Five C’s of Clarity

Some days, you look around your home or office & say, “Enough is enough!”  “The clutter has to go!”  Okay, so now what?

Maybe that’s when you sigh & decide to tackle it tomorrow because today you’re too busy, you don’t have the right tools, you need to talk out a plan or you need someone to help.  These are all code for you simply don’t know where to start.

You need a Power Week!

What is a Power Week?  Only 5 days of full-on commitment to eliminating the chaos & restoring calm.  How do you do that?  Just follow the 5 Cs.  You will bring clarity to the process & your life.

1. Commit  Make this project a priority.  Determine how much time you will give each day to conquer the clutter.  Then, put in the time no matter how tired you are or what crisis pops up to pull you away.  Unless someone is bleeding, this is your priority.

2.Compile  Make a list of what needs to get done.  Prioritize your list using numbers.   I suggest starting with 30 second tasks.  When you complete the simple tasks, it gives you motivation to move on bigger ones.  Also, we fill the time available.  Doing the simple tasks like processing mail or filing first like then creates a finite time available for larger tasks like answering emails that might involve more decision making.  It forces you to make quicker decisions thereby using your time more efficiently.

3.Connect  Give your full attention to the task at hand, literally.  Whatever is in your hand, look at it, think about it, make a decision & move on.

4.Classify   When starting to unscramble the clutter, you need to classify items into broad categories i.e. food, clothes, papers.  Then take one broad category & classify those items into more specific categories i.e. adult clothes, kids clothes.  Keep repeating until you feel comfortable with the size & detail of each category.

Give yourself an “I don’t know” box. Store items that you just can’t make a decision to keep or donate. Give it a timeline i.e. 6 months. Write the date on the box & put a note on your calendar. In 6 months, open the box & make a decision.

5.Conquer!  Don’t give up & wimp out.  Finish each task down to the very end.  If the space isn’t cleaned up & items are still without a home, you are not done.  Keep going.  You CAN do it.

Freeing up the space around you from clutter & chaos opens up your mind, your creativity & eliminates loads of stress.  Follow The 5 C’s of Clarity & make your cluttered surroundings into an inviting space.

I’m here to help you by disclosing my knowledge of how to organize & be prepared for any situation.  I will show you tips & tricks through posts on the Styled & Organized Living Facebook page, @StyledOrganized on Twitter & the Styled & Organized Living Pinterest page.  Some posts will be simple tools while others will be ideas to consider.   But all will show you how to gain a little more control over your life through organization because Life is Better Organized!