Out of Chaos an organizing newsletter

The Most Valuable Thing

My husband showed me a newsletter from a rabbi recently that said, “The Torah starts with the word berishis — ‘in the beginning,’ which tells us that the first thing created was the concept of time. Time was created first because it is God’s gift to the world and the most valuable thing we have.”

I’m always telling clients that the stuff they think is too good to give to the thrift store isn’t as valuable as they think, but these same people are routinely quite profligate with that most valuable resource.

Often, after I’ve helped a client work through their clutter, we move on to their calendars. Why? Because the key to maintaining their newly organized space sometimes means being more intentional with their time, so that they can carve out space in their day to put clothes away and manage their mail.

At the beginning of the pandemic many of us suddenly had some more time. We did jigsaw puzzles and yoga. We read novels, on the couch, in the daylight. But pretty quickly, we were back to working too much and rushing all the time, albeit while wearing masks. Rushing leads to disorganization and disorganization eats time. Can’t find your keys? You waste time looking for them. Can’t find your long underwear? You spend time (and money) buying more. Clutter makes everything harder and more time consuming: Sure, you can get twenty shirts to fit in a drawer, but fitting fifteen in a drawer is much easier.

Just because we’ve always done something a certain way doesn’t mean we still have to do it that way, and that’s important to keep in mind when you are trying to de-clutter your schedule or your home. Letting go of stuff is great, but letting go of some of your old ideas can really make magic.

Look at your time, ask yourself what really matters to you and if you are using your time, your most valuable resource, in a way that aligns with your goals and values. And if it doesn’t? You can change it. Spring is always about beginning, reawakening and renewal, so it’s a perfect time for change.

And speaking change, I’ve decided to go back to monthly newsletters. Less for you to read, less for me to write. Hopefully, less will be better, which is always my goal in any endeavor.

Here’s to change and new beginnings!