Clutter Enablers

Some people have clutter because they don't put things away, or they put off  tossing something they no longer need. Things are put in a spot 'just for now' and those temporary spots become problem clutter spots.

For example, if you leave one sheet of paper out on your desk, will it really make a big difference if there are two sheets left there, or three or four? Yes, it will make a huge difference because before you know it, you'll have an large stack of paper on your desk!

What about if you toss a jacket over the back of a chair? Only one jacket, right? Well, what if your spouse walks in and tosses his or her jacket right next to yours? After all, you've just shown it's okay to do it. Then, your kids come home and toss their jackets on a chair, because they figure if good for the gander, it must be alright for the goose. It won't be long before your home is a mess.

Have you ever heard of the broken window syndrome? If there's an abandoned building in town and it has one broken window that's not repaired, before long there will be two broken windows, three broken windows, four, five--until the building is full of broken windows and then the neighborhood begins to deteriorate. Crime rates increase all because one broken window was not repaired.

That's just the way it goes. If nobody cares enough to fix the first broken window, some other people will be compelled to break more windows because there is no order or enforcement of the laws in town.

The broken window syndrome, can be applied to most areas of your life. If you let the small stuff go, the small stuff will soon turn into big stuff.

So, the next time you consider tossing the mail on the coffee table instead of going through it right now, or letting the laundry pile up all week rather than doing a load a day, think about the broken window syndrome.

Most clutter can be avoided by simply taking a moment to put things away now, or by immediately getting rid of things you no longer need.