When It All Gets Too Much

If there’s one thing that lockdown has shown many people its just how much stuff they have that they don’t really need.  Closets full of clothes that never get worn, shelves filled with books that have already been read (and are unlikely to be re-read again!), a pantry full of weird and wonderful items that are way past their eat by date, shed and garages filled so full that you can’t get the lawnmower or the car in!  For me personally, one of the reasons I struggle to get rid of stuff is the ‘Just in Case’ storyline I tell myself.  It took me years to finally part with my business suits and even longer to purge my impressive high heel collection.  Now that Ive been working from home for over 20 years I have no need of any suits but I used to tell myself that they would be handy for networking events.  The truth is that I no longer wear suits and after a while the ones I did still have were outdated and not terribly flattering but letting go of who I used to be took a long time.  With my shoes, I’ve always been an avid shoe hoarder and the high heels were beautiful but I couldn’t wear them anymore and while I’m at home working I’m usually barefoot or in my slippers!

I think many of us hold onto things because we have a vision in our head of how we wish life was or we have trouble adapting to a new set of circumstances.  It takes us time to acknowledge that we have changed, our circumstances have changed and we’re not who we used to be.  People like stability and reliability - it makes us feel safe but change can be really good for us.  It allows to grow and adapt.  

Clearing out the clutter is more than just tidying up our houses or work places, it also makes room for new things.  New ideas, new ways of doing things, even new ways of doing business. If you find yourself feeling slightly claustrophobic because of the volume of stuff around you it is time for a serious declutter.  Lockdown gave many that free time to get to grips with finally clearing out some of our problems spaces.  But while many of us have streamlined our homes, our offices have remained as cluttered as ever.  Cleaning out the old from your office space is one way to have a freshen up for your business.  It also makes it easier to clean and disinfect ( not to be sneezed at during a pandemic! ).  Why not make a date to declutter your office or workspaces.  And while you’re at it schedule in some time to cleaning up your emails, subscriptions and digital assets.  

Removing unused things from your work and even your life will not just give you a freshen up mentally, it will also make a healthier environment for you and your staff.