By Ranka Burzan • March 18th, 2009

Have you ever heard this phrase or perhaps you have said it yourself, “I really have to get organized, one of these days”. One of these days may never come. As with everything else in our lives our power is in this present moment. The ancient Chinese proverb, "A cluttered space equals a cluttered mind" rings true for many of us. It has been said that the majority of us lose at least one hour a day looking for the things we need and spend 20 percent of our annual budget buying things we need to replace things we lost.

According to experts, organizing is a very simple and learnable skill. Yet, according to the National Association for Professional Organizers (NAPO), only 25% of the population is organized. The rest of us struggle to some degree with disorganization and clutter in our home and work place.

If organizing is simple and learnable, what prevents us from being organized? It is helpful to ask ourselves, is the physical clutter in our home just that: physical? Or perhaps it is closely related to emotional and spiritual clutter; not being able to part with stuff, holding on to memories and relationships that don't work for us anymore, all prevent us from growing emotionally and spiritually.

The benefits of clearing the clutter, physical or emotional, and owning less are tremendous and rewarding. You definitely reduce the stress that clutter creates, gaining energy and clarity to be more creative and productive. Also, when we bring order into our lives, both our inner and outer reality change and stress and frustration are replaced with a sense of calmness and serenity, which is the cornerstone of every spiritual practice.

The biggest reward often comes from sharing and donating our things to charity or individuals who need and will use the things you don't use. Please, only donate items that are suitable and in good repair. There are many great charities in Metro Vancouver. Cinderella Projects help lower-income students with clothes and accessories to look their best on graduation day. ...

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Location:  Vancouver, CA

Ranka Burzan first shared her organizing tips with readers in the Surrey Now newspaper back in 2003. Her article "Helpful Hints to Organize and Clean Your Home" was well received by readers. She followed that article...