Are you an innie or an outie? We’re not talking bellybuttons here; we are talking about how you deal with clutter. Innies tend to “file,” while outies tend to “pile.” I am naturally an outie, so I tend to pile, and that led to some disorganization challenges that took me quite a bit of time to finally overcome.
After 30 years in women’s ministry, I know that home organization is a topic that many of us struggle with. So in this episode, I asked my friend, Crystal, to join me for a conversation about organizing. Crystal Larkin is the owner of Crystal Clear Professional Organizing and the former Director of Speakers for Hearts at Home.
Join me as Crystal shares:
- The obstacles that prevent us from clearing clutter
- Strategies to C.L.E.A.R. clutter
- The importance of decluttering before you organize
- And more!
I’m so excited to share this topic with you!
Resources mentioned in this episode:
- Finding Freedom from Clutter with Kathi Lipp | Episode 40
- [BOOK] Live in Grace, Walk in Love: A 365-Day Journey
- Style by Color
- Get Organized with The Home Edit on Netflix
- Find My Organizer
- The National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals
- Connect with Crystal on her website, Facebook, or Instagram
- As a thank you for listening, get your 3 free eBooks.
My Key Takeaways:
1) It begins with your mindset. Before we can start decluttering, we have to understand what our stuff represents to us and why it can be so hard to get rid of some items. If you are feeling attached to your stuff or like you could never give things away, that may be a sign that you are not ready to declutter. There may be more that is preventing us from cleaning out our clutter such as overcoming our own upbringing or also dealing with a disorder that causes us to have a plethora of unfinished projects. If this sounds like you, consider taking some time to understand your mindset before tackling decluttering.
2) Let go of your “old self.” We sometimes struggle to get rid of our stuff because it represents our old selves. This could be a version of ourselves that we desperately want to get back to or are sad to let go of. However, when we hold onto the stuff that represents our old selves it can act as a bully that heaps shame on us for not being who we once were. Whether it’s those pair of skinny jeans we’ve been holding on to for when we can squeeze into them again or the remnants of an old hobby or a past ministry, we need to give ourselves grace and accept who we are today. It’s okay to let go of your old self.
3) Choose just one area to tackle. Instead of trying to tackle the entire room or garage, start with something small. You can do this by either setting a timer or picking just one drawer to declutter. Crystal has an acronym to help guide clients through the decluttering process called C.L.E.A.R. This is the first step in the acronym! She recommends having boxes to add things to donate to, trash bags for things that you will throw away, and then an “action pile” of things that you need to return to someone, sell, or file away. This way you won’t get out of your groove while organizing. (The rest of Crystal’s acronym can be found in the podcast or on her website!)
About Crystal:
Crystal Larkin is a professional declutterer, organizer, styler, and stager. She is the owner of Crystal Clear Professional Organizing, a business dedicated to transforming your space so you can enjoy your time at home and have less stress.
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