Did you ever check into a hotel for a week? You walked into your room and it was so CLEAN and TIDY!
You felt GOOD.
Then you unpacked your stuff. You put stuff in the bathroom, stuff on the desk, stuff on the bed, you left stuff on the floor.
And every day you went shopping – and returned with MORE STUFF!
After a week of living in a mess you said, “I’ll be glad to go home!”
So what’s my point?
We feel happier – and more peaceful – in tidy spaces which means:
Throw Out the Junk
Create a home that will uplift you when you walk in the front door.
You can be happy living in a room – if it’s a tidy room. Neatness costs nothing.
Better to live in a one room apartment that is clean, than in a mansion that’s a mess!
A lady said to my wife, Julie: “I can’t afford to redecorate. How can I feel better about my little home?”
Julie said: “Buy a broom!”
Want to feel happier?
Get rid of outfits you don’t wear. If you haven’t worn something for two years you can live without it.
Get rid of clothes that make you feel like a loser. How can you feel like a millionaire when you have holes in your underwear and holes in your socks?
Get rid of old books, magazines, saucepans, old CD’s and tupperware with no lids … sell it on eBay, give it away or junk it! You’ll be happier!
Healthy rivers flush themselves out. Trees drop old leaves and fruit. Your body feels better when you clean it out. So does your house.
A few thoughts on cleaning out:
- Your old clothes will never come back into fashion! By the time wide lapels are back in vogue, the fabrics are different or the colors have changed.
- Sometimes we are reluctant to get rid of stuff because it would be admitting that we made a dumb decision to buy it in the first place. Relax! We all make silly purchases – so give it away.
- Set small goals. Rather than say, “I’m going to clean the whole house”, aim to do one cupboard. Then tackle another cupboard. Build momentum.
- The hardest bit is starting. Once you’ve started, it’s usually fun!
Enjoy What You Have!
If you have nice things, use them!
If you have nice wine glasses, use them! How often do we keep our beautiful dishes locked in the cupboard – and then we die and leave all the expensive stuff to the kids so they can smash it.
If you have something beautiful, enjoy it yourself! Break it yourself!
In a Nutshell
Your life is an energy system. When you throw out things you create a vacuum, and you get things moving. Notice how often new things come along to replace what you give away.
Author: Andrew Matthews
Andrew Matthews empowers audiences in 25 countries to enjoy their life and work. Andrew’s books, including “Being Happy!” and “Follow Your Heart”, have sold over 7 million copies in 43 languages.
Love this perfect reminder and insights for me today as I sit in a cluttered apartment due to two years of caregiving! This will help me feel much better! Thanks lots, Andrew! (Hoping you lecture in New York City someday!)
I believe you wrote this just for me. 🤣
I do believe…..thank you so much! You’re awesome! ❤️
Wonderful I am doing it and I have never felt better 🙂
I bought your book “Being Happy” on the 17th March 1990!!!
I have been reading it often and it has taken me nearly 30 years to actually do what you are talking about!!
At this moment I am finding page ’99’ very helpful.
IN A NUTSHELL
One person said it this way, “Here’s how to get whatever you want_ do whatever it takes!”
Great advice and so true!The clutter just keep building along with the tension it creates.
Thank you,
Kristi
Very good. I agree completely. As soon as I started using this technique years ago I felt so much less stress and happier. Then I taught my brother, who was a mini hoarder and not very tidy to make the space around him less chaotic and cleaner.
Your inside world will reflect your outside world and your outside will affect your inside and when you work on both at once you will get to true happiness faster.
Thanks for another amazing article.
Totally agree but what if it’s a hard thing to do… How do you deal with getting rid of stuff
I’ve put your suggestions into practice and they work
I hv been reading your thoughts since I was 20 and now I am 43 . I hv gifted your books to many many kids .
Thanks Andrew loved the article but then I love all your books! Really helped me at times when I needed it. Keep them coming.
That is some awesome advice Andrew. I’m going to take it on board starting today.
What a great reminder for most of us…for some people, I suppose, this is the very first time they’ve ever heard of such a concept…
Jimmy
As one who has been untidy all my life – much to my wife’s dismay, and despite her continual encouragement to help me change my ways – I am ashamed of myself. I hereby promise myself that I will make serious efforts to change and to be tidy from hereon. I will need to remind myself every morning and several times each day.
This has come at such an appropriate time! I started cleaning things out of my apartment this past weekend and I feel so good for it. I trust that I can live without these things that have become a burden and know that anything I need I can source. Tackling the scarcity mentality that lead to the accumulation of all these things. I’m going to keep the momentum going and see how much more of my under-utilised belongings I can re-home. Thanks for the encouragement. 🙂
Great advice and so true! Thanks Andrew for the good advice.Love it!!
thank you, andrew. I badly need this piece of advice. So true!
Thank you Andrew for this uplifting advice!
I have a rule that every day I have to clear out at least one unwanted item…sell it on eBay, offer it on Freecycle, take it to charity or if all else fails, bin it!
My house is starting to look less cluttered already.
If I do miss a day, I don’t beat myself up about it, just get back on track again the following day! 🙂
Yeah, new blog after so long since your last podcast. Why no podcas this round? Like to listen your podcast while reading ur article at the same time.
So true in this article, have to practice on this although i knew this concept before. Thanks Andrew and looking forward to your next podcast very soon.
Glad you like the podcasts. There will be more!
Thank you very much for the reminder. I needed this and I will continue what I’ve started. Please continue to be a blessing.
A mom of 2 from Ph and a hoarder..lol
Hi Andrew. I too have been reading your books for decades. They align with my Biblical beliefs in so many ways. Thanks for your words of sunlight that shine on some of my darker days.
Always your ardent fan
Awesome tips on life n
Stressfree living.
Stay Blessed Always.
Perfect timing.
Must simplify…again.
Thank you Andrew.