profile

Helen Sanderson, The Clutter Therapist

Why waiting doesn't make it easier

Published 6 days ago • 1 min read

Hello Reader,

Delaying a tricky conversation doesn't make it easier.

We all know this is true. And it also applies to pretty much anything we are avoiding because it may be hard, painful or challenges what we know.

The status quo feels safe because it feels familiar. Like the proverbial frog in a pan of water that is slowly heated up, we will tolerate things that become gradually less comfortable; situations that we’d jump straight out of if we were put directly into them. Whether that’s a relationship, a job or some aspect of our environment. (I know the frog thing is an unpleasant metaphor, but it speaks to an important truth.)

Just like the temperature in that pan on a low burner, clutter and disorder keep increasing over time if not dealt with. But when it creeps up, almost imperceptibly, it often feels easier to delay what needs to be done and live with it as it is.

Look around and notice the level of clutter and disorganisation that’s around you. Now think back to when you moved into your home. If it had been as it is now, would you have been keen to buy or rent it and move in? I’m not saying this to criticise or shame you, I just want to help you find clarity.

It may be helpful to have a kind, but honest, conversation with yourself about what is keeping you stuck. This is an important conversation that you may have been delaying for some time. Or if it would help, and you are ready to invest and get started, we can talk things through together.

The good news is that this tricky conversation is part of the route you can follow to get back to that clear space, filled with possibilities that drew you to it all those years ago. I know it’s not easy or you would have done it already, but with the right approach, beliefs and support you can do it.

If you want to learn more about how my 1:1 service, courses or programmes can help, check out my website. I’ve recently added an interactive tool on my ‘Start Here’ page that will guide you through your options.

Whatever route you decide, your journey starts with having that conversation.

Best wishes

Helen

Working with clients in London and all over the UK.

​Unsubscribe · Preferences​

Helen Sanderson, The Clutter Therapist

Supporting you to create a beautifully organised, clutter-free home and live a more mindful life

Author of The Secret Life of Clutter, psychotherapist, designer and one of the UK’s most well-respected clutter experts, Helen works with her clients holistically to uncover what their homes reveal about their psyches and what is blocking them. And then, with compassion, take positive action to clear those obstacles. This leads to life-changing shifts, which leave people with a new-found clarity and homes that support them to live their best lives

Read more from Helen Sanderson, The Clutter Therapist

Hello Reader, There's a particular kind of wardrobe clutter that has nothing to do with clothes. The suit from a job you left a decade ago. The jeans from ten years and two sizes back. The going-out dress from a version of your life that doesn't exist anymore. None of it's really about the item, it's about what letting it go would mean. I write about this in my latest blog, How to Organise a Cluttered Wardrobe: 7 Mistakes to Fix. I go into a lot of wardrobes for work, and that's one of seven...

15 days ago • 1 min read

Hi Reader, Whether you have just finished decluttering your paperwork, you are partway through the process, or you are simply thinking about getting it more organised, at some point the same question comes up: once you know what you are keeping, where does it actually live? Not just stuffed into the nearest drawer, but somewhere logical, easy to find, and easy to maintain so it stays that way. Most of us inherit our paperwork system rather than choose it. One thing I have noticed across years...

about 1 month ago • 1 min read

Somewhere in your home - or maybe in more than one place - there is a pile of paper quietly growing. Letters you meant to open, a form from school, a receipt you might need one day, a leaflet from a restaurant. It never seems to be anyone's fault. It just accumulates. Paperwork is unusual as far as clutter goes. It does not just take up drawer space, it seems to demand attention every time you see it, which is part of why it drains so much more mental energy than its size would suggest....

about 1 month ago • 1 min read