Getting Rid Of Clutter - Tidy Up!

The task of getting rid of clutter is your priority this year. You have already taken the first steps. The first of many that you have craftily planned!

Transferring ownership is part of your plan. Here we go! Dial the number of the sucker who you have in mind, tell him what you think of the unique artistic talent that he possesses.

Tell him that the metal art that he produces should be displayed at the "Exhibition Des Objects D'Art," which is held in Marseilles once in twenty five years.

In the same breath ask him if he could give you a few ideas on what you could do with those metal doorknobs, those metal handles from various appliances and parts from old metal lamp stands and especially that large copper ashtray top and all the other bits and pieces of metal that you have been saving since childhood.

When he starts his long explanation on the basics on metal art, listen attentively and wait patiently for a breakthrough ... the moment he tells you what to weld on to what, break in and sadly exclaim "but I don't have welding equipment!"

Whatever he says in response, quickly offer the junk to him in a hurried tone.

You also need to sound as if you are entrusting him with something very dear to you!

If your tone is just right, he will bite and gratefully accept it! ... When he does, a good percentage of your clutter, will be gotten rid of for good!

All the metal bits and pieces of junk will be gone and you did not even have to trash them! What a Brilliant idea!

So you dial Thomas's number full of expectations!

Clearing clutter ......... Here we come!

"Sorry the number you dialled is no longer in use. The subscriber is either permanently disconnected due to non settlement of bills, has voluntarily unsubscribed from this network, has passed away, or is in jail!"

Geez, where the hell is Thomas? Hope he is still among the living.You don't give up that easily. You dial once more after a couple of minutes has elapsed, and the same recording greets you.

So ... it's back to square two! You dunno where to contact Tom. Serves you right!

You have been procrastinating this business of clutter clearing for ages.

However the moment you decided to put your foot down and get about the task of actually doing it you began to get some brilliant ideas.

One of them involved this friend of yours who has a knack for creative art, and has in his possession welding equipment as well.

You needed to somehow convince him that all the bits and pieces of metal you had in your "collection" could be put to good use.

The good use that he puts them to could also win him acclaim and possibly an award or two too ... at the Marseilles art exhibition. That is the idea you needed to convey to him. But ... unfortunately he is not around.

You need to contact somebody who is likely to know of Tom's whereabouts. Until such time you figure out whom to contact you get on with the rest of your plan. There is some thinking to do too.

According to Feng Shui, clearing clutter brings you good luck.

Well ... to hell with Feng Shui! You have already read QuickSnd's opinion on Feng Shui in an earlier article in which he makes his opinion known.

He states that he had studied it for well over a year and then had experimented with it for eighteen long months.

Whatever the case may be, Feng Shui had some useful tips for those interested in clearing clutter.

The fact is, everone knows that clearing clutter will bring you a great sense of relief. Getting rid of the things that you have and don't need is just what clearing clutter is all about. That is exactly what Feng Shui says in many different ways.

Clearing clutter is extremely easy. All you need to do is throw away what you don't need and retain just what you need and what you are likely to need in the near future. However for this operation you need raw courage!

Identifying what you need right now is simple. Identifying what you may need in the near future is the most difficult task of all. This is exactly what prevents clutter from getting cleared.

How clutter accumulates is something one needs to focus on with a view to preventing it from occuring at all times.

At one time, I recall I had a large box marked ODDS and ENDS! Inside this box there were two smaller boxes one of them marked ODDS, the other marked ENDS.

The funny part of it was, I did not put anything specific into any particular box! I just put stuff at random into each box.

Strangely enough, they contained stuff like the turntable of an old record player, a burnt out step down transformer, empty plastic boxes of different sizes and shapes, and a few electric motors from old toys.

I even had some torch bulbs, pieces of wax crayons, and a variety of other things like broken handles of portable radios, knobs, and electrical switches ...

I wanted to attach the handle of a broken transistor radio on to the lid of a bin which I had painted in several colors without actually representing a design.

Remember OP ART, the craze of the seventies?

Well, this was not really op art but some other form of art which involved just splashing colors in any sequence on any surface and hope it will look good!

Each and every item that constitued my clutter was something for which I had a specific plan. That is how these things began accumulating.

Boy! Was that not cluttering of the highest order?

Clearing clutter is one way of shattering your dreams! ... How come? ... Well here's an example.

When you throw away the stuff that you think would be the likely components of some devise which you intend constructing when you find the time, you simply throw away your hopes of building your very own whatever you have had in mind.

Well, one needs to prioritize tasks and arrive at conclusions as what not to do in the future.

When you decide with a determination what not to do in the future, then naturally the components that you will need, to do whatever that you have decided not to do in the future goes into the trash bin.

One of the reasons for procrastinating on clutter clearing is that you keep looking for people who would be interested in having what you are going to throw away!

This gets you thinking. Ah! You said to yourself, I could pass these on to Tom and convince him that he could weld them together and make objects of art ... or objects d'art, as the French call it!

This is where you call Tom, and find that he is not to be found. Now you remember Dick. He will know about Tom's whereabouts. Dick could even be a recipient of some of the stuff I intend getting rid of! Goody! Goody!

Fortunately Dick is just a phone call away and you have his number in your phone's memory. So you dial his number and find that he is not around either. His secretary says he's away.

Dick will know where to contact Tom but Dick is away for two weeks and you need to wait till he gets back in order to check out where Tom could be contacted if he was still among the living. So ... the clutter gets to stay with you for another two weeks!

You had already sent an e-mail to Harry asking him if he would like to have your collection of empty after shave bottles. No response from Harry yet. He would probably have done exactly what you do to your inbox.

Open mail - check all - delete all! ... Well? Simply hang on for a few days and send him just two more mails and then decide on an alternative!

My advise to you is, to hell with Tom, Dick and Harry. Just put all this stuff in the garbage bin and forget about it for the rest of your life ... even if it means shattering your dreams!

... end of part one

Clearing clutter definitely brings you a very great sense of relief and this is beyond any shade of doubt.

You also need to know that you could prevent a tight situation where you are faced with truckloads of clutter to clear and a short time frame to do so.

There is one certain method of preventing that situation from arising. You really can do it. It only needs consistency.

It is just a question of picking an object at random from your "collection" or whatever you prefer to call it, and ask yourself the following questions ...

• Do I need this now?
• Will I need this later?
• Will someone I know need this now?
• Will someone I know need this later?
• Is this good enough to be gifted to someone?
• Can I sell this item?

Your answer should be either "yes" or "no." There should be no "maybe" or "unsure." If it is not "yes" it is definitely no.

If your answer is in the negative to three or more questions, considering the fact that there is no comprise between "yes" and "no," then the best thing to do is trash it and forget about it forever.

Picking up just one object each and every single day and applying this formula could very well mean that in just a couple of months you could be totally free of any form of clutter.

It is also important that you need to use your sense of judgement to identify what exactly clutter is and what it is not. Otherwise you will end up trashing valuable stuff as well.

My tips only involve clutter and in case you have any doubts about what is and what is not, ask someone around for assistance or simply don't do anything at all.

In addition to all these, you also need to, at any given time be prepared for an emergency. You never know what could be in store for you.

Being clutter free also means you are prepared. So I suggest you check out this plan of mine.

An ideal situation would be, to have in your possession only a small collection of books. Around ten would fit into a medium sized briefcase.

Have just a bagful of clothes consisting of not more than six shirts, three t-shirts, two pairs of swim shorts, two pairs of denim work pants, two jackets, and two pairs of cotton pants and not more than four pairs of shoes.

About ten high capacity pen drives, a laptop, with an HSDPA modem also known as a dongle to connect to the Internet.

Just about ten CDs, an ipod, a small box containing basic carpentry tools, a bose wave radio with a set of bose speakers as these do not occupy much space, just one mobile phone, with dual sim if required, a small printer, and a scanner.

One briefcase containing your educational and sports certificates sealed in a waterproof polythene cover, and other important documents like your check book, passport and any unspent travelers' checks.

How about your trophies? Well what is important is what you can do today, not what you were able to do yesterday.

Trophies are symbols of your past achievements. Chuck them!

Of course your wallet containing your spare cash, credit cards, ATM cards, and whatever other cards that you use often will be more often on your person or less often in your brief case.

Have I forgotten something? If you think I have, please leave a comment. Well, that's it! That's about all all! Everything else goes to the trash can!

All the books that you have gotten rid of earlier have been scanned and the images of the pages contained in those pen drives.

The CDs would consist of your Windows Vista or Xp or some other operating system, possibly some drivers, Photoshop, and some programs that you need to access constantly. All your favorite music could be contained in an ipod.

That way, if a volcano in the vicinity of your residence erupts or if a river close to where you live overflows, or even if the ground beneath you starts to quiver, causing oil to gush out at a terrific rate, requiring that the denizens of the area be evacuated ... you can re-locate fast, carrying all your belongings with you!

Feel free! Be clutter free!

Hang on! Hang on! I haven't finished yet!

Do you know that Advanced Clutter Clearing which is all about how to clear your mind involves psychology, hypnosis, and other related subjects.

It is true that physically getting rid of clutter will bring you a great sense of relief, and will have a positive effect on your mind.

But it is simply not the solution to other problems that are caused by the mind and your mindset.

Well, the mind is the master they say. The mind is also a powerful instrument that you could harness and reap great benefits for yourself and for all those around you ... if you know how to.

Stay tuned!

... concluded