N is for Normal: Is all this Clutter Normal?

N is for Normal, Necessary, Needed, Numerous, Never-Ending....you get the  point!

Organizing really comes down to a few basic principles and one of them is whether or not the items we have in our homes, on our desks, on our computers or in our offices  are Necessary.   

While items of beauty are Needed to enhance our homes and bring us joy, sometimes the things we collect become too Numerous and we Need to find the power to say “No More” when considering adding to our collections.

Is it Needed, is it Necessary, are the questions we should ask ourselves on our organizing adventures and if the answer to both questions is yes – then where do they belong?   

The space in our home is finite and on occasion some of our belonging seems to be infinite.   When our belonging become too Numerous for the allotted space, it is time to pare them down to fit the allowable space.   

• Too many jeans for the drawer? Get rid of the least loved.  
• Too many purses for the shelf?  Look them over and start by getting rid of your least favourite, your least used, until you have enough space.

One of my favourite clients often asks me “is this Normal”?  There is really no real answer to that question - Normal is different for everyone.   What some consider normal others consider abnormal.   A more compelling question could be “how does this mess, this closet, this bins of photographs or this dining room table we can no longer eat at, make me feel?”   

If it does not make us or a member of our household feel comfortable, then it is time to make a NOW Change.  A  Now Change is one that needs to happen before it causes strife in our homes.  What Now Change can you make today to  home and your life more comfortable?


I have no idea why I have struggled so much with this particular blog entry but finally, here you go!  I want to thank my colleagues at POC for their assistance in coming up with some Organizing related “N” words.