I was reading an article from a July Woman's Day magazine about organizing. It seems that every issue of the family/woman/lifestyle-type magazines these days have at least 1 piece on organization tips. This one, in particular, though caught my eye because it was advice from Peter Walsh (as seen on TLC's Clean Sweep) whom I like.

In the article, he advises to ask yourself important questions to help you declutter:

• "What do I want from this room?"


• "What feeling do I want when I walk into this space?"


• "What kind of life do I want to live in this house?"

Once you have the goal in mind, you then look at all your stuff and check if it helps you achieve that vision. If yes, then keep; if not, then get rid of. I like the philosophy and how he links a bigger concept with the actual decluttering. Most clients fear the getting rid of part, but I think ultimately find it liberating to be surrounded with less stuff to move, clean and handle.

He also states "If you're feeling unmotivated, overwhelmed or stressed, if your intimate relationships are in tatters, if life is completely on top of you, maybe you need to look at the world you've created and what you've surrounded yourself with". Therein lies the connection of psychology with organizing. I'm no psychiatrist, but I do know that your environment has a significant impact on your mental health!