A close friend sent me a card a while back that said, “Sure I could get organized, but where’s the fun in that?”  She quickly apologized on the inside for mocking me and my lust for organization, but I just laughed.

I get that I am unique in my quest to have the world organized before I die.  That it isn’t normal to drive down an alley looking into people’s garages wondering if they would mind me sneaking in to organize their clutter.  That friends invite me over for dinner or ask me for a weekend visit not only because they like me but also in the hopes that I will organize some place in their home.  I think it’s fun!

But I also get that clutter & disorganization strikes fear in the hearts of normal people.  What are you supposed to do with all that stuff? If you knew, it wouldn’t be cluttering up your home!  Duh!!!

Martha Beck’s latest article in the October 2011 issue of O Magazine (“Be Afraid . . . Be Very Afraid”) is about conquering your fears like meeting new people or bungee jumping.  She gives clear steps on how to face & overcome these personal fears.

You can use Beck’s strategy to overcome the fear that keeps you from tackling that pile on the kitchen counter you face everyday while dressing, having our morning tea & toast, getting the kids out the door or just trying to relax on the weekend.  What to do with all of our stuff?  Where should new stuff go?  When should we get rid of old stuff & how?  These tough decisions can drive even the most motivated or determined to run away or simply to close a door so they can’t see the mess.

Once you work through Beck’s steps & celebrate each success, take one more step.  Set a boundary.  Make a promise to yourself that you will not allow the clutter to form again.  In doing so, you will have set up a guideline to live by.  A guideline that will motivate you to face your fear of “I don’t knows” & control that clutter.

What is your clutter nemesis?  What pile do you want your Fairy Godmother to wave her magic wand over to make disappear?