newsletter, "Making Lives Simpler." There is no subscription fee, and the mailing list remains confidential. It will not be sold, traded or bartered to any other parties.

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Linda's e-mail address.

Linda's Website can be found at: http://www.simplifylife.com

The contents herein are solely the opinions of Simplify Life and Linda Manassee Buell.