"Being organized" isn't a goal. Dig deeper.

“It’s not about the dress you wear, but it’s about the life you lead in the dress.”
- Diana Vreeland

Photo by @thelazyartistgallery from @pexels

Tidying up is never really about the stuff. When we say something sparks joy, we mean it sparks joy for us. Objects without context are merely objects; it is we who imbue our possessions with meaning. That's why the first step in deciding which dresses (or any other belongings) you should keep is to decide what kind of life you want to live. 

It's tempting to skip the self-reflection, and get right to the "decluttering" part. But the decluttering part will go much more smoothly if you're guided by your vision. 

"Being organized" isn't a goal. Dig deeper. The more specific, the better.

😐"I want to clean this place up" vs. 😍"I'd really like to be able to invite friends over for dinner and enjoy their company, without worrying what they think of my house." 

😐"I want to clear out my closet" vs. 😍"I want getting dressed in the morning to be a stress-free experience that makes me feel good about myself." 

😐"I want an organized kitchen" vs. 😍"I want my kitchen to be clean, tidy, and well organized so that I'll enjoy cooking wholesome meals as part of a healthy lifestyle for myself and my family." 

What kind of life do you want to lead in that dress? 🌱

Tidying up is about the life YOU want

“Being organized isn't about getting rid of everything you own or trying to become a different person; it's about living the way you want to live, but better.” —Andrew Mellen

Photo by @bolovtsova from @Pexels

Sometimes, picture-perfect pantries on Pinterest can shake our confidence. “Eep, my spice rack doesn't look like that! Am I doing this all wrong?” Or maybe it's someone else's minimalist capsule wardrobe. “Ack, I have more than three t-shirts! Does that make me a loser?”

OK, I know I might have put that in a slightly silly way. But my point is: tidying up is about the life YOU want to live, and no one else can define for you what that is. That's why it's so important to do some self-reflection before wildly discarding everything but a toothbrush and a pair of pants like we saw some minimalist person on the internet doing.

I believe that within each of us, there is a part that already knows what brings us joy and what kind of life we want to live. A tidying journey is the process of learning to listen to that part. And it's wonderful to be inspired by others. Just don't forget to take inspiration from yourself too.

Looking to clear the clutter and create a joyful home that works for you? I'm here to provide guidance, support, and accountability. Contact me to get the conversation started. 🌱

It's important to visualize your journey's end

---

“Before you start, visualize your destination. Think in concrete terms so that you can vividly picture what it would be like to live in a clutter-free space.”

— Marie Kondo

You might think that the first step of the tidying process is to begin discarding things. But wait -- before you start out on a journey, wouldn't it be good to have some idea of where you would like to end up?

Why even start tidying in the first place? Why is it worth doing?

It's important to visualize your journey's end. What kind of life do you want to have? Specific goals are more helpful than broad, vague ones.

"I want to clean this place up" vs. "I'd really like to be able to invite friends over for dinner and enjoy their company, without worrying what they think of my house."

"I want to clear out the clutter" vs. "I want my sewing table to be easily accessible and my supplies organized, so I can have fun working on sewing projects."

"I want to be healthier" vs. "I want my kitchen to be clean, tidy, and well organized so that I'll enjoy cooking healthy meals there."

Imagine your ideal lifestyle. Then get it out of your head and into a tangible form. You can take notes, draw pictures, write a blog post, make a vision board — or whatever works for you. You can focus on things you want to have or do, but the most important thing to focus on is how you want to feel.

Need a tidy coach? I'm here to help. Get in touch with me -- I'd love to hear from you!

---