clutter--or abundance?

Many of my friends don’t understand why, on any given day, I would rather clean my basement or garage than do something they think is “more fun.” They also can’t understand why I continue to spend countless hours, long evenings and even weekends sorting and filing papers or rearranging a closet. What they can’t understand is how much creating order delights me.

For those of you who are thinking ‘this lady has to lighten up’…don’t despair! I am not like this all the time and I do take several occasions to relax and spend time with friends and family. Although I take great pleasure in organizing, I also realize that if I always choose to stay home and get organized, my life will be dull. Life isn’t intended to be boxed, labeled and put on a shelf.

So…the real question we need to answer is when to let it go and when to tidy it up. How can we be organized enough to find what we need when we need it, but also remember that organizing isn’t about making everything perfect?

As with all things in life, the answer is in finding a balance between chaos and order. A house without sticky fingerprints is missing a child’s laughter. A kitchen without dirty dishes lacks homemade meals. In all life there is evidence of living. Sometimes that evidence looks like clutter; sometimes it looks like the reason to be grateful for the abundance in your home. So before you start attacking every mess, grouching at your kids or spouse and forgetting to actually see out of the window you’re so intent on cleaning, look around and consider: Is all that surrounds you clutter—or abundance?

For more organizing tips, visit my website: www.andreadekker.com