How To Look For The Signs That Your Life Is Muddled

How would you know if you need to clean out some clutter from your home? Here’s how to identify (and overcome!) clutter as part of your life.

Would you have to move furniture around so that somebody can sit down?

Having a junk closet where you hide all of it away is one thing (not good, but certainly somewhat more tolerable). But when your "junk" starts spilling out into your living and working spaces, it’s time to re-consider the state of affairs. I’ve seen people who could not turn on the wood stove because it was piled high with rubbish — or they couldn’t get into bed because it was covered with "stuff." When you are unable to use portions of your home or office due to untidiness, then it is time for that hard hat and shovel!

Is there something you know you own but cannot find?

Not having the ability to find things when you want them is a sure sign — you don’t have a set place for your belongings. And not just any old place, but a logical spot nearest the point where you use the item — a little cubby hole or section of a drawer that is dedicated only to your scissors and nothing else. Where do you look for those scissors whenever you needed them? That’s where they ought to be stored. And if you will require scissors in several different places around your house or office, buy 2 or 3 pairs.

Does it take you ages to leave the house on a morning time?

Let me guess, you walk out the door without your briefcase. You then walk out again minus keys. Finally, you head out the door and realize your lunch is sitting on your table top. This is nothing more than poor planning. Take a moment the night before to collect up everything that you want to take with you the following morning. Put it in a designated area near the door so you will not forget it. You could even place a sticky note on the door to remind yourself to get your lunch from the fridge!

Do you have to pay at least one late payment fee to the bank?

If you had a regular way of managing bills every month, you would not get behind. Set up a small filing rack where you put all of your bills as they arrive, in the order that they become due — and write the due date on the envelope. Then, schedule in some time each month to pay the bills that are due in the next week or so. Treat your bill-paying time like an appointment, don’t forget to mark it off on the calendar and don’t let anything get in the way of finishing that chore. If you ever have to delay paying the bills because you do not have the funds to pay them, then it’s time to re-evaluate your spending patterns and change them.

Do you ever have to request an extension on your tax return?

For some people, tax day isn’t April 15th — it’s August 15th! Most folks who file extensions do so because they can’t get all of their paperwork together on time. So set up a filing box solely for tax receipts. Break your receipts down into basic categories — office supplies, charitable donations, medical expenses, travel — and file any new receipts as quickly as you get them if you can. Then, you can hand the entire box over to your CPA. Better yet, set yourself up on a computerized accounting program (like Quicken or Quickbooks) and enter your expenses each month.

Does your life feel as if it’s out of control?

Many signs of clutter are tangible — it is possible to see and feel them. But that sense of overwhelming will be ten times more damaging than a stack of unopened mail or a pile of junk in your closet. Do you ever feel that you are overlooking something important, forgetting to do something vital which you will certainly pay for it in the end? Or that you won’t ever get caught up, despite how hard you try? Or that you are losing your mind because you can’t deal with the mess anymore? The initial step to curbing these anxieties is to tackle a cluttered drawer or today’s pile of mail or a tiny pile of filing. Just putting a dent in the mess will take a great weight off your shoulders — and infrequently give you the motivation you need to dig in deeper. Just realize that "de-cluttering" is a process, and it will take you many small baby steps to reach your goal — and take pleasure in the satisfaction at completing each step.