"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? 🌱

It's important to visualize your journey's end

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“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!

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