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<p class="page-title">Have you ever looked at a space and felt totally frozen in your tracks?  I mean you can't think...you can't take action, you just keep looking at that same pile of clothes, papers, closet, etc.?  Well, I encourage you to use the organizational roadmap stages to help you regain clarity.  You see these stages were designed to help you systematically walk through any roadblock.  I also encourage you to use this exercise to help you whenever you feel "the declutter block", to help you regain clarity and get started quickly and easily.  Let me show you how:</p>

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<h2>Step 1 - Identify the space you want to address</h2>
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In this exercise, I want you to make sure the space is small...especially if this is your first time.  We have to crawl before we walk, so I don't want you to bite off too much right out the gate. It should be a space that can be handled pretty quickly (i.e., a desk, your bathroom countertop/drawers, your kitchen countertop, etc.)
<h2>Step 2 - Identify your goal and purpose for the space</h2>
Think about how you currently use the space, what is working and what isn't.  Don't overthink this process, you can consider this your first round of decluttering.  You see many people get so overwhelmed with the state of their space that they overthink the process.  Start small then build momentum as you go.  You can always revisit the area once you are full steam ahead to see if you want to make any additional tweaks.
<h2>Step 3 - Clear your space of everything</h2>
This is the easiest and honestly most stress relieving action (well to me it is).  Think of it as starting fresh, having a clean slate and being able to make the rules up as you go.  Just remove everything from the space as if you were moving.  I recommend using an empty box to help you clear the space...you guys know how I feel about my paper boxes!  That being said, if you don't have a box the floor or a nearby table will do just fine.

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Return only things you absolutely need for the space and/or love – this is very emotional, but you will feel it. Go with your gut.

All remaining items should be placed in a box/container (as you know I love my free paper boxes with lids, but any box will do) this is so you can move it permanently out of the space but have it available should you need it.

Focus on the items you kept for the next 7 days…do you really like, need, use them? How do you use them, are they in the right physical place for the way you use them?  Is anything missing that you need that is in the box?  If so, retrieve it and find a home for it.

Once you finish the five steps above review your happiness levels and let us know below how it went (Pros and Cons). How much easier was it to be in the space once you cleared the noise of clutter?

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