Clutter

Every weekend I distress over the mess and clutter in my apartment.  It's a small 600 square-foot space and I, just one lonely person, live in this gigantic shoebox.  Every weekend I clean it up and every week the space falls into chaos.  Is this cycle of organized-then-messy because I have too much stuff?  Is it because I do not spend enough time at home during the workweek to pick up after myself?  (Ask yourself, reader, if you are the type that flings off your shoes and coat onto the nearest chair, couch or table the minute you walk into the door [like me] or if you neatly put back your belongings.)  I think this simple key to clearing clutter is actually the key to fixing a lot of things in my life.

One of the editors over at apartmenttherapy.com makes a good point in a recent post: "Clutter is a natural fact of life and the problem started with our Caveman ancestors. Way back in those Cave Days you needed to accumulate as much food and supplies as you could in order to ensure your survival. Life was simple. You dragged it all into your cave. This was SMART and IMPORTANT to do. Otherwise you might DIE. But times have changed since then."  Well put.

So here is my new mantra: I will spend ten minutes a day cleaning.  Whether it is during the opening credits to a movie, while cookies are baking, or while I let my hair air dry a little bit, I'm going to put things in their rightful place.