Raise your hand if you see clutter around you right now. Now, raise your hand if any of the clutter you just saw had become ‘invisible’ prior to my question. You’re probably asking yourself “What the heck is invisible clutter?” Well, let me share! Invisible clutter is that ‘stuff’ that doesn’t belong where it is, but you no longer see it as being out of place. It has become ‘part of the landscape’, so to speak.
Let’s look at some examples. That gum wrapper in your car’s cupholder that you just keep setting your cup on. The shoes under the coffee table for a week. The blanket laying in a heap on the corner of the couch. The pile of mail on the kitchen counter. Ladies, the junk in our purses that we sift through to find our Chapstick. The stuff on that shelf that’s been accumulating for weeks. Oh, I could go on for hours, but you probably get the idea.
Take a walk through your house now, with fresh eyes. Go ahead, I’ll wait.
Oh great, you’re back! What did you see? Did you find any invisible clutter?
Now that you are more aware of the invisible clutter around you, let’s talk about the impact it has on you and your family. As with all clutter, it may cause you to be anxious. You may not even realize it until the anxiety or stress builds to the breaking point. All the sudden you have this big problem, and you didn’t even see it coming. It may cost you time because you can’t find what you need when you need it, and you spend way too much time looking for it. It may cost you financially because an important item got accidentally thrown away. It may affect your peace of mind through unnecessary stress from these and other effects.
Now that you’re more aware of invisible clutter and the cost it has on you and your family, what can you do about it? First, that fresh look around you and your newfound sense of awareness is a step in the right direction. Next, take a couple of minutes and think about the invisible clutter you found a few minutes ago. How long have these items been there? Where should they be; do they have a permanent home? How did they get there? Why has no one picked them up? Answering these questions brings you another step closer to finding a solution.
There are ways you can prevent the buildup of invisible clutter. You can create tidying routines. It doesn’t have to be earth-shattering, but it should be intentional. For example, when you walk into the house, build an extra 2-3 minutes to empty your purse or put things away. Start small. I recommend ‘five-minute routines.” We can usually find five minutes sometime in our day to pick up and put away. And if you’re focused, that is a LOT of time. If you get distracted or you’re in a time crunch, set a timer for yourself. Set calendar reminders in your smart phone. For me, spending a few minutes at the end of the day to tidy makes a big difference in my state of mind starting the new day off on the right foot. Maybe, taking a few minutes before you start dinner to clear off the counter is an effective routine. Take a few minutes to consider your schedule and pick an approach. There’s no wrong way. Check in frequently and adjust if you need. It’s a constant work in progress, and there’s no magic bullet. Allow yourself some setbacks. You might even find that once you get into the habit, you barely need any time at all. Excellent! Spend that time doing something you love. By reducing clutter, you are investing in your well-being. And you, my friend, are worth it!
