~Note: This week's post is by Merritt Chesson. Merritt is the professional organizer and founder of SIMPLY KEPT, based out of Durham, NC. She provides assistance in clutter management and organizational design in both homes and workplaces.~

We often talk about what fills our time, how we spend our time, etc. But what fills our space? And how does this affect how we use our space, how we feel in our space?

Too often, as with time, our space gets filled with happenstance objects like shoes we do not wear, furniture we do not like, unread magazines or unused appliances. These objects do not support our daily flow or values. They have a way of crowding out or distracting us from those things that do serve our interests – those things that we actually do use regularly, that inspire us, and that contribute to the kind of lives we want to live.

Instead of a clear, open, inviting space for eating, for example, a kitchen table gets piled with mail, books, and bags. Instead of a pleasing display of one’s clothes and accessories, a closet gets packed with old storage boxes and forgotten keepsakes. Instead of a productive, efficient, and inspiring workspace, an office becomes filled with piles of papers, supplies, machines, and cords.

Cluttered spaces can leave us feeling overwhelmed, stressed, and distracted from what we really care about, from those things that actually impact our lives in a positive way. Clutter winds up affecting not just our physical space by also our state of mind, how we think, feel, and function.

As a professional organizer, I encourage my clients’ awareness of their daily needs and rhythms to help them to sort through and clear out those items that clog space and distract from priorities and/or desired lifestyle or workflow. We consider together how they wish to function and feel in their space and explore ways to make that happen.

You can do this too by approaching one space at a time (kitchen, closet, office, living room, laundry room, basement, drawer, filing cabinet, pantry, etc.). Below are some helpful questions for self-assessment and direction. While my clients and I work on most of these together, I suggest you choose one or two to keep you focused and not overwhelmed:

How do I feel in this space? How do I want to feel in this space?
What are my priorities for this space? How do I want to use this space?
How do I want this space to reflect and support my values?
Are there some items in this space that I don’t use regularly? Could they be thrown away, recycled, given away, or stored somewhere out of the way? (This is one of my absolute favorite questions!!! Letting go of these items is a huge first step to making way for those things that contribute positively to your daily life.)
Are those items that I do use regularly reasonably accessible?
What do I need to feel more inspired, empowered, and at ease in this space?

When your space supports your values and priorities instead of distracting you from them, you are living well!

~Merritt has offered OTMB readers a great deal: email info@simplykept.org, mention this post, and receive 25% off for a 6-hour package. Offer good through the end of January 2016. Thanks Merritt!

Your partner isn't smarter than you. S/he isn't more organized. But s/he is likely keeping track of way less than you are. Should you change that? Maybe, but perhaps not in the way you're imagining.

When I wondered why my husband never seemed to scrawl down a thought, text at a stop light or write down notes on his bedside table, I realized that he kept track of way less than I do. (Belated lightbulb moment, yes!) Like many women, I handle the bulk of the running of our house which includes childcare and school. I bet this isn't so different for you too. I'm also the one who volunteers, RSVPs to events, gets up early and handles all medical appointments. My husband keeps track of little outside of his own work. The more thoughts/commitments I have to keep track of, the less attention I have and the more I revert to texting while at stop lights.

This is why you must drop what doesn't work for you. Be relentless about this. Don't drop it 1/2 way and "just" do the marketing (as I was recently asked). That's not dropping anything. It's hard to drop anything. You're good at a lot and other people know it. But you know that when you spread myself too thin, you don't do anyone any good. Least of all yourself if you're still texting at stop lights or shopping at the last minute for a birthday gift.

Here's another reason to drop stuff: the less clutter you have, the better decisions you'll make. Excess clutter of all types diminishes your ability to say “no” for two reasons:

You can't hear gut instinct. Using gut instinct is one way to get to "no" if you're stuck but you can't summon gut instinct. It's either there or it's not. And it's not there if your world is too loud, crowded or full of multi-tasking. It's also not present if you're sleepy.
Clutter = stuff = low energy. I have a huge pile of clothes in a closet. It contains clothes from all seasons and I'm unsure what to do with it. So it sits looking at reproachfully at me, drawing my precious energy into an abyss that I can't get back.

We can only change what we have control over. And that includes the stuff you handle. You're beautiful as you are. Don't change a thing if it's all working for you! But do give yourself greater sanity, control and peace of mind by dropping what's not working for you and is costing you any of those three things.

What will you drop? Leave me a note below.