Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter
Clearing the Decks
I was really effective today, which was a relief after last week’s inertia. I distributed hand-me-downs that have been lingering in my front hall, I returned library books, I deleted e-mails, I filed. It’s not that I never do these things, but I just did a whole lot very quickly today. We are going away tomorrow, and I like to clear the decks before I leave town. I like to go on vacation without anything hanging over me, and I like to return to a clean, orderly home. Of course, you don’t have to be going on vacation to appreciate this feeling. You can hit the reset button and clear the decks any time you want.
I love it when all the paper is off my desk and there are only coats and boots and umbrellas in my coat closet. It never lasts long: The mail arrives, the kid grows out of another pair of pants that end up in a bag destined for the friend down the block, but for that moment that the desk is clear or the closet is neat, I treasure it.
So maybe you aren’t going on vacation anytime soon, but try this trick: Just pretend that you are, and think about “clearing the decks.” What stagnancy have you been oblivious to? What 10-minute errand has been sitting near the front door for weeks? How would the kitchen counter look if you were going out of town for a week? Move it out, get it done. Your place will look so great you’ll be happy to be home!