Dear   ,    

Clutter can get in our way and cause problems, and sometimes it can be challenging to get rid of, but I always try to make my organizing sessions fun and painless.  Recently I taught a class called "Decluttering Made Fun and Easy", and this month I'd like to share some of the lighter side of decluttering.  See the article below for some ideas.

And don't forget - just a few more days 'til the debut of "Putting Paper in its Place", my 28-day success program for learning to manage your paper.  It starts on April 6th, and you'll be receiving a separate email on how to sign up shortly.

- Maryann Murphy, MSW

Decluttering Made Fun and Easy

Peter Walsh, the Australian organizer and author of "Does this Clutter Make My Butt Look Fat?", was my major inspiration for getting into the business of professional organizing.  His TV show, "Clean Sweep", gave people with too much clutter serious help, with sensitivity to their issues and concerns, but always making it fun as well.  

One of my favorite games he played with his clients was a version of basketball.  When clients were having trouble deciding on which stuffed animals or pairs of shoes to get rid of, he'd set a timer for 1 minute, and give them one minute to toss as many items as they could into a bin.  If they missed the bin or didn't finish in time, the items not in the bin would go to charity or a yard sale.  Of course, he'd move the bin around and tease them as they threw to make it more challenging and more fun!  

Setting a timer and playing a game like that can be a great way to change 

your energy around a decluttering project! Sometimes we make it so serious.  Making it fun can be good for our souls, and good for making decisions much more quickly. It's amazing how focused you can become when a timer is ticking and one of your favorite items is in jeopardy! 

What can you do to make your decluttering more fun?  Here are a few other suggestions:

• Play lively, up-tempo music while you work.  Music can lift our spirits and increase our pace.
• Set a timer and set a goal.  See how many pieces of laundry you can fold in 3 minutes. Give yourself a prize if you hit your goal.  Timers always make it more exciting!
• Get someone else involved and have a contest. Start at opposite corners of a room and see who can get everything off the floor and to the center of the room first. Loser has to make an ice cream sundae for the winner (but you both get to eat).  It doesn't really matter who wins - the goal is to have fun and turn what could be boring or unpleasant into something fun and easy!