Space really is the final frontier

Living in small spaces requires organizing skills and a propensity to get rid of clutter on a daily basis.  I have personally had trouble with the collection of clutter myself for a long time now.   Clutter, junk mail, gas and grocery receipts, birthday cards, recipes I want to try, coupons my mother painstakingly cuts out of the newspaper for me, where does it end and where do you put this stuff? I go crazy thinking I can’t throw away that birthday card that my mother in law sent to me.  I have started a paper recycling bin, usually a cardboard cereal box that I am tossing, to put in junk mail and the odd collection of receipts that I don’t need, but my clutter still grows.

This clutter grows and has a mind of its own.  It gets bigger because I feed it almost daily.  More mail comes in, I shop and keep receipts because I may want to return something.  It spreads all across the end of my kitchen counter, it starts with the basket, then that overflows and I have two piles.  I have added two magazine publications that I receive and never read, gifts from my father in law, bless his heart.  I wish I had time to read them, I always mean to. But where does this madness end?

I don’t get the newspaper anymore, most of the news I receive is on TV or the internet, thank goodness, I might be buried in newsprint otherwise.  I came across a really good article on organization from Peter Walsh called a small chat. What deliberately great information for any apartment dweller that has to battle clutter and disorganization every day.  Most of his ideas are pretty simple actually, what can you live with and what can you live without, what can you recycle, donate, trash. His message is clear, about what can we live without.  If you wore it 2 years ago and haven’t worn it since, get rid of it. Perhaps you don’t need all the furniture you have in your apartment.  If something is not useful, donate it to an organization who can re-purpose it. There is  peace and tranquility and freedom in finding more space in your apartment. Take the leap to be lighter with your living. Take up less space and be responsible for less.

I am not sure I will ever be completely clutter free and free of the junk that entangles me daily, but I might give that desk organizer a try. I think what is more important is when you have a small space, giving everything a home is what is most important, Closets neatly organized with shoes and clothing, bedding and luggage all in their respective areas is pleasing and easy to find items that you need. Important files such as legal documents and insurance policies for life and auto and health can be important to find in a stressful situation.  The more time you spend organizing and putting things away consistently provides you more time to enjoy yourself and relax knowing full well where everything is, in its home or in its place.

Space really is the final frontier, finding more of it to live; finding more of it to store things; and finding more of it to enjoy. May the space you live in be pleasing to you always.