As the summer season comes to a close and autumn approach, seasonal events such as a new school year, fall festivals, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and even the December holiday preparations come to mind. For many of us, this seasonal change marks a move from the exterior world to the interior one. In my case, after having spent much of the past five months working on my Lingerie Line and enjoying outdoor travels, I definitely need to give some attention to the inside of my home.
I like to approach this exercise with a positive attitude rather than as a chore, and I have developed a little game to help me do that. First, I arm myself with paper and a pen and then go from room to room, identifying the area or areas that need to be addressed. I take stock of the areas that need attention, as well as how I can make my home more comfortable and better organized.
I am particularly sensitive to those places that seem to draw clutter, such as the area where the mail gets dumped. I am sure you know what I am talking about, friends. Areas such as the garage, closets, and storage spaces need to be tidied regularly and that usually entails a little cleaning and de-cluttering of the things I no longer need. Afterwards, I decide if the unused items are destined for the garbage, a thrift shop, or even eBay.
Next, I address my problem areas. These areas for whatever reason is it lack of space, bad habits, or a mixture of both -- seem to be eternally cluttered and messy. I write down what I think are the roots of these cluttering issues and then begin to brainstorm how I might resolve them.
For example, in the case of the unsightly pile of mail, I might opt for a trashcan and bill sorter. That way, when I bring my mail in from the mailbox, I go through it immediately, dropping junk mail, circulars, and envelopes into the trash and filing bills and other important mail in the sorter to be dealt with later. Another solution might be to switch monthly utility bills to bank drafts and avoid the paper bills altogether.
In any case, these are some of my ideas and thoughts about the de-cluttering and re-organization of homes. After completing this exercise, I have such a feeling of accomplishment and satisfaction. And best of all, it makes me feel better about returning to the interior world as the autumn season begins.
