Have you heard of the word de-cluttering? Having to say that you need to de-clutter your room makes you want to cry and say "I am not disorganized!", doesn't it? Well, hush now, de-cluttering is not the exact opposite of being organized. You can be an OC and have all your things color coded and organized up to the last bit, but still have a cluttered room.

So what are clutters anyway? In a nutshell, they are things that we "think" we need but really don't.  Here are some examples of why we have clutters:


Clothes that you don't really wear anymore, or more bluntly those that do not fit you anymore.

Nagpapapayat ako, magkakasya din ako dito sa damit na to kaya di ko muna pamimigay.

What the fairy god mother of de-cluttering is telling you:

"E nagpapapayat ka pa pala e. Get rid of those muna and just buy new ones pag payat ka na" 


Anything that was given to you by somebody who is or who used to be special.

Bigay ni "Ano" sakin to, ayoko itapon. May sentimental value to.

What the fairy god mother of de-cluttering is telling you:

"Ano naman kung bigay niya, ginagamit mo pa ba? E nag-te-take up lang ng space yan e."

Anything that you bought with your own money.

Ang mahal ng bili ko dito, sayang naman. Wala na din naman bibili nito.

 What the fairy god mother of de-cluttering is telling you:


"Kung di mo na ginagamit, kahit gano pa yan kamahal, wala siyang naitutulong sayo."

 Anything that you think you will still need in the future.

Di ko muna itatapon to, baka kailanganin ko pa e.

 What the fairy god mother of de-cluttering is telling you:


"Gagamitin mo ba yan bukas o hanggang next month? Kung hindi, itapon mo at bumili ka nalang uli pag kailangan mo na."



 Whew! Why does the fairy god mother of de-cluttering make me feel like I'm talking to Madame Miriam Santiago or Senyora Santibanez? Never thought she had that sharp mouth. It made me want to declutter my room right away.

But what does that mean? Do I have to have a general cleaning day? And throw away everything? Actually it is this simple: It means to throw or give away all the things that you actually do not need, but are currently just cluttering your room.


Having said this, it makes me nag myself again, I've been wanting to de-clutter my cabinet and room for quite some time now but I can't seem to start. I was always waiting for "The Day". The day when I will have time to have a general cleaning and successfully de-clutter and clean my room.

But then again, is there such a day? The bitter truth finally bit me. There is no such "Day" I was only fooling myself and falling into the trap of procrastination. So instead of waiting for the day where I can de-clutter my room, I thought of starting today and making baby steps.

Every day, I commit to throwing or giving away one thing from my room or closet. I reckon I will be able to finally de-clutter my room no matter how slow my progress is, right?

So enough of the talkative me, here is what I will give away for

Day 1:

Why is it cluttering my closet?

-Because I haven't worn it yet. I kept thinking I might want to wear it some day.

My realization.

-I might as well give it away now, it looks like I won't be wearing it anytime soon anyway.

Where will it go?

-I will give it to Pia of Pia Thought for her Ukay OK Page.






Day 2:

Why is it cluttering my closet?

-I actually don't know. I can't wear it anymore because it is faded and it has two big holes already.

My realization.

-I might as well throw it away

Where will it go?

-The trash








Day 3:

Why is it cluttering my closet?

-Because I keep on forgetting to throw it already. The neck lining is already loose and it hangs lower and past my breast.

My realization.

-I might as well  turn it into a "basahan"

Where will it go?

-the floor.





Give Away: 1
Throw Away: 1
Re-purpose: 1



Stay tuned for Day 4. :)

Unknown

Three-fold Stress Handling Solutions that Everyone should Do.

Stress is never an enemy you have to face in a battlefield. It’s more like a companion you’d rather live without, but is necessary to make your life more exhilarating. Imagine living daily with nothing but rainbows and butterflies, first it’s impossible, second, it’s boring. Like, really? Yes. If a life with no problems, no challenges, and no risks exists how will you be able to face yourself in the mirror and say, “Hey, I’ve done it!” Stress will be there, you better accept that point. It’s how one handles stress that makes him or her a survivor. It may be cliché, but the saying “What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger”, is a crazy fact.

Remember, refrain yourself from pulling your hair while crying your eyes out in one dark corner of the room. You’re better than that. So here are three simple tips on how you can manage stress:

1.       Ask yourself, “What am I really stressing on again?” Sometimes stress can be overwhelming that you actually forget the source of your entire dilemma. Don’t be that poor brooding soul that cries over spilled milk when he could have just gotten up and buy a juice. Take a deep breath and talk to yourself (it’s not a bad habit). What’s my problem? Is it a project at school? Is it my weekly allowance spent for a concert ticket? Or is it the boy next door who is yet to set his eyes on me? Once you’ve figured out the stressor, it will be easier to manage the tension. If you get a piece of paper and list them all down with their matching solutions, you might be even surprised that you’re stressing yourself for no reason. Don’t waste time, above anything else, set the records straight and identify the problematic source.

2.       Note to self: I have a good head over my shoulders. Once you have eliminated all the treacherous factors and have finally put your finger on the culprit, face it like a man (or a woman). Bring out your inner strategist and make a plan. One hundred billion brain cells inside your head against one or two problems? You clearly have the advantage. Don’t waste it. Formulate steps on how to solve the temporary glitch. If you sense that you’ll need help to eliminate the stress, then, go and call a friend. After all, two heads are better than one. 

3.       Finally, a reason to celebrate! Remember the mirror conversation? Go ahead, say it now. “Hey, I’ve done it!” Reward yourself, do something you love; May it be a movie marathon, shopping, or eating good food. You have done a great job, you deserve to rejoice. Many people forget this part, once they’ve solve the problem, they’ll move on to the next. Don’t do that. This prize will make you even more motivated to handle stress once another one comes your way. You’ll find that a celebration with a reason is one of the best celebrations of all.

Sammie