My clients often say that clutter causes them stress. Clutter-related stress can come from several sources, such as:

• An overabundance of items to manage and maintain

• Too much visual stimulation or overload

• Difficulty making decisions

• Being the recipient or holder of other people’s things, such as adult kids or deceased loved ones’ belongings

• Accumulating things, yet rarely editing or letting go

• Perfectionism

• Overshopping

• Executive functioning challenges that make it difficult to plan, categorize, prioritize, or sequence

• Not establishing ‘homes’ for things

Where Is It?

I want to focus today on the last point about ‘homes’ for things. When you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s stressful and frustrating. It can make the simplest task take twice as long because you can’t find what you need to do ‘x.’ Not knowing where your things are can affect your time and relationships, leading to lateness and causing stress with family, friends, or co-workers.

The challenge of not having ‘homes’ for things can show up in various ways.

• Have you ever misplaced your keys and spent 30 frantic minutes looking for them, only to be late for a coffee date with your friend?

• Have you ever tried to cook dinner and couldn’t find the pot you needed, the measuring spoons, or the recipe you wanted to use?

• Have you ever gone to pay for your purchases at the local store only to realize you couldn’t find your wallet?

• Have you ever been about to make an important call and couldn’t find your cell phone anywhere?

Do these scenarios, or anything like them, resonate with you?

“When you can’t find what you’re looking for, it’s stressful and frustrating.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

The ‘Adult Version’ of a Childhood Song

A while ago, I found an anonymous Internet meme or joke that connects to the childhood singsong, “Head and shoulders, knees and toes.” Do you remember that one? If not, check out this short, silly video.

This meme is:

“The adult version of ‘head, shoulders, knees, and toes’ is ‘wallet, glasses, keys, and phone.’”

The song helps you identify and quickly locate your body parts. It’s useful to apply the same strategy to your belongings by creating ‘homes’ for them. When you think of the object you want, knowing it has a home means you immediately know where to find it.

You can use this song to:

• Reinforce the value of having reliable homes for your belongings.

• Create a home right now for the thing you’re looking for, so you’ll always know where to find it.

• Lighten your mood and reduce stress when something is missing. A little humor can go a long way.

What Needs a Home?

As you think about your belongings, which things do you frequently misplace or don’t have a place for? Pick one and create a home for it right now. Build from there.

What is one consideration you use when creating an effective home for your stuff? Have you tried creating homes that don’t work? Can you describe the difficulty? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed or disorganized? Is the clutter in your life causing stress and frustration? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Decluttering, getting organized, and living with more ease are possible, especially with support.

Is your life overflowing with stuff? Even if your belongings have ‘homes’ and you know where to find them, does the sheer volume feel overwhelming? Drawing on more than thirty years of working with clients and my own life experience, I’ve seen how the accumulation of stuff happens. It’s a slow (and sometimes not-so-slow) creep of collecting. 

One day, you look around and wonder:

• Where did all this stuff come from?

• Do I still need these things?

• Are they taking up too much space, management time, and mental energy?

• Is all this stuff necessary for the life I’m living now?

• What will happen to my belongings when I’m gone?

• What would life feel like with less?

• What would it feel like to align what I own with the life I’m living?

There are many ways to think about clutter and the physical items that accompany your life. Let’s look at three reasons why decluttering sooner rather than later could benefit you. If even one idea resonates with you, it could be the cue and motivation you need to begin the decluttering process.

3 Compelling Reasons to Declutter Now Instead of Waiting

1. 300,000!

A frequently cited statistic in the organizing industry and media is the number of things we accumulate. Estimates suggest that the average American household may contain hundreds of thousands of items. The number often cited is 300,000. That’s a lot of stuff!

Whether that’s your number is a separate question. I don’t know what our household number is. Out of curiosity, I counted some objects in a few areas, and I was surprised by what I found:

• 778 – Number of items in the bedroom clothing closet, including clothes, hangers, shoes, shoe boxes, and some accessories. We have additional clothes and shoes in the dressers and other areas.

• 289 – Number of items in the dining room china cabinet. We have more dishes in the kitchen.

• 49 – Number of items in the desk pen cup. I have many more writing instruments in other areas and in the supply cabinet.

The 1,116 items counted so far represent only a tiny portion of what we have in our household. I'm not sure whether we actually own 300,000 items. The idea is to recognize what you have and align it with what you want, need, and use.

By focusing on specific areas and doing a quick count, I spotted several things that could go. For instance, I don’t like all the pens that have landed in the pen cup—time to declutter. Even in the china cabinet, there are several dishes I don’t want that could go. While I regularly go through my clothing closet, more could be edited out.

Being aware of how much you have will help you declutter the things that no longer matter or are not useful to you.

2. Yikes!

Clutter can cause stress and affect your ability to focus. My clients have described how clutter affects them as,

• “I have so much clutter I can’t even think.”

• “I don’t want to feel overwhelmed by my stuff.”

• “The clutter is distracting, and I can’t focus.”

• “Clutter makes me feel agitated and angry.”

• “I don’t want to feel clutter-related stress and anxiety.”

Research backs up the experience my clients describe. UCLA Center on Everyday Lives of Families (CELF) conducted research and discovered that “cluttered home environments were associated with elevated cortisol levels – especially among women who described their homes as chaotic or stressful.” Cortisol is the hormone produced as part of the body’s stress response.

Neuroscience research on cognitive overload and attention, including Princeton University’s work, shows that visual clutter, or “competing visual stimuli,” reduces the brain’s ability to focus and process information efficiently.

Knowing how clutter can affect your stress, attention, and functioning makes a compelling case for decluttering sooner rather than later.

“Clutter can cause stress and affect your ability to focus.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. For love.

Recently, I came across an Instagram video featuring Alice D’Antoni Phillips, a psychologist-turned-chef. She discussed the emotional struggle of letting go of sentimental items while downsizing. Alice also described letting go as “an act of care.” She didn’t want to burden her loved ones with decisions about her stuff after she’s gone.

Then she said a beautiful phrase that stuck with me. It’s so gentle, compassionate, and loving. Alice said, “Easing the path of life for the people you love.” In that, she acknowledged that we’re all going to be gone at some point. We are born. We live. We die. That’s the reality.

The other part was about making it easier for the people you love by handling your stuff before you go. Making decisions and decluttering now are expressions of love.

It’s never too soon to start decluttering. Your loved ones will thank you.

Why Declutter Now?

There are countless reasons to declutter now, without delay. Some might be:

• Your clutter is causing undue stress.

• You have more things than you use, need, or want.

• You want to make decisions about your belongings so your loved ones don’t have to after you’re gone.

• You want to downsize and prepare to move.

• You’re fed up with all the stuff.

• You want greater clarity of mind and in your space.

What are your compelling reasons to declutter? What is motivating you? Which ideas resonate most? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed or disorganized? Is the clutter in your life causing stress and keeping you from living the life you want? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Decluttering, getting organized, and living with more ease are possible, especially with support.

Enjoy the latest edition (v55) of the “What’s Interesting?” series, featuring my most recent finds that inspire, spark curiosity, and relate to organizing and life balance. These unique decluttering discoveries reflect this month’s blog theme.

You are an engaged, vibrant, and generous group. I am deeply grateful for your ongoing presence, positive energy, and contributions to this community. I look forward to your participation and further contributions to this curated collection.

What do you find interesting?

What’s Interesting? – 5 Best Next Step Discoveries

1. Interesting Read – Less Clutter

Do you feel overwhelmed by how much your things are taking over your life, space, money, and energy? If so, find inspiration and hope in The Year of Less by bestselling author Cait Flanders.

Cait takes us on her twelve-month journey to stop shopping and give away most of her belongings. During that year, she bought only items on her ‘sanctioned’ list of consumables, decluttered her apartment, let go of 70 percent of her belongings, learned to fix things, paid off debt, navigated family challenges, and worked through addictive behaviors and unhelpful habits.

Through personal stories and practical strategies, Cait guides you toward a more mindful life with less consumption and more time for what matters most to you. When working to reduce the things in her life, Cait said, “I had to let go of the stuff I wanted the ideal version of myself to use, and accept myself for who I really was.”

By the end of Cait’s year, after she took control of her life, released many of her belongings, saved money, and embarked on the next phase of her life, she said, “… all that remained was the real me. It wasn’t much, but it was enough. It was enough. I had enough. I was enough.”

2. Interesting Perspective – Time Clutter

Clutter isn’t only physical stuff that piles up. There’s also time or calendar clutter. Time clutter can show up as overcommitting, no downtime, double-booking appointments, consistently running late, being overstimulated, never having enough hours in the day, or feeling overwhelmed by your never-ending to-do list.

Artist and writer Jenny Odell coined the acronym NOSMO, “the necessity of sometimes missing out,” in her book How to Do Nothing: Resisting the Attention Economy. Saying “yes” to everything, ignoring your needs, and lacking boundaries can leave you feeling stressed, time-poor, and exhausted.

If you want to declutter your schedule, start editing. You don’t have to accept every invitation. Instead, focus on how you want your days to flow, how much time you need for transitions, and how much time you want for relaxation.

What can you let go of today?

3. Interesting Article – Aspirational Clutter  

In the HuffPost article, “Do You Have ‘Aspirational Clutter’? Here’s What You Should Know,” professional organizers explain why this type of clutter can be especially challenging to let go of. Why is that? Aspirational clutter includes “objects tied to our hopes and dreams.”

Aspirational clutter can look like gym equipment that’s never used, clothing that might fit someday, an abundance of yarn you’ve stored for years for sweaters and blankets you want to make, or sets of dinnerware and serving pieces for parties you hope to host someday. There isn’t anything inherently problematic about any of these, except that they aren’t based on what your life is actually like. These things take up space and mental and emotional energy, often accompanied by guilt and ‘shoulds.’

Some other thoughts include:

•  Seana Turner said, “Aspirational clutter refers to possessions we hold onto for our ‘future self,’ or an idealized future lifestyle.” 

• Regina Lark said, “Letting it go can feel like giving up on a dream version of yourself, or that you’ve failed yourself in some way.”

All is not lost. The article offers excellent suggestions for managing aspirational clutter, such as

• Give yourself permission to let go.

• Recognize that priorities shift.

• Determine how your space could be better used if you let go of aspirational clutter.

• Focus on the benefits of letting go.

• Acknowledge who you are now.

“It was enough. I had enough. I was enough.”

— Cait Flanders

4. Interesting Product – Organizing Clutter

The truth is, I don’t recommend organizing your clutter. Start by editing and decluttering. Why do that first? You’ll be left with only the things that remain, which are meaningful and useful. Second, the less you have, the easier it will be to organize and maintain.

When it’s time to organize the ‘keepers,’ Aozita’s multi-use caddy organizer is a great choice. Use it to organize art materials, desk supplies, bathroom products, kitchen utensils, or school supplies. It’s portable, available in many colors, adjustable, and inexpensive.

5. Interesting Thought – Life Clutter

What comes to mind when you think of clutter? In the 30-plus years I’ve been helping people declutter and get organized, I’ve heard clutter described as overwhelming, heavy, chaotic, burdensome, bothersome, impossible, frustrating, constant, distracting, stressful, paralyzing, and noisy. Do any of those resonate with you?

Many emotions are intertwined with your experience of clutter. As Peter Walsh says, “Clutter is…anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living.”

What would life be like if you unburdened yourself of the things weighing you down?

Which Clutter Ideas Work Best?

When clutter feels overwhelming and paralyzing, what will help? As I shared, there are many types of clutter and strategies to help you move forward.

Which of these discoveries resonates most with you? Do you have any decluttering resources or ideas to share? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or disorganized? Is clutter preventing you from living the life you want? I’m here to help. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s talk. I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Decluttering and getting organized are possible, especially with support.

What are you holding onto that’s getting in your way? Are there physical things, like clothing that no longer fits, stacks of magazines you’ll never read, or expired food and medicine? Are there habits that don’t serve you, such as not getting enough sleep, doomscrolling on your devices, or acquiring things without ever editing them? Are there behaviors that create more stress, such as constantly berating yourself, ruminating on interactions, or not taking time for play or joy?

Are these things holding you back from living the life you want? Do you want more calm, joy, or ease?

What happens, though, when you begin to let go of clutter and the things that create blockages and stress? What happens when you approach them in a new way? It’s not that challenges won’t appear or that stress triggers will disappear. However, when you begin to work with them differently and let go, you will have more bandwidth to embrace the good stuff.

A Tiny Shifts Learning Journey

21 Days

For the past few months, I’ve been learning from clinical psychologist and author Dr. Elisha Goldstein. Although he’s been on my radar for years, I signed up for a 21-Day Tiny Shifts Experience in January.

The program featured short, daily practices designed to help you better manage stress by supporting your nervous system. By the end of the course, I was better able to regulate my emotions through simple, intentional breathing practices.

6 Weeks

The experience was so wonderful that I wanted to learn more. Next, I registered for Elisha’s 6-Week Tiny Shifts Emotional Longevity course. It included two live sessions each week: one led by Elisha and the other an Integration Lab led by mindfulness teacher Susan Beckman Reagan.

There were simple, doable practices to work on between sessions, along with a virtual platform for communication. We learned more about emotional loops, supporting the nervous system, and the 4Rs: Recognize, Release, Refocus, and Reinforce.

The Book

Simultaneously, Elisha released his new book, Tiny Shifts – How Emotional Health Transforms Stress, Relationships, and Longevity. While I was taking the courses, I read it, which helped me better assimilate what I was learning.

Elisha says, “Real change doesn’t come from doing more. Feel free to let go of that burden. It comes from shifting how we relate to what’s already here-one tiny emotional pivot at a time.”

If you haven’t read Tiny Shifts yet, I highly recommend it. Elisha presents his research-backed, doable strategies clearly and compassionately while sharing captivating stories.

The Retreat

The next part of my learning journey took place last weekend. Elisha offered a three-day Emotional Longevity Retreat at Kripalu in the Berkshires. It was especially meaningful to attend in person, since the previous courses were online. My husband, Steve, went, too.

What I had learned before was clarified or reinforced during the retreat. It was an emotional weekend—lots of crying, smiling, laughing, meditating, and pausing. While the strategies are simple, applying them in the moment takes practice. I’m still working on it and remain hopeful. I can see my progress.

“What would it feel like to let go and embrace more joy and ease in your life?”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Embracing the Good Stuff

In these chaotic, uncertain times, there is no shortage of things beyond our control or that make us anxious. We can dwell there or let go. Elisha’s practices help tremendously with letting go. When you do, you will have more capacity to

• Embrace joy, play, fun, and quiet.

• Be present and available for the people and relationships in your life.

• Have more ease.

• Regroup more quickly from stressful situations.

• Engage in better self-care and compassion.

• Release the things, thoughts, habits, and behaviors that no longer serve you.

• Be available for all the good stuff in your life.

What does the “good stuff” look like to you? A few years ago, I created my own list, which you can find here: Are You Making Time for ‘The Good Stuff?’ What’s one thing on your list?

Letting Go to Live with More Joy and Ease

What are you holding on to that causes you stress? What is keeping you from moving forward? What would it feel like to let go and embrace more joy and ease in your life?

I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

How Can I Help?

Do you feel overwhelmed or disorganized? Do you want to let go of what’s holding you back but feel stuck or unsure where to start? I’m here to help! You don’t have to do this alone. Virtual organizing is an extraordinary path forward – Local feel with a global reach.

Let’s connect! I’m easy to reach.

• Schedule a Discovery Call

• Fill out the Contact Form

• Email me at linda@ohsorganized.com or

• Call 914-271-5673

Letting go, getting organized, and living with more ease are possible, especially with support.