Let It GO!

This concept sort of seems obvious since letting go of anything really only requires a trash bin and a thought. Like, you take an item and throw it away therefore it will never be seen again, right?

If only it were that simple.

With landfills constantly growing where 4000 – 5000 tons of trash is being processed per day six days a week especially here in the Houston alone, the idea of individuals having difficulties letting go of possessions may seem a bit hard to believe.

But believe it. With the amount of pressure we have to get the latest items or to have the next best thing, it's no reason why the average American household owns about 300,000 items.

I'll be first to say "We have a Problem" and "We need HELP."

I personally believe there are major stages in our lives when we should let go of stuff. Because we’re constantly evolving and looking for different ways to re-invent ourselves, what better way to do so than to let go of all things that no longer bring positivity, make us upset or no longer serve us. If you’re wondering, “what the heck does things serving us mean?” Well since you asked, it’s when something hasn’t been used for long time (over 2 years), it doesn’t make your life better, it conjures negative thoughts, or is just plain fugly and clashes with your home décor.

So here are 3 Stages in our lives when we should start thinking of letting things go.

L O S S

I have always been skeptical when dealing with this subject because of the multiple emotional stages death brings. There is no true way to say how someone should cope with loss yet alone move on but one thing I know is the belongings that are left behind typically never get used. A lot of times, it gets put in a room or thrown in storage and left alone for years. Unless, the items are valuable and have been appraised for a dollar amount you’re willing to accept, or there’s a family member who has a use for it, it may be time to let it go. Of course, I do believe it’s okay to hold onto some items especially if they ignite emotion and you're not ready to let go. For those items I’d suggest putting them in 1 clear container (Yes I said 1) and storing it away. Whenever you’re ready to let them go, you will know.

A  B R E A K U P

I’ve been through several break ups in my lifetime and this has been something I’ve followed for many years and each time I did, it worked. After a breakup, regardless of what it is, get rid of everything your ex gave you. Whether that’s a ring, a pen or even a house. It’s important that you remove yourself from these past possessions because once the relationship is over, you’ll need to detox your life from all things that remind you of that person or of the old you, so you can move and experience what's new to come. 

L O S I N G  W E I G H T

When you're losing weight you’re not only getting rid of pounds, you’re also getting rid of all the negativity that came with those pounds. During this phase in your life, you’ll be discovering a new you and with that comes new possibilities, new adventures and let’s be honest, new stuff. That means, those old clothes that no longer fit, let it go. This also includes old habits, old thoughts and old behaviors.

So instead of viewing your weight loss on a linear aspect, try viewing it as an onion with many peels. Before you get to the core which is the actual shedding of the pounds, look at the various characteristics in your life that may need some reviewing. I'm more than positive you will need to let go of something on the way. 

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Though it may appear when you let something go it requires a lot of physical manipulation but in all honestly it's more than that. Letting go requires loads of mental activity which may be difficult to confront at once but over time it will get easier especially for those more sentimental stuff. 

If you have items in your home that are difficult to let go, let me know in the comments section below so we can discuss how to let them go. 

Thank you for your time and I hope this pushes you to begin your organizing journey. 

Until next time! 

3 Simple Tips to tackle a Cluttered Space

So you walk into your room and you can’t find your favorite top. You’re walking through stuff, you’re stepping on stuff and you’re falling on stuff. You’ve now spent way too long looking for it and now you’re late to your first date.  

Your room is cluttered and you need help!

1.     S T A R T   S M A L L

Allocate 2-3 hours or the amount of time you’re willing to dedicate to organizing every week until your space is completely organized.

It’s important to keep in mind that the 9 months of clutter didn’t get that way in a couple of hours. So, the longer it took your space to get where it is, the longer it may take you to get through it.

So, in those hours, you will begin organizing one area at a time. If you want to start with your drawers, start there first and only work on that drawer until you completely organize it before you go to another area. Try not to jump from one place to another because this is what causes us not to finish.

But once that alarm goes off and your time is up, you’re done for the day and you can focus on another task. This will prevent you from the overwhelm you may get from taking on the entire space at one time.

2.     S O R T   Y O U R   I T E M S

Rather than sorting your items into a “KEEP”, “DONATE” or “TRASH” pile, group like items together and then sort through each individual pile and only decide on what you want to keep.

For example, let's say you want to organize your pens. You’ll need to gather all of the pens you have in your space. This means you need to go through your entire home or office and gather all of your pens and place them in 1 pile. Next, go through the pile and only choose the pens you love. During this step, you’ll be able to determine which pens no longer work, make your hands ache or are just right out ugly. If you don’t know already this is the pile you will be getting rid of for good.

The awesome part about this process is it removes the pressure from decision making and allows you to choose the items you truly love.

 Try it and let me know if it works.

3.     P R A C T I C E    L E T T I N G   G O

Because practice makes perfect, before you take on any organizing project, you should practice letting go. You should First let go of the items that are the easiest to get rid of. For example, start by letting go of a dirty towel, old ripped clothes or expired food. Because these items typically don’t require much thought and lack emotional attachment you’re likely to let them go the easiest.

So go around your home and practice letting go of less meaningful things.

·      That old balled up receipt… Let it go!

·      That old and worn boyfriend shirt…. Let it go!

·      That expired candy bar… Let it go!

·      That picture of you and your ex-best friend who stole money from you… LET THAT SH%@ GO!

·      Those old batteries that no longer have life… let's say it together… Let it go!

 As you practice letting go, you will find it much easier to let go of those more meaningful possessions that you’ve accumulated over the years. Once you start letting them go you will begin to notice your space staying organized and most importantly your life improving.

Until next time! 

The Power of Clarity

For the last couple of weeks, my life has been hectic. If you don’t know, I do have a corporate job where I go to work Monday – Friday and honestly, it takes a lot of my energy. One of the reasons why my videos now go up every so often and let’s not talk about blog posts or the lack thereof is that I’ve been feeling overwhelmed and drained.  I have so many ideas I want to bring to the world but the moment I get home, I’m physically done for the day. 

So, the reason I’m bringing this up is because my home has been suffering a bit. My space is in shambles both physically and mentally. My laundry is overflowing and each room in my home is out of whack. My life feels like its falling apart and a lot of times I want to give up. Give up on what I want to accomplish that is. My first instinct is I should quit my day job and focus on growing my business but then reality sets in and I don’t. I can’t. I need the money. It’s like I’m tied to my job and each time I try to run away; the rope pulls me back.

With all this said, if you are experiencing something similar or need a change in your life, don't give up. Please don't. There have been so many instances where giving up would mean having an easier life, spending more time with my friends and family but because of my goal, which sometimes feels bigger than myself, is much more important, I'm still here.

So I made a change, a necessary one at that. 

Last week I scheduled in 2 hours to organize my space and man do I feel great. I started small in one area of my home and slowly moved on to bigger portions. I didn't do it all at once, rather I took baby steps. I now feel lighter and my mind feels clearer. Though I still have some more to go, it's not as daunting. You see, organizing your space is not about how fast you do it or how tidy it looks, it's about creating a space that makes you feel good. A space that speaks to your soul. A space that's forgivable when you slip up but is always ready for change. 

I know I preach this constantly and still stand by it but sometimes you don't always practice when you preach especially when you're experiencing setbacks in your life and that's okay. It's all about re-balancing to put you back on track. I believe it's because of these "pitfalls" why we supersede our goals.

If you're going through anything similar, let me know below and let's start a conversation. 

As always, talk to you soon!