You are more than halfway through the first month of the new year. Have you leaned into the energy boost a fresh start brings? Or are you feeling stuck, overwhelmed, and weighted down by your clutter? Clutter can keep us frozen in time, be demotivating, and make activation challenging. Physical clutter can include things like paper piles punctuating counters and surfaces. There can also be mind clutter, internal thoughts, and ideas swirling around the brain. Clutter can be time-related. It can infiltrate calendars and is visible as over-committed schedules with no breathing room.

One of the focus areas this month with clients has been helping them clear a variety of clutter. They want to feel calmer, happier, and more in control of their space, time, and thoughts. I’m continually thrilled by how much progress clients make during their one-hour virtual organizing sessions. They further their goals by working independently in between sessions, too. Relief and joy are typical feelings they experience due to their decluttering efforts.

When clutter is released, you increase your capacity to attend to what is most essential and fully embrace the life you want.

Declutter Physical Things

I recently worked on my own physical and mind clutter that weighed on me. It felt great to make space for the new year. For decluttering the physical things, I

• Removed and archived last year’s papers

• Made new file folders for the current year (I love my Brother PTouch label maker!)

• Edited papers I no longer needed

• Shredded and recycled

• Bagged household items to donate

“When clutter is released, you increase your capacity to attend to what is most essential and fully embrace the life you want.”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

Declutter Thoughts

Because my mind was cluttered and filled with too many competing thoughts, I needed help focusing and getting clear. To release mind clutter, I

• Wrote in my journal

• Reviewed past journal entries

• Shared my thoughts out loud with a few people (I’m a verbal processor)

• Engaged in email exchanges to tease out more thoughts

• Filled out the Three Things Reflection (a set of questions to review the previous year and future-think about the current one)

• Practiced patience while allowing ideas to percolate

• Meditated

• Practiced yoga

Like my clients, I experienced relief, clarity, and joy after decluttering my things and thoughts. My physical and mental capacity has improved. The slate feels clear and clean. I chose to embrace this fresh start with renewed energy and open arms.

If you feel frozen and overwhelmed by clutter and want help, I’m here for you. Please email me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, call 914-271-5673, or click here to schedule a Discovery Call. Experience the joy, relief, and clarity decluttering and organizing brings.

What does spaciousness mean to you? When our minds, rooms, and schedules are cluttered and overflowing with thoughts, stuff, and obligations, it can be challenging to find expansiveness. As humans, having spaciousness, in whatever form it appears, can be beneficial. You will experience less stress, improved mental well-being, greater creativity and productivity, and improved accessibility. What if you had more spaciousness in your life?

This morning, my guided mindfulness meditation practice reinforced my need for open expanses during the week. While I do well with a schedule, I also crave moments when I’m not on the clock. Yesterday was one of those days. Sure, it was the weekend, when days can be more open, although we often are busy doing things. However, yesterday was my birthday.

My husband Steve and I took the day off to play and suspended doing any work or house stuff. I can’t tell you how much I appreciated and enjoyed having a day like that. We had a loose plan. We walked along the Hudson River, ate at one of my favorite Italian restaurants, and saw a movie.

Space to Enjoy The Moments

There was no rushing. We enjoyed each thing until we were ready to move on. We had plenty of time to be present with what we were doing and each other. I also had space to soak in all the loving birthday messages from family and friends.

Happier Hour author Cassie Holmes, Ph.D., said, “The mosaic you create is the magnificent life you get to live.” What will you include in your artwork? What will you release?

“The mosaic you create is the magnificent life you get to live.”

— Cassie Holmes Ph.D.

The Value of Spaciousness

Why is any of this important? Being intentional about creating space will help you enjoy and appreciate life more. Consider how adding more white space will make the holiday season more enjoyable and less stressful. Whether you are hosting, going to gatherings, traveling, or staying put, spaciousness is your friend. What would it be like to have uncluttered spaces, clarity of thought, and time for what’s most important to you?   

This week, I invite you to clear some clutter, do a brain dump, or block out unscheduled space in your schedule. What will be possible when you eliminate rushing? What will become possible when you clear the landscape within and without?

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

Having a long holiday weekend is a wonderful way to temporarily change the pace of life. That extra time allows you to engage in fun activities, recharge, and break from your usual schedule. It also presents an array of opportunities to calm your mind clutter.

Perhaps your thoughts aren’t intrusive, and you don’t have unproductive worries and thought loops. However, if you experience these challenges regularly or occasionally, I have some ideas to help.

Reflecting at the end of this long leisurely weekend, I realized how my experiences decreasing mind clutter could be valuable solutions for you.

3 Ways to Calm Your Mind Clutter

1. Observing

One of the things I enjoy doing is taking photographs of nature. I love framing images that capture the larger landscape. I also enjoy taking details, like a bee pollinating a flower. Over the weekend, I felt inspired to take pictures with so many gorgeous flowers in bloom. While these photos only take a moment, intently looking helped me focus like the camera lens I look through. In an instant, I see the vibrant colors nature offers or notice details of leaf veins, flower filaments, or light sparkling on the water’s surface.

And guess what? My mind isn’t racing or cluttered with thoughts when I'm present and observing. Maybe taking photos isn’t your thing. That’s absolutely OK. Activate the skill of observing to calm your mind clutter. What do you see in front of you at this very moment? What details are present?

2. Sensing

I am sensitive to the physicality of how things feel. For instance, I will only wear clothes with smooth, not itchy textures. I love the feel of velvet, velour, and other soft fabrics. I also enjoy the feeling of the sun or a cool, gentle breeze on my skin. If I’m in a store ‘window shopping,’ I like to touch things. It helps me see and interpret them in another way.

This weekend, my husband and I visited Field + Supply’s spring makers' market in Kingston, NY. Our daughter, Allison, had a booth for her Level Up Project with a cohort of eight small businesses. We enjoyed walking around, seeing beautifully crafted pieces, and meeting the makers.

We needed a break from the visual and auditory input at one point, so we sat on the lawn to snack and relax. I took off my sandals, and my feet enjoyed the feeling of the cool grass beneath them. Noticing, touching the grass, and acknowledging that pleasant sensation, helped me be in the moment. My mind clutter disappeared.

What sensations are you experiencing now? When you focus on physical sensations, does it distance you from your thoughts and calm your mind clutter?

“Activate the skill of observing to calm your mind clutter. ”

— Linda Samuels, CPO-CD®, CVOP™

3. Watering

I’m not talking about watering plants or hydrating yourself. Instead, I use ‘watering’ about being near or in the water. I love doing anything water-related, and kayaking is one of my favorites. There is something so grounding about being on the water, sitting low, and in a boat. I can float and drift or actively paddle to locomote from one part of the river to the next. All the while, I’m surrounded by the ambient nature sounds- water whooshing, birds singing, and the breeze blowing.

Paddling through the water becomes a kind of mindfulness meditation. At the same time, it makes me feel strong and calm. My arms pulling the paddle through the river brings me to the present. My thoughts are focused on precisely what I’m doing. There’s no mind clutter, no mind wandering, just pure enjoyment in the kayak on the water.

Does water have a mind-decluttering effect on you? Maybe kayaking isn’t your thing. How about swimming, jumping waves in the ocean, or taking a bubble bath? Can you use water to calm your mind clutter?

There are many ways to reduce your mental clutter. What resonates with you? Are there other strategies you prefer? I’d love to hear your thoughts and invite you to join the conversation.

Spring is arriving, and this season often inspires hope-infused feelings. However, we can get stuck even during this joyous time. Have you ever felt stuck? When that happens, do you find figuring out your next step challenging? If so, you’re not alone. Grief, life transitions, negative self-talk, fear, procrastination, exhaustion, overwhelm, and lack of information or expertise can prevent forward movement. Next feels elusive.

When I have too many next steps, I get overwhelmed. Instead of doing something, I ruminate about everything I want and need to do. Guess what? I become stuck. Depending upon the situation, I might make a list or chart, talk with a trusted friend, take a walk, or write in my journal. From there, I will take a tiny, doable action step. It’s enough to get me unstuck, build momentum, and journey forward.

Does this sound familiar? If so, you’re going to love what follows. As you’re about to discover, there is power and relief in planning, listening, reframing, and breathing.

I invited an outstanding group of colleagues to share their personal experiences with you. They describe being stuck and the next step that helped them get unstuck. These generous friends include Alison Nissen, Christine Li, Deb Lee, Diane Quintana, Ellen Delap, Jocelyn Kenner, Jonda Beattie, Julie Bestry, Lana Kitcher, Marcy Stoudt, Sabrina Quairoli, Seana Turner and Yota Schneider.

My deepest gratitude goes to this inspiring group for sharing their time, hearts, and wisdom with us. I asked them to respond to and elaborate on this prompt . . .

Describe a time you felt stuck and the next step you took to move forward.

 13 Remarkable Pros Share How They Make Their Next Step When Stuck

 1. Next Step:  Breathe

“When I get too much in my head, it usually results in feeling stuck. I’m vulnerable when I lounge in bed too long in the morning, dozing in and out of sleep. When this happens, I become captive to swirling thoughts, the effect of which is mental quicksand – the ultimate feeling of being stuck.

I escape the mental quicksand by taking a few deep, cleansing breaths, then thinking about one or more things I am profoundly grateful for and creating a positive affirmation for the day ahead. This resets me, and I can move forward with lightness and positivity.

Jocelyn Kenner – Coach & Professional Organizer

2. Next Step:  Plan

“I was losing track of my next steps required by the many projects in which I am involved and also of things I wanted to do for myself & my two businesses.  I did two things. I created a weekly plan of the things I wanted to do day by day for my businesses & projects, which I put inside my planner. Then I decided to use the whiteboard in my office to list the tasks for the current day. Doing these two things has helped me get myself back in action and feeling in control.” 

Diane Quintana, ICD Master Trainer, CPO-CD®, CPO® – Professional Organizer, Author, Blogger

3. Next Step:  Reflect

“In 2012, due to family emergencies and having to travel overseas to care for loved ones, I put my coaching practice on hiatus. Life took its course. Late fall of 2019, I felt the pull and began to contemplate launching my practice again. As I revisited my services and website, I realized that something had changed. I did not want to begin again where I had left off. I had to rethink how I wanted to work with people. I let go of the past, hit pause, and let inspiration come find me. For a good two months, I reflected, wrote, and explored possibilities. At the end of that period, The Art of New Beginnings was born.”

Yota Schneider, Certified Seasons of Change® Master Coach – Life Coach, Retreats Facilitator, Blogger

4. Next Step:  Change Viewpoint

“‘Alison, that's not how we do it,’ the voice articulated. The words stung and left me upset.  

To stop the fear of becoming stuck when I'm distressed, I cross my eyes and look at my nose. Why, you ask? To remind myself that I can't always see what's right in front of me. 

This simple action prompts me to look at a situation from another viewpoint, one without heightened emotions. Irving Berlin once said, ‘Life is 10 percent what you make it and 90 percent how you take it.’ Standing back to gain perspective is a choice, and it's how I move forward when I'm feeling stuck.”

Alison Nissen, DTM – Co-Founder & Chief Story Officer of Revel Coach

5. Next Step:  Listen

“I recently felt stuck after the death of one of my parents. My next step was to pause to focus on my feelings and my family. And to listen for when my brain and heart were ready to start moving forward again. So I turned to my favorite listening activities: walking, cleaning, and organizing. They worked! While I'm not running full steam ahead, I'm in motion. Having my projects and ideas in Evernote made it easy to pick one to work on. Then, that one thing turned into three things. Interesting how it fueled fresh brain sparks. Just what I needed.”

Deb Lee, CPO® – Digital Productivity Coach and Consultant, Evernote Certified Expert

6. Next Step: Stay Open

“I went from teaching special education to becoming a lead teacher. I had high hopes. About a year into that stressful job, I knew that this job was not good for me. I knew I should retire. But I was frightened I would not be able to support myself and also anxious I would get sick if I stayed. I talked to people who had retired and to friends. Fate intervened, and I saw an article about Professional Organizers. I knew I had found my next career. Whenever I need support, I talk to people I trust.” 

Jonda S. Beattie, M.Ed – Professional Organizer, Author, Speaker


  

7. Next Step:  Write

“Knowing where to start when contemplating writing a new ebook for one of my blogs has been challenging. But, when I started to write down the points I wanted to make in the ebook, I found that the direction and details came more naturally. Writing things down is how to clear the cloudy fog when stuck. It lightens my energy and allows me to see the steps.”

Sabrina M. Quairoli – Professional Organizer, Blogger 

“Sometimes you need outside help...to shake you out of a slump.”

— Lana Kitcher

 8. Next Step:  Check-In

“I love creating content, but perfectionist procrastination over choosing technology sometimes paralyzes my moving from idea to implementation. Once research stops yielding new information, I turn to others for a reality check and catalyst. Years ago, unable to pick a newsletter service, I presented my research and dilemma to a colleague. She encouraged me to pick a particular free trial but also reminded me that whatever I chose, I could always transfer to a different service later — I only had to commit long enough to make forward momentum. You can't edit a blank page; you can't evaluate an untaken step.”

Julie Bestry, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer, Productivity Specialist, Author, Blogger

9. Next Step:  Wander

“When my mind is on a negative repeat loop, and I feel stuck, I love to remove mental clutter. Here's how:

1. Go outside without any technology and allow your mind to wander.

2. Once you feel a slight separation from the problem, consider the situation and list everything in and out of your control.

3. Create two to-do lists: 

                        List 1: What actions can you take to move forward? 

                        List 2: What worries or items are out of your control? Place these on "The Universe's To-Do List." 

Taking action is an excellent step towards progress. But, when it's clutter-free - it's a giant leap.” 

Marcy Stoudt – CEO of Revel Coach, Founder of Nest by Revel

10. Next Step:  Redirect Energy

“I remember a time when I was serving as a volunteer on a committee for an organization that I loved. Over time, I found that my ideas were being discounted, disregarded, and ignored. I felt discouraged and stuck. I finally realized that I was not in control of this situation, and the only way I could move forward was to resign from the committee. I found another way to serve this organization on another committee that allowed me to contribute, and that brought me joy. It turns out my best option was to strike off in a new direction.”

Seana Turner – Professional Organizer, Blogger, Speaker

11. Next Step:  Build Team

“In creating an online time management printable for Etsy, I had done my best on Canva and added the final product to Etsy. It was not getting traction and lacked professional product appeal. After a few months, I asked a professional graphic designer to assist.  Right away, we partnered on design and marketing. My go-to strategy to get unstuck is to build a bigger team.”

Ellen Delap, CPO® – Certified Professional Organizer

 

12. Next Step:  Shift Mindset

“That period immediately after the birth of my second child, I was in bed, feeling happy but also wondering how I would break out of my long-held pattern of being very, very cluttered.  I happened to see a segment on a morning show featuring Marla Cilley, known as ‘The FlyLady,’ and I decided to order her book right then and there.  

It turned out her book, Sink Reflections, was a wonderful explanation of how even the most cluttered and distressed person can make a ‘comeback’ into a more orderly and organized existence.  It was a great help to me, but what was perhaps even more helpful was my own decision to make a change for the good of my family and myself.

I encourage anyone who might feel in a similar ‘stuck’ spot that there are so many options to try these days.  All you need to do is decide to make that shift!”

Dr. Christine Li – Clinical Psychologist, Procrastination Coach, Host of the Make Time for Success Podcast

13. Next Step:  Enlist Help

“I became a mom a year ago and was feeling very stuck in my circumstances and my mindset. I had made the decision to reduce my work to part-time and was feeling lost with the transition to motherhood while trying to run my own business as well as a household on many fewer hours and much less sleep. I knew I needed help adjusting, but I wasn't managing to get myself to that point. So I invested in myself by 1) working with Linda and 2) enrolling in a 6-week mindset program. Sometimes you need outside help, new perspectives, and something different to shake you out of a slump.”

Lana Kitcher – Productivity Coach, Small Business Consultant

What was the circumstance last time you felt stuck? What next step moved you forward? I’d love to hear your thoughts. I invite you to join the conversation.

If you feel stuck and want a thought partner, I’m here to help. I love supporting my clients to move forward. Contact me at linda@ohsoorganized.com, 914-271-5643, or click the purple “How Can I Help?” button below.