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articles about and by Carol Olmstead
Does Clutter Control You?
A house is a place to keep your stuff, while you go get more stuff, until you have so much stuff, you have to go get a bigger house.
-- George Carlin
In Feng Shui, clutter represents postponed decisions and the inability to move forward. It includes anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, or hopelessly disorganized. Clutter creates stagnation, encouraging a negative “putting-off-until-tomorrow” mentality rather than a positive “doing-it-today” focus, thereby reducing energy in our minds and in our spaces.
Think that you have your clutter under control, or does it control you? Let's find out.
Rate your response to the questions that follow with a number from 1 to 4 according to this ranking:
• I keep bills, bank statements, and other mail in piles until I have time to file.
• I have more than 10 plastic bags in my house.
• I save magazines with interesting articles/recipes.
• When I look around, I get tired thinking about what it will take to unclutter my home.
• I have two or more craft projects going at any one time.
• My house may look messy to some people, but I know where to find everything.
• If someone stops by unexpectedly, I try to avoid letting them in.
• I leave things out so I know where they are, or as a reminder to myself.
• Time keeps me from getting or being organized.
• When it comes to clearing clutter I think, "Why bother, it will just get cluttered again."
• I can't bear to part with things and I consider myself a pack rat.
• The stress level in our house is directly related to the clutter level.
Now, add up your score and rate your clutter control:
44 to 52: Your clutter problem has been building, and you need some serious clutter busting.
35 to 43: Your clutter problem is growing worse and will continue unless you do something about it.
26 to 34: You have a potential clutter problem, but also can change a few habits.
17 to 25: You may be temporarily disorganized.
Less than 17: Congratulations on controlling your clutter.
This quiz comes from the book “Unclutter Your Home” by Donna Smallin.
-- George Carlin
In Feng Shui, clutter represents postponed decisions and the inability to move forward. It includes anything unfinished, unused, unresolved, or hopelessly disorganized. Clutter creates stagnation, encouraging a negative “putting-off-until-tomorrow” mentality rather than a positive “doing-it-today” focus, thereby reducing energy in our minds and in our spaces.
Think that you have your clutter under control, or does it control you? Let's find out.
Rate your response to the questions that follow with a number from 1 to 4 according to this ranking:
- Never or almost never -- 1
- Sometimes -- 2
- Usually -- 3
- All the time -- 4
• I keep bills, bank statements, and other mail in piles until I have time to file.
• I have more than 10 plastic bags in my house.
• I save magazines with interesting articles/recipes.
• When I look around, I get tired thinking about what it will take to unclutter my home.
• I have two or more craft projects going at any one time.
• My house may look messy to some people, but I know where to find everything.
• If someone stops by unexpectedly, I try to avoid letting them in.
• I leave things out so I know where they are, or as a reminder to myself.
• Time keeps me from getting or being organized.
• When it comes to clearing clutter I think, "Why bother, it will just get cluttered again."
• I can't bear to part with things and I consider myself a pack rat.
• The stress level in our house is directly related to the clutter level.
Now, add up your score and rate your clutter control:
44 to 52: Your clutter problem has been building, and you need some serious clutter busting.
35 to 43: Your clutter problem is growing worse and will continue unless you do something about it.
26 to 34: You have a potential clutter problem, but also can change a few habits.
17 to 25: You may be temporarily disorganized.
Less than 17: Congratulations on controlling your clutter.
This quiz comes from the book “Unclutter Your Home” by Donna Smallin.
