Getting Unstuck When Life is Messy

Perfectionism paralyzes. When we believe there is one right way to manage or eliminate clutter completely it can overwhelm us and shut down any attempt to make progress. We don’t feel equipped to deal with all the things perfectly, so we do nothing. Would it help to know there is not ONE perfect organization system? That most people can’t tackle the ENTIRE problem all at once? That it is unlikely you’ll find one foolproof system to ensure no thing will ever again be out of place in your home?

We've all been there. Regardless of your current state of tidiness or tolerance for mess, there are those days, that can turn into seasons, where the daily overtakes and clutter rolls in like a tide. If time were no constraint and nothing new ever trailed in from the mailbox, showed up on the doorstep, or dumped out of a backpack into our homes, we might conceivably put everything away exactly where it belongs every day. But, when new "stuff" comes along there are decisions to make about where it must go. And, depending on your outside commitments, your health and energy level, the cooperation of those who may also be in your space, and 329 other variables, you will have to prioritize a few practices to promote zen in your living space because it will not happen on its own.

Can I tell you one thing that I think I have learned from helping all sorts of people tackle all sorts of clutter? There isn't something wrong with you. It isn't your fault that life is messy. You don't need an an organizer with a magic wand to help you handle the problem because you lack some skill or have a flawed personality. We are not the mess we see. Most of my clients are relieved when I tell them they are just NORMAL, and they are expecting an awful lot of themselves. And just as often, it is an eye-opener and game-changer to simply stare down the clutter together and talk about those piles they prefer to avoid, because addressing it takes away its power and gives them permission to take charge of it. We collaborate and get creative peeling off the layers of the rubble that resulted from delayed decisions about where could/should/would this go? We spend enough time on the front end making decisions, not perfect ones, but adequate ones that accommodate for current routines and plan for the inevitable, so that figuring out where to put your stuff doesn't steal precious time away from living every day. Realizing that this new system is not meant to be permanent is also part of the plan. Knowing this often keeps us from blaming ourselves all over again when our space starts spitting stuff back at us. We can simply acknowledge that it is now time to adjust. Then there's no pressure to get it all "right," just get it going.

When you find you are truly stuck, hiring an organizer can certainly be a great remedy for the paralysis of perfection. Their experience can help you make your best choice possible from endless options. But often the greatest help a home organizer can offer is helping you decide what is most important to do first— then provide the vision and motivation to see you through to a space you can enjoy again. They work not just to clean up your space, but to restore your faith in yourself that you can manage the daily in your world as it comes!

Hiring an organizer can certainly be a great remedy for the paralysis of perfection.