Things you Can Get Rid of that Feel Wrong (but aren’t)

Organize yourself before you try to organize anything else.  – C. Jay

Clutter isn’t just stuff—it’s a slow-motion suffocation of your sanity. Fun fact: Americans spend 2.5 days every year hunting for lost items in homes bursting with  an average of 300,000 items.  Even more disturbing? We’re dropping $2.7 billion annually on storage units just to hoard more.

Too much clutter- the kinds that bothers us, is decision paralysis in its purest form. When everything feels important, nothing is.

The “But I Might Need It” Pile

  • Mystery chargers and random keys
  • Combination locks (code unknown)
  • Instruction manuals for appliances
  • Empty Apple boxes
  • Logo tote bags
  • Wrapping paper scraps for tiny gifts
  • Phone cases from three upgrades ago
  • Novels you’ve already read
  • Headphones that don’t fit your phone

The Memory Trap

  • Single socks/gloves/earrings
  • Greeting cards from people you can’t remember
  • Things that are sentimental to OTHER people
  • Souvenirs
  • Ancient trophies gathering dust
  • Tax docs older than 7 years

The Bathroom Graveyard

  • Tiny hotel toiletries
  • Unused makeup/Chapstick
  • Half-empty products you hate
  • Free samples

Kitchen Overflow

  • Extra mugs (keep 8)
  • Halloween napkins from 2018
  • Lidless Tupperware
  • Old cookware
  • Ancient spices
  • Cheap water bottles
  • Food with freezer burn
  • Sauce packets/Take out utensils

The Wake-Up Call

The Truth?  80% of Americans feel anxious because of their cluttered homes. Your stuff isn’t just taking up space—it’s stealing your peace. This November, stop organizing chaos and start eliminating it.  Make your space a sanctuary.

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Wellbeing Resources

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7 types of Clutter

Nostalgic, Useful,  On-Sale, Shouldn’t Use, Ambitious, Free,  Bad Purchases

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Clutter Raises Cortisol

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Assess Yourself

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Trash Bag Therapy

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DNR Clutter

For the loved one you live with who won’t depart with useless but sentimental items, place them in a sealed box and mark DNR,  DO NOT RE-OPEN so when the times comes, it goes directly to donation.  Genuis.

Thanks to my friend Linda DeViney for the great DNR tip!  

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 Remember to Stay Calm and Notice Beauty

 15-Year Time Lapse on Trees

Eileen O'Grady
About the author

Dr. Eileen O'Grady is a certified adult nurse practitioner who has practiced in primary care for over two decades. In that role she experienced a wide breadth and depth of humanity with disorders of the mind, body and spirit. She believes deeply that internal change leads to wellness, and that many disorders and diseases are entirely reversible with dramatic lifestyle change. Eileen's School of Wellness offers a unique approach to well-being. Through retreats and keynotes, workshops, and coaching, she provides practical tools that inspire, cultivate resilience, mindfulness, and agility, empowering individuals, teams, and organizations to thrive.
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