Читать книгу Mind Over Clutter - Nicola Lewis - Страница 14

Don’t be disheartened if it takes longer than you expected. Remember that even one tick is better than none. Decluttering can take time and there’s no need to rush.

Take Back Control

By using my simple method you’ll soon start to feel a sense of achievement and satisfaction as you take back control of your life and introduce more order into your home. This, in turn, will motivate you to move on to the next task or room and the time you spend decluttering will become a pleasure rather than a chore. My mum always says that it refreshes your home, your mind and your overall wellbeing, and she’s right: you’ll feel much happier living in an environment that isn’t crammed with clutter and items you don’t use. It’s liberating and empowering to purge the stuff you don’t want or need any more. It makes you want to smile and gives you the space to breathe, to be calm and to focus on what’s important for you.

We all have too much stuff, and removing or reducing the number of items that no longer have any purpose and don’t make you happy will give you untold satisfaction. It feels great to be happy with what you have and not feel the need to accumulate. Getting rid of personal belongings can be tricky, especially if they are associated with good memories, but there’s no point hanging on to something just because you ‘might need it some day’. If you haven’t used it or worn it for years or it still has the original labels and tags attached, it’s time to chuck it, even if you feel an attachment to it.

Start to self-love and self-praise: tell yourself you’re doing your best. Then nothing is impossible.

Saving things ‘for best’

How many times have we all used the phrase, ‘save it for best’, whether it’s fancy underwear, expensive shoes, a posh dress or the finest champagne flutes? And how do you know when ‘best’ actually is?

I’ve seen so many items in people’s homes, especially designer handbags, shoes, belts and clothes, that don’t get used or worn on a regular basis because they are being ‘saved for best’. And when I ask my clients what that actually means, their answers usually focus on the items’ cost.

When we’re out shopping for ‘best’ items, we get excited about the whole experience: the location, the styling of the store, the service, the wrapping, handing over the money and the luxurious branded bag. These are all part of the company’s plan to make us feel special and to enjoy our new ‘best’ item. However, once we bring it safely home, it all too often gets stored in a bag on a shelf in our wardrobe. Out of sight and out of mind.

Change this next time you treat yourself to something special: gaze at it and smile … you’ve had a wonderful experience and now it’s time to enjoy your purchase and show it off to the world. Every day should be your ‘best’ day, so use the good stuff you’ve worked hard for; have fun and enjoy wearing or using it to the full. As Kate, one of my clients, put it: