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Thy Name is Clutter- Author Unknown

It arose one morning from the bowels of my desk, a formless mass that spread and covered itself over anything I was looking for. “Who are you?”, I asked.

“I am Clutter”, the mass answered, “and I am here to confound your life. I am the things you refuse to throw out though you haven’t used them in six years, the miscellaneous papers, phone numbers, business cards, and stuff you accumulate and don’t put away. I am the inevitable manifestation of your sloppiness. I am Clutter.”

I grabbed Clutter and moved it from one end of the desk to the other. Clutter chortled. “That’s my favorite pastime. Moving from one end of the desk to the other”. “What do you want?” I asked.

“To frustrate you. I will resist all attempts to remove me, reduce me, or otherwise eliminate me. It’s my purpose to hide whatever important piece of paper you need, whichever phone number you must call.”

“I’m throwing you out”, I stormed. Clutter shook his untidy mass sadly, as in pity.

“Not without looking through me to see if there’s anything you really need”, Clutter answered. “The odds are slim, but you won’t take that chance. And while you’re sorting through me, I’ll reform in another pile”.

“But you’ll be smaller, more manageable”.

“Not really. You’ll decide to keep 90% of me, as you always do. And soon, new papers, numbers, documents will gather, making me more obstructive than ever”.

“You won’t ruin my life, Clutter! I’ll start a filing system! Put bits of you where you belong.” Clutter gazed at me contemptuously.

“The last time you tried that, you created my cousins, Chaos and Disorder. It’ll never work.”

Clutter had me and I knew it. Attempts in the past to file things alphabetically had only created 26 piles of mess instead of one. I was desperate, so I decided to bluff. “I’ll take a time management course”, I threatened.

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Clutter quite rightly ignored my remark. I wasn’t dealing with an idiot, after all. “Then I’ll buy a computer and store you there!”.

“And within a month your computer filing system will be in total disarray, plus you’ll have another pile of papers waiting to be entered into the computer. Face it, you can’t win.”

Exasperated, I ran to the closet. “I’m getting some air.”

Clutter had been to the closet before me. Shoes were scattered, shirts were unhung, clumps of pants and underwear lay strewn next to towels and a lawn chair. Socks congealed in small piles, looking like the waste product of some nylon-eating monster. Cliff notes from ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ lay atop the heater.

“Clutter”, I yelled. “You have crippled my productivity for the last time. No longer will I be late, no more will I miss appointments, never again shall I be overwhelmed by your size and withdraw into reading old magazines. I am going out to the store to buy a paper shredder!”

I looked around for a long moment. “Now where did I leave my keys?”.

Clutter burped.

SEE ALSO: Understanding Buddhism: 10 Reasons It’s NOT A Religion

How can clutter not only invade our homes but also our mind, body, and spirit?

1. Excessive clutter in our lives can lead to increased anxiety, stress and even depression: Clutter can weigh us down, not only physically, but emotionally as well.
2. Spending and buying more and more in order to “fill the spaces” of our lives: A minimalist lifestyle will actually offer more options than one that is filled to capacity.
3. Inability to focus and to process information: Too much noise, too much stuff, too much clutter can contribute to lack of attention and distraction of thoughts and ideas.
4. Digital clutter; social media, computer screens, television, cell phones produce brain attack: Enough said on this one. Turn it off. Or, at least give it a break.
5. Depletion of energy: It is hard to find energy for new adventures in life when clutter thrives. Procrastination takes over. Decision making ability falls short. Clutter remains.

Reduce the cutter, start small and create a space for energy, focus and motivation.

Decluttered space can feel very comforting and peaceful while bringing us back to living in the moment.