Well, we’ve come to our last installment in being more organized. 

First, let’s deal with clutter.  I’ve always found it amusing that magazines spend their pages telling us how to make our hotel rooms feel like home and make our homes look like hotel rooms.  A little clutter (a partially read book or a partially done sudoku sitting on the chair, a stack of movies next to the DVD player, a clump of snow boots next to the door) makes a house feel lived-in.  I never feel comfortable in a home where they could perform surgery on the floor.  On the other hand, no one is likely to feel comfortable in a home where you can’t find a place to sit. As in most things, you want to look for the happy medium.

If you find yourself with just too much stuff in too little space, try some combination of these strategies:

• Make a commitment to buy nothing you don’t really need for the next month. If borrowing something short-term is an option (like renting DVDs or borrowing books from the library), do that instead of buying.  As much as possible, eat food you have in your cabinets and freezer, supplementing with perishables.
• If you do buy a non-necessity, if something comes in, something goes out.  When you buy a new pair of shoes, an old one goes away.
• Go through your possessions and decide what you can let go.  If it can’t be repaired, the trash can is your friend.  If it is in good condition, but you don’t use it anymore, donate it.  Lots of groups are happy to receive donations, including thrift stores, libraries, refugee resettlement agencies, etc.  Please don’t give them garbage.  They don’t have the time or the staff to wade through your trash.  If you are having trouble letting go of old possessions, just try to reduce a little bit.  For every four books or DVDs or T-shirts, donate one.  It’s less traumatic, but you’ll still notice the difference.
• If you still have too much stuff cluttering your shelves and living space, try changing what is on display periodically.  Rather than putting every single knick knack you own on the mantel, put a few there and store the rest.  Every month or season, swap them out.  It will feel like you have brand new things without spending any money!

If it’s your life that’s too cluttered — with errands, volunteer assignments, projects, meetings, etc. — there’s only one solution:  You need to learn to say no.  Give yourself permission to not do everything.  Repeat after me:  I’d really love to, but I’m afraid I can’t right now.  Go ahead, you can say it.  I know you can.

Finally, no matter how you organize your life, make sure you leave time for rest and recreation.  If you don’t have time to do the things you enjoy, the things you really care about, it’s time to re-evaluate.  Give yourself the gift of that time.  You’re worth it.