"Just as picky eaters are rarely overweight, picky consumers rarely become overstuffed."
-Harriet Schechter



















 "Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful."
- William Morris




















"Art is the elimination of the unnecessary."
-Pablo Picasso

Shopping Guidelines

Avoid shopping when you are bored

When you are bored, tired or stressed, your emotional shopping causes you to purchase things you do not need and results in clutter accumulation.

Resist being a purchasing puppet of the mass media multi-marketing ploys

Ask yourself:
- Do I really need that?
- Will that make me happier…healthier…look better…be better?
- Is it worth the time spent to earn the money to pay for it?
- Will I really use it?

Go shopping in your own closets

Challenge yourself to go shopping in your own closets and cupboards and put to new use something which has been going unused.

Avoid purchasing things which can be obtained free or low cost

This is especially true of printed and recorded media. How often will you watch that DVD? Rent instead of buying and avoid having to store it, dust it and find it if you eventually want to watch it again. How often will you refer to that fashion magazine? Cancel the subscription and get it at the library. How long will that medical book or travel guide be current? Get your updated information online and save yourself the purchase price of the book.

Turn to non-material ways to soothe yourself

Take a bath; get a massage; make a cup of tea and read your book; watch a movie; talk with someone you care about.

Evaluate Your Value System

Clutter occurs when we hang on to excess, usually for reasons that we think are rational, but upon honest appraisal, can be found to be irrational.

Ask yourself:
- Is my house feeling like a burden, keeping me hostage with its stuff? Or, does it feel like a home - a place of comfort for my mind, body and soul? What would need to change for me to enjoy my home more?
- Does this house reflect our family values? Do we enjoy the space by spending time in activities together? How can I make it more of a haven for my family?
- Is this space a place of welcome for others? Do I wish for it to be or might I be avoiding others by creating barriers of mess?

Imagine the life you would like to live in your home if it looked as you wish it did:
- What would the space ideally be used for?
- How would you decorate the space?
- Who would enjoy using it once it looked as you imagine?

Free Yourself

Rather than looking at cleaning as tossing things away, consider it a process like carving out a piece of art. As the sculptor chips away at the mass of stone, he unearths the beauty of the statue. You, too, reveal the beauty of your space as you chip away at the clutter. Do you value the clutter or the serenity of simplicity?

Ask yourself:
- What might I get rid of which would actually make me feel better about myself?
- If you are holding on to clothing which doesn’t fit, might you feel better about your current size without the reminders?
- If exercise equipment collecting dust makes you feel bad about not using it, might you feel better by selling or donating it?
- If the stacks of unread material cause you stress because you don’t have time to read, might you feel better cancelling the subscriptions and saving the money?

Clutter To Comfort will help you release the clutter and make a home!

 

More Advice:
What is Clutter?
How to Get Started
Self-Compassion
Helping Others