Home > Work > Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight: The Six-Week Total-Life Slim Down
21 " The things you own should help you create the home and the life you want. The key to enjoying happiness and good health in a warm, welcoming home is to live in the present moment surrounded by items that you cherish and that have meaning for you and your family "
― Peter Walsh , Lose the Clutter, Lose the Weight: The Six-Week Total-Life Slim Down
22 " For each piece of malignant clutter, ask yourself: How did this get here? What power does this item have over me? Is this item helping me create the vision I have for the space? Is this item serving any purpose or helping me in some positive way? What feelings linked to this object have kept me from throwing it out? How would I feel if this item disappeared on its own right now? Could this item that’s a source of pain or disappointment to me become a wonderful addition to someone else’s life? "
23 " daydreaming? "
24 " These cluttered surfaces become a highly visible contributor to household messiness. That creates two problems: When these areas are cluttered, your home is cluttered. When items pile up on these spaces, you can’t use them for their intended purpose. So a fundamental rule in home organization is that you have to keep flat surfaces clear and uncluttered. This will immediately create a more open and welcoming space. "
25 " Your first step in decluttering them is to ask yourself “How do I want these horizontal surfaces to make my life easier?” (Rather than “What do I want to put here?”) "
26 " As I approach retirement, I’m thinking about downsizing to a smaller home. I have all the artwork and toys and books that belonged to my kids. I’ve kept this stuff for them all these years, but they don’t want it. What do I do with it?” Often, we exchange a long look, and tears spring to their eyes. This is not a casual moment in their lives. The answer has great importance to them right now. Yet they’re letting a near-total stranger make the decision. My answer is frequently the same: “If the stuff you own is not helping you create the life you want, then let it go. "
27 " By dealing with malignant clutter, you remove hurdles that are keeping you from your best life. "
28 " Now’s the time to get rid of your first batch of malignant clutter. If you simply must have a reminder that this stuff was part of your life, take a picture of it, then tuck away the physical photo in a desk or stick the digital version deep into the belly of your computer. It’s time to give this clutter to the world outside your home. "
29 " Look around your house and find an item you’ve tried to discard before but just couldn’t. Examine it and think about letting it go. What other thoughts arise? Does your mind struggle to stop you from getting rid of this item? Remember: You really don’t have to obey your mind’s command to hang on to it. "
30 " Even if it’s only you being hard on yourself, part of your brain will react as if someone else is physically attacking you. Your fight-or-flight mechanism will kick in, your heart rate may rise, and you may feel jittery and queasy. But since you can’t flee yourself, there’s nowhere safe to retreat. “You become anxious and depressed,” Dr. Neff says, “and both of those are highly linked to self-criticism. It kind of undermines your faith in yourself. It’s like pulling the rug out from underneath you, and it ends up making it harder to be motivated to make a change. "
31 " If your house is an overstuffed mess, I’ve learned that more often than not, it’s a warning sign that you have some type of trouble—large or small—in your mental and emotional well-being. In turn, a chaotic home that leaves little room for you and the other people inside can threaten your mental and physical health. "
32 " Our lives may take place over decades. But they’re made of one long string of present moments like these. Of course, not all of these moments are this memorable, nor do they have to be. But they’re all equally real. You’re having a present moment right now. Now you’re having another one. "
33 " The present moment is when everything in your life happens. It’s the only real time you ever have. But we miss too many of these moments "