Clutter

There is a thread that bonds us all, one thing that all of us have in common, no matter how different our backgrounds. It transcends religion and ethnicity. It's a dirty little secret that no one likes to talk about, but something must be done before it takes over our lives. Yes, that's right. I'm talking about CLUTTER. Clutter builds up over time, like a snowball rolling down a hill. You look up suddenly, and WHAM!, you are blindsided. Where did all this stuff come from?

Most items of clutter once had a perfectly good reason for coming into your home. It's the kids' school papers, coupons you clipped but never got around to using, catalogs you received in the mail, dioramas that the teacher was nice enough to send back home, and the toys from happy meals! Then there are receipts, and the free water bottle you got for signing up for Newsday. And that's just what is visible!

There's clutter in your fridge too! Almost empty jars of condiments that no one will ever finish, and packets of duck sauce from the chinese takeout place! There is clutter in our dresser drawers as well. Be honest. Aren't there a few pair of socks that should have been discarded? And we all have a kitchen junk drawer! Where else would be keep the buttons that come off our clothes that we mean to re-attach, and the paper clips, and mysterious screws that we find on the floor? Dried out markers need a spot, and old batteries, since we aren't supposed to throw them out!

If you think clutter isn't a problem, think again, my friend. Clutter is big business! Ever see the ads for GOT JUNK?, or CLUTTERBUSTERS? These companies will send someone to your house to take away all your unwanted junk. And don't forget HGTV!!! There are entire shows devoted to helping people rid themselves of clutter so that they may lead more productive lives. It doesn't matter how CLEAN your home is if you've got clutter. It will always appear messy.

Why do we keep clutter? There are a few reasons: We keep things because we are emotionally attached to them. (Think baby clothes- and your baby is 23!!) We also keep things out of guilt. Maybe your mother-in-law gave it to you, or your child made that macaroni and glitter self portrait. We also keep things because we are afraid that we will find that we need them as soon as we get rid of them.

I abhor clutter. I can't stand to see a cluttered counter or table top. I fight the clutter battle daily because I have three kids who really don't seem to mind it. The problem is, when you live with other people, there will always be a difference of opinion concerning what constitutes clutter. Every time I de-clutter, I invariably throw out something that someone else needs the very next day--even if they haven't looked at it in three years. A recent conversation with my son went like this:
"Mom, where's that paper with the worm on it?"
"Which one?"
"The one with the orange worm. I need it right now!"
Of course, he is referring the the scrap of paper that looked like it was ripped off the bottom of a loose leaf sheet, with one orange squiggle drawn on it. That paper sat on my end table for about three weeks, never moving once. I threw it out yesterday. Then I hit him with my standard line, "You need to keep better track of your things, buddy. If I see it, I'll let you know.".

Even though I detest clutter, I am guilty of occasionally adding to it as well. I once changed a doorknob and kept the old one in my garage for a year. Did I think I was going to change my mind and put the old one back on the door? Did I think a friend was going to say she needed a doorknob and I'd offer her my outdated, scratched one? I just recently threw it out.

Look around your home right now as you read this. Do you have visible clutter? Are you hiding your clutter? What's holding you back from taking the steps necessary to rid yourself of it once and for all? (For me, it's those darn kids!!) And if you don't have clutter, what is your secret?

I have a friend who takes a laundry basket when she is having company and does the one arm sweep of her counter tops and tables, depositing all the clutter. She then hides it in a locked closet in her room. Instant de-cluttering! The problem is, she never ever goes back to look at the contents! Bills are sometimes forgotten, and permission slips not handed in. But out of sight, out of mind, and her house looks great! She needs to build another closet, though, but that's another story. Hey, I wonder if she'll need a doorknob for that closet. Oh, man! I knew I should have saved it!!