Here is the draft of a speech I gave for a group this week. I hope that it can touch base with some of us that are looking for the meaning of it all….
 
We say to ourselves we should change and do what we can to reach our personal best, but something keeps us from trying. Something stops us from believing in ourselves.
it’s that C word
Steals your dreams
Bogs you down
Causes lethargy
It’s the C word that represents
Emotional baggage
Postponed decisions
Procrastination
 
That C word is clutter.
 
You know who you are
Are you consistently late?
Spend time looking for things?
Do you apologize for the state of your home?
Pay bills late because you misplaced them?
 
 
Brothers and Sisters,
Like the calories that accumulate, little by little, pound by pound, on our hips waist and thighs, so do the clutter in our lives
What we have in your life right now – the circumstances, the challenges - are not who we are.  They’re who you were.  They reflect where our energy and focus was in the past.
The future is held in where your thoughts, behaviors and energy are   today
How can we be here today when we’re held back by yesterday’s thoughts and behaviors?
The higher you can raise your energy and remind yourself of where you’re going, the faster it will come to you.  This is where your environment can be such a great friend.
It’s important the energy in your environment is in alignment with what you want so it can support you rather than working against you.

Sounds easy?
To some of us the task of clearing the clutter can be overwhelming.
 
The only place to start is at the start.
 
Patti, that was pretty profound, so I will rewrite that:
The only place to start is at the start
Do what you can with what you have from where you’re at.
 Ask yourself these questions about the clutter in your life.
-do I need it? – do I use it? do I love it?
 
- does this represent where I’m going in life?
- Does it make my heart sing?
By cultivating awareness within yourself, you’ll learn to see your home as an integral part of your existence rather than somewhere you simply return to at the end of each day.
Your home mirrors what you think, feel and experience. 
We all know that there are some universal laws. One is the law of gravity. If someone decides to throw a ball up in the air, it will come down. It’s the law. Does it matter how smart you are? How tall or short you are? How talented? How rich, or poor?
The law of attraction, like the law of gravity, is surprisingly simple: Like attracts like. And anyone can do that too.
Here’s how it works. I call it Patti’s P’s to Paradise:
Place the order
What WOULD you really like?  You may not be used to giving this too much thought.
This is your personal mission statement and it can be the headlights that illuminate your destination.
When we know the direction we want our choices to take us, it’s as if we’ve placed an order with the universe. We’ve put part of our energy out there. Energy cannot move freely through clutter – it’s just not possible

Prepare for the arrival
My coworker ordered a beautiful sectional sofa from a high end shop in Thornbury. Did she just walk away and forget about it till it appeared? She prepared for it’s arrival. She cleared the old furniture out. She bought new ottomans. She knew that the couch would come, so she laid the groundwork.
Make a habit of preparing for the arrival of your dreams and goals.
A habit is an acquired behavior pattern regularly followed until it has become almost involuntary on every possible level.
This provides the energy you need to create the outcome. Like the radio, you must be tuned in to a frequency.
Pretend you have it:
Imagine you now have this thing or this way of being you’ve chosen.
Most importantly, feel the gratitude that you know you will feel once you are where you want to be.
During your dig you will find gems in that mine, things you’ve stashed away for a special occasion—a bottle of special wine, a gorgeous pair of shoes, silver or crystal… things that remind you of the lifestyle choices you deserve. Take them out and put them to use tonight, just because you’re alive now to enjoy them! That’s a great cause for a celebration.
Mother Nature tells it like it really is:
The winter blanket of white doesn’t destroy the earth’s ability to renew – it just cloaks it for awhile. Beneath the soil, seeds begin to reach out tendrils, feeling their way towards the surface.
The same is true of your own wild, creative self — your spirit is always germinating with new ideas, thoughts, connections, and dreams. This spring, I am offering you the opportunity to pull back that cloak of winter (physical, mental and/or spiritual) and reveal the sweet gifts and stunning surprises your soul has waiting for you.Written by Patti Smith, CSP
 
 

30 Things To Do In Half a Minute

Even if you only have a half a minute to spare, you can accomplish these important chores. With a busy, overscheduled life we seldom have extra time to take care of anything. These quick chores will only take part of a moment of your time.

1. Empty the trash in the bathroom.

The small trash cans in our homes can sometimes be overlooked until they are overflowing. Make this chore easier and more quickly accomplished by storing extra liners in the bottom of the trash can. It will only take a moment to wrap up the used liner and open up the new one.

2. Dust the TV screen.

The television screen seems to always need a good dusting. Try a used dryer sheet to help keep dust from resettling.

3. Change the vacuum cleaner bag or empty the dirt bin.

Whether your vacuum cleaner is a bagless or bagged a vacuum full of dirt puts more wear and tear on your machine.

Take a moment and double check your bag or bin.

4. Clean a mirror.

Try using vinegar and newspaper to clean your mirror. The vinegar will help the mirror dry streak free. Newspaper will leave less fuzzy residue than paper towels.

5. Wipe down an appliance.

Take a moment and wipe down the outside of your dishwasher, refrigerator, oven, washing machine, or dryer. Don’t forget about the outward appearance of the machines you depend on. Wipe up spots and spills quickly, and your appliances will only need an occasional thorough wipe down.

6. Change the towels in a bathroom or in the kitchen.

Prevent cross-contamination of germs and bacteria by frequently changing hand towels and kitchen towels.

7. Test your smoke alarm.

Smoke alarms should be tested monthly and batteries should be replaced at least annually. Try testing the battery on the same day of the month to help you remember. Similarly you might replace the batteries yearly on a memorable date. Many people replace batteries when they change their clocks for Daylight Savings Time.

8. Dust air vents.

The vents and wall around the vents attracts dust. Take a few moments to wipe down the vents in a room or two.

9. Change the battery in a clock.

It may seem like a little thing, until you need to know the time.

10. Sprinkle baking soda into your trash can.

Occasionally sprinkling baking soda in your garbage will help prevent trash odors from overtaking your home.

11. Toss junk mail, catalogs, or magazines.

If stacks and piles of papers, magazines, and catalogs litter your home, try taking a few moments to throw out some junk paper. Get extra tips for reducing piles of paper in your home.

12. Treat a stain.

It only takes a few moments to remove many common stains. Try this list for stain removal.

13. Dust or water plants.

Keep plants healthy by remembering to dust and water plants regularly.

14. Wipe down a countertop.

The newest disinfectant wipes make it easy to quickly wipe down a countertop to prevent germs from spreading or food from sticking to your surfaces.

15. Wipe down the forgotten areas.

Wipe down door knobs, handles, switch plates, remote controls, and telephones.

These often used items rarely get remembered when its time to clean. Take a few moments to quickly wipe them down.

16. Clean out the fridge.

Thirty seconds may not be time enough to do a thorough cleaning, but it is enough time to pour out the expired milk hidden at the back, or throw away the mysterious foil-wrapped package lurking in the deli drawer.

17. Replace the box of baking soda in your fridge or freezer.

Using baking soda in the refrigerator is a great way to reduce odors, but the box of baking soda does need to be changed.

18. Clean the lint filter of your dryer.

Lint not only keeps your dryer from running efficiently, it can also pose a fire hazard. Take a few moments and double check your dryer’s lint trap.

19. Sweep the entryways of your home.

Most of the dirt that ends up on our carpets and floors, gets tracked into our homes by unsuspecting guests. Sweeping the entryways helps keep more of it outside.

20. Clean out the cupholders and cubby holes of your car.

Don’t forget to maintain the interior of your home on wheels. Clean out the hidden places where trash gets stowed.

21. Throw away empty cleaning containers.

Wherever you keep your cleaning supplies, you’re bound to have a few that should be tossed. Make more space for the things you really use by throwing out old or empty cleaning bottles.

22. Go through prescription medication.

Throw away expired and unused prescriptions. Not only will you help free up space for other items, but you’ll also reduce the risk of poision or accidental indigestion.

23. Prevent or help drain clogs with baking soda, vinegar, and hot water.

Baking soda and vinegar can be a great help to freshen and unclog drains. It only takes a moment to prevent major headaches.

24. Shake out your entry and exit floor mats.

It’s best to have two door mats for each entrance of your house.

One mat should be placed inside while the one with the bulk of the work to do goes outside. Remember to regularly shake out and clean these rugs to prevent dirt and debris from ending up in your home.

25. Toss trash and clutter from one small area.

Try cleaning out your junk drawer. Taking a few moments to clean trash and clutter out of one small area will give you motivation to accomplish even more challenging projects.

26. Dust down a ceiling fan.

Grab a duster and wipe off the blades of a ceiling fan. You’ll prevent dust from building up, and keep the fan in good condition for use.

27. Wipe down the blinds.

You can use a used dryer sheet or microfiber dust cloth. Wipe accross the blinds to keep them dust free.

28. File today’s mail.

We can get overwhelmed with the amount of mail we receive, but after you toss out the junk, take a moment to put away mail that needs to be kept.

29. Vacuum tops of doors and windowsills.

Take a half a minute to vacuum a windowsill or the top of a door. Dust often collects in these areas, but may go unnoticed during routine cleaning.

30. Make a plan.

If you have time for nothing else, take a few seconds to write out a plan of things that need to be done. When you find yourself with a few more moments to spare, you’ll be ready to go.

From Sarah Aguirre,
Your Guide to Housekeeping.
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