What's the difference between organizing versus clutter clearing? There is an overlap for sure but there are also important and substantial differences.
What you'll discover
Let's talk about Organizing first
This can be done completely on a mental level, you can tidy, arranging and re-arranging things with the goal that you know where everything is.
But usually when you are organizing
- nothing gets thrown out
- you don't investigate why you have it
- if you even still need it
- or why your space, whether it's your home or office, is a mess.
You usually keep everything and you just find homes for your stuff and put things away.
It can and will feel satisfying when you have a place for everything in your home and office and everything in its place, it gives you some peace and therefore has some value.
Unfortunatley it can be a waste of time and possibly money because it's only temporarly and doesn't address the root cause of why you have so much stuff and why it's such a chaos. Instead it temporarely covers up the underlaying problem.
Therefore the results are not as life- or business changing as clutter clearing can be. It doesn’t even begin to address the issue of why the build up of clutter and this disorganization happened in the first place.
You don't examine your habits, systems and processes and come up and implement some that serve you better, that actually create a supportive environment long-term.
Therefore, usually within a short period of time, the chaos and disorganization creeps back in and you are back at square one. That's why I say it's often a waste of time and money. It's just a band aid for an underlaying problem that you hide from and don't address.
Let's look at Clutter clearing
The clutter clearing methods and coaching that I offer go much further and much deeper than simply organizing.
It’s not just about helping my clients to rearrange their things, it’s about helping them to let go of the things, files (and often thoughts) that they no longer use or that no longer serve them. I help them bring themselves up-to-date with who they are and where they want to go in their life and business.
It goes way deeper than just organizing,
- it starts with a vision of where my client wants to go, how a supportive environment would look and feel for them
- we identify what they would need to let go of, what clutter they would need to clear (items, habits, thoughts etc) that are hindering them and keeping them stuck.
- next we examine how and when the chaos started, how they tick and what's not working right now that they are unorganized
- we then determine what habits, systems, and processes align with their nature that they can intentionally implement so they can make progress towards their goal and vision.
Because of all that, clutter clearing is not just a mental process it goes much deeper and usually brings up a lot of emotions. It also involves making decisions, sometimes tough ones, that have been put off. I talk about how clutter is unmade decisions here
Just sorting through huge piles of stuff without intention and knowledge of the bigger picture, when you don't let go of things even though you don't love them, you never use them and only have them because you're afraid of making a decision or are anxious of letting them go is exhausting and not sustainable. In no time, the chaos will creep back in
I help my clients to look out at the bigger picture and within at how they tick. We dive in
- how cluttered and restricted their life and business is or has become and why
- how it slows them down and holds them back maybe even keeps them stuck
- and the effects of the stagnant energy that collects around them.
If you implement my methods or hire me as your guide and coach, you will be doing far more than sorting, categorizing and putting things where they belong.
On a practical level you will be very intentional and therefore the sorting and organizing of the belongings that you decide to keep becomes more strategic and meaningful. It will be an investment of time because this way the result will be sustainable and longlasting.
You will be assessing each item and then actively make a decision whether it has a place in your life and business and why, and whether it's worth of your time, energy and money. it's so much more than simply categorizing anything and everything that you have and finding homes for them.
The Difference in Result
Because of all that, decluttering your life and business is not as easy as just tidying and organizing, but the result is so much better. It's long lasting, not just temporary and the process is not daunting but fulfilling, freeing and empowering.
It’s about reclaiming your life, taking back control and becoming the pilot of your life and business instead of the passenger or firefighter that just frantically runs around putting out fires and dealing with last minute tasks.
It's opening the door and space to new possibilities so that you can move forward instead of living in the past.
But your mind will try to fool you and give you all kinds of excuses why you can't let go of things, why you can't make a decision, why you can't change your systems and processes, but when we go past these excuses and really listen in you will find the truth, that we then can address, and that will liberate you and give you back control.
The benefits of my help and guidance
That's what I have 25+ years of experience in and what I am trained in to help you with. My services do include helping you tidy and getting organizing in your home, office and finances, but this is only a small part of it.
My primary goal is to help you understand why you feel the need to accumulate and keep all this clutter and chaos around you, why you tolerate the chaos around you and then I guide you through the mental, emotional and practical process of letting go of the things you no longer love, need or use and the thoughts, habits, systems and processes that no longer serve you.
Next I help you discover how you too can live and work in a clutter-free and supportive environment from now on — I help you understand how you tick, I help you find the habits, systems and processes that work for you and are intentional and long lasting and therefore life changing.
There really is no point doing all that hard work of organizing over and over just to find yourself back in the same situation a few short weeks later.
So if you are done with putting band aids on your situation and wasting your energy over and over on short-term fixes, if you are ready to make a lasting change... I can help
Opportunities to work with me 1-1 are available. Send me an email at conny 'at' connygraf dot com or schedule a complimentary Chaos to Peace Consultation and we'll see if working together is a great fit.
Don't worry, I'll never be pushy or talk you into hiring me.
Resources
- If you want to know more about my background check out my about page
- Check out the eBook From Chaos to Peace - a simple program to clear your clutter and change your life that I co-authored with my friend Vicki McLeod