PRESENCE OVER PRESENTS: WHY YOU SHOULD LET GO OF YOUR CLUTTER ONCE & FOR ALL!

The holiday season is full of joy, cheer, and...STUFF. Stuff. Stuff. So much freaking stuff! Everywhere, all the time, in your face. Enough is enough! It's hard to get away from it all when you are being bombarded by all the presents and goodies. It's okay to buy presents for people, but I say it's about time we set better boundaries. From Amazon Prime and the increase in online shopping, it has never been easier to accumulate massive amounts of things! For so many of us living in these times we are ruled by the things we purchase, whether we realize it or not. Not to mention, people are spending beyond their means. Let's shift the narrative - we need to stop overspending and essentially going into the new year with consumer debt because that's how we want to show people we love them. I am not saying that you should never buy anything for anyone ever, but instead be mindful of each purchase. It will save you money, time, and the headache of the receiver - we need to stop giving people stuff for the sake of giving them stuff. Our well-being and our general health are so interlinked with our consumption habits, and yet oftentimes our initial instincts are not to reduce our spending in order to feel better, but instead to buy more - and this isn’t only during the holiday season, but can become a lifestyle habit that is hard to break. Over consumption is not just an individual choice, but it’s a symptom of something much larger. We live in a society where overproduction fuels over consumption and people accumulate things to emulate the feeling of accumulating wealth - which in our world today, is falsely equivocated to feeling happy. Unfortunately, as we all know, our obsession with things can make us truly unhappy. 

​Your clutter and disorganization have a very real impact on our total health, including our mental health. With 2020 around the corner and 2019 coming to a close, self reflection during this winter season can become a key to unlocking the deeply ingrained patterns of clutter, over-consumption, and self-neglect that negatively impact our mental health and can lead us into a brighter, more positive new year (and new decade!).

For many Canadians, the holiday season is extremely stressful. As heart-warming as it can be, it can bring up feelings of loneliness, exhaustion, anxiety, and depression. Winter in Canada is incredibly difficult - so much so that about 15% of Canadian experience some form of the winter blues. A smaller percentage experience these feelings more intensely and can be named as Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). These symptoms can be further exacerbated by being cooped up inside all day long. And if your home is looking more like Santa’s workshop than a serene and calm space for baking cookies and spending time with family, it can all feel overwhelming. But this time indoors, surrounded by all of your stuff can be a blessing in disguise. Envision your space and what it could look like for the new year, the new seasons to come and the new goals you have for yourself. As cliche as it may sound, it’s time to turn the page and leave behind the clutter, the material objects, and all those unused gifts you’ve received throughout the years. Resolutions are resolutions for a reason. It’s a recognition that something along the way has not gone as great as you’ve planned and it’s a conscious decision to move forward in a new and different way. By addressing your surroundings, your environment and the immediate space that you live in, you will be better able to tackle all of the other New Year’s resolutions that you set for yourself. 

​As successful as resolutions may be in the very beginning, we all know that they begin to wane as the months go by. And often that is because we forget that making promises to ourselves is not that easy. We forget that in the busyness of a new year, resolutions become back burner ideas once again, instead of true habit changing decisions. The truth is, we need systems in place to keep us true to our word. To keep that new year fresh, we need to get off on a fresh start. Get Sorted will be that guide to get going and begin anew. Sometimes, all it takes is someone else to help you stay accountable to yourself and to the promises you made to lessen your load - both physically and mentally. In the same way that over-consumption can lead to feelings of deep sadness or denial, the act of letting go by giving can be a cathartic and helpful way to start the year off on the right foot.

​Get Sorted will help you begin and complete the process of sorting, decluttering, and setting up realistic systems. It's a way for you to get rid of the things that no longer serve you, have a non-judgmental person hold you accountable, and also guarantee your donations are sent off to those who actually need them. It is also the opportunity to move forward into the new year with the mentality that less is more. If you’ve been waiting for the sign to know when to move forward, this is that! Take advantage of this reflective and rejuvenating energy during these winter months and reach out for support to begin again anew for the upcoming decade! A fresh space, free from clutter and disorganization will be the stepping stones of a bright year ahead! 

Still unsure what to get your loved ones this holiday season? Here are some amazing clutter free gift ideas:

Kelsey Marion, Owner & Professional Organizer of Get Sorted

By bridging the gap between the mental, emotional and physical clutter in your life, Kelsey supports you to get clear on what you truly want by providing the proper tools and sustained guidance to ensure you reach your organization goals. Kelsey believes that getting sorted is more than labeling containers and jars - it's where organization meets wellness.
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Connect with Kelsey! @getsortedwithkelsey 
If you live in the Toronto, ON area fill out the Get Sorted In-take Form to book your free consultation call!