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Nicola Lewis. Mind Over Clutter
Copyright
Celebrity Endorsements
Dedication
Contents
My Journey. My name is Nicola Lewis. I’m 44, married to Graham and mum to two fabulous daughters, Amelia and Francesca, who are my absolute world
A person’s most useful asset is not a head full of knowledge but a heart full of love, an ear ready to listen and a hand willing to help others. I believe these are the main qualities of TGCO. Kindness is free, and it really does make the world smile
1: Tidy Home, Tidy Mind. I love to have a clear, clutter-free space. Getting rid of all the clutter really is transforming and helps to clear my mind as well as the room I’m in, making me feel calmer and more relaxed; so ‘tidy home, tidy mind’ makes a lot of sense to me
One day my mum offered to help clean my house and I was offended. Had it really got that bad? It made me realise I was truly debilitated by my illness. I felt so useless, but I know now that a lot of my untidiness was linked to self-worth and I didn’t see myself as deserving of a clean and well-ordered home
Talking to people online about depression and anxiety has been a lifeline because I tend to isolate myself when I’m feeling low. But scrolling through Nicola’s feed gives me a friendly nudge in the right direction and makes managing my home feel so much more attainable. There’s no unrealistic standard to try to achieve, just moral support and helpful advice
The biggest thing I learned is that I don’t have to tackle mammoth tasks all at once, and that’s very comforting. I don’t worry about getting the whole house tidy. I just pick a small space and see where it takes me. Doing a little every day is much more powerful for my sanity, as well as my home organisation
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Imagine going shopping in the sales at a huge bargain-basement department store. There’s stuff everywhere, but among all the confusion you find some amazing pieces. And you pick up things that would be perfect for your friends, family and charities – it feels so good to give. Afterwards, you go home, and everything is so calm and all the items you found are so beautiful and just right. You relax, but then you realise that you weren’t charged for any of them. Having TGCO has made me take a fresh look at my home and all my treasures. I don’t miss anything I’ve discarded or given away, and I feel so calm and grateful for everything I have. It’s freed my mind to be creative again
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Many of my clients choose to take part in decluttering. Whether they choose to declutter their phones from unused apps or their sock drawer of holey socks, I have yet to coach someone who hasn’t uncluttered part of their life. A recent client shared with me that her sock basket was her nemesis: every morning when she looked inside it and found more pairs of socks needing sorting she thought, I am a bad mother. Every day those words were among the first things that went through her head. Through coaching around this subject, she was able to identify what it was that she needed to do, which patterns of behaviour had to be changed and, ultimately, how to change her perspective on that sock basket. Now she can laugh when it’s mentioned and tells everyone she knows how coaching not only uncluttered her sock basket, but also how she now feels a new sense of confidence, resilience and optimism. It literally changed her life
Your Instagram feed has helped me massively, not just to organise my home but also my life. I live with my three children in a two-bedroom flat, which is very hard to keep tidy, but I’ve managed it with your help. It’s so reassuring to know that everything has its place and the children know where to put things. It’s still a work in progress but I’m getting there. Without your tips and ‘before-and-after’ photos I would be living in a very cluttered, messy home
2: How to Declutter: Room by Room. Your home should tell the story of who you are and house a collection of everything you love. It can inspire you to go out into the world and do great things, and then welcome you back into a calm, relaxed and happy place to recharge your batteries
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3: Eco-cleaning Your Home. Lots of people don’t like cleaning. Don’t get me wrong – I’m sure most of us love a clean home, but spending lots of energy on something you don’t particularly enjoy isn’t the best pastime. Like it or not, though, regular cleaning is essential, and there are things you can do to make the process speedier, healthier and more eco-friendly
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4: Upcycling and Donating. Whenever I declutter, I’m always mindful about not throwing things away into the bin, especially now that we’re all increasingly aware of the dangers of climate change, global warming, polluted seas and overflowing landfill sites. Embracing a more sustainable, kinder and ethical lifestyle is so important. I believe that we all have a duty to look after our planet, and I try to educate and inform my clients while we declutter together, offering advice and tips on how they can do this in their everyday lives
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5: Decluttering to Go: Planning a Clutter-free Holiday. There are few things I love more than planning a holiday and I’ve been known to start getting organised two months before even hitting the terminal. However, as extreme as that may be, there’s nothing worse than a last-minute panic with insufficient time to pack, so that you end up throwing a month’s worth of clothes and shoes into your suitcase for a two-night city break!
Clothing and footwear: tops, bottoms, dresses, swimwear, underwear, socks, pyjamas. Accessories: bags, belts, scarves, sunglasses, jewellery. Toiletries: toothbrush/paste, make-up, sunscreen, after-sun, beauty and bath products, hairbrush. Entertainment: tablet, headphones, chargers, portable speakers, packs of cards, books, journals. Sports: gym clothes, snorkel, goggles and flippers, tennis racket, golf clubs, skis. Essentials: passport, tickets, wallet, medication, basic first-aid kit, spectacles, adapters
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One Last Thing. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading Mind Over Clutter as much as I’ve enjoyed writing it, sharing my work, top tips and experiences with you. At first, I wasn’t sure how I’d fit this in while wearing my mum/wife/organiser/blogger hats. There are only so many hours in the day, so how could I add an author hat to all the others? But there was no need to worry. In the end, it all came down to good planning, making some short-term sacrifices – and lots of music! Music helps my soul grow and puts me in such a happy place …
References
Sourcebook
Acknowledgements
Index
About the Publisher
