Say no to clutter!
Are you being too nice to your clutter? Do you have things piling up that you have no attachment to? Howabout items that you have no idea where it even came from? If you’ve answered yes toany of tehse three questins, you’re being too nice to your cliutter! you’re being too nice.
I want you to start being nice to YOURSELF instead!
You’re tired of having that clutter around your home – particularly that clutter that you didn’t bring in yourself (but that was gifted to you by some well meaning friend or relative). But you’re being waaayyy too nice to it! No more Mr. Nice Guy! Let’s get serious with that clutter and kick it to the curb. Stop being so nice to that clutter and start being nice to yourself!
I know, you don’t want to hurt the gift giver’s feelings – but what about YOUR feelings? If the thing(s) in your home are standing in the way of you creating the life you want to live and the home environment that you want to live in, GET SELFISH and start thinking about yourself!
Practical Tips
In this video, I’ve got some tips on how to let go of some of these items you likely didn’t want in the first place!
Please check the Living Healthy List ‘events’ page on a regular basis, to be notified about upcoming offerings from Let’s Ace Your Space. Download the closet manifesto and get those closets decluttered!
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Why is it Always About Race?
We’ve all heard it a thousand times. So often when there is a discussion or disagreement between a black and white person, the question arises, “why does it always have to be about race?” It’s important for you to understand, for us, it usually is. Most situations hit our ears and punch at the bruises decades of racism have left on our souls.
So many punches come in the form of seemingly innocent questions and observations, or as I call it, to slur with love. “You’re really pretty for a black woman.” “You’re so articulate.” “Those are really expensive.” “Do you really the own this house? You’re not renting?” “But you don’t look black.” “But you’re different.” Innocent on the surface and usually delivered without malintent, but loaded with unconscious bias and hurtful insinuations.
Others are in your face and impossible to ignore or misinterpret. They are humiliating, infuriating and 100 percent racist. Just hashtag “Karen” on any social media platform for example.
Understand It Is Often About Race
Let me briefly give a two of many, many examples of racist situations fueled by unconscious bias that have happened to me and my family, and explain how and why they felt (and are) painfully racist.
- When the teacher at the private school cast my beautiful brown daughter (the only black child in the class) as a monkey in the school play, it felt racist. The teacher claimed it was E’s gregarious personality that made her perfect for the role and refused to recast her until I took it to the principal and another black teacher interceded. Why was it about race? Because of this country’s history of labeling and treating us like animals—apes and monkeys to be specific. Back in the day, people believed we had tails. Seems like only yesterday, folks where labeling First Lady Michelle Obama an ape.
It could be perfectly legitimate that because of E’s personality she would have made a delightful monkey. The real problem was the teacher’s inability or insensitivity about why it bothered me. I was protecting the psyche of my black child and she didn’t seem to care. It was yet another example of trying to help people understand and being ignored.
- When the real estate agent (a real Karen) we were interviewing, called the police on my husband—in my house—because she felt uncomfortable. Why? Because in our effort to show case our home, we lit the pool lights, had the fireplace going and had classical music playing on the sound system throughout the house. In the five minutes it took me to finish my phone call (she was early for the appointment) and come downstairs to join them, she felt threatened and felt my husband was trying to seduce her. Why was it about race? Because as this Chicago Tribune article explains, “From the time black men were first brought to America in chains, they were viewed as sexual predators whose primary desire was to violate white women.” Yeah, it felt, and was, racist.
These are just two examples. There are so many to tell in my 60 plus years of living as a black woman in this country, married to a black man and raising a black son. The micro-aggression and overt racism experienced by my family, friends and people is real, and they can take a toll on your sense of value, worth and deservedness. They also require incredible fortitude and strength not to succumb to anger and feeling victimized.
It’s About Race for All of Us
The truth is, ultimately, it does come down to race: Respect, Access, Compassion and Conscious Awareness, and Equality. That’s what we want for ourselves and our loved ones. Isn’t that what you want too?
So maybe it is about race for all of us.
Leanne Pruett is the founder of Let’s Ace Your Space and the host of the Ace Your Space Summit.
She’s on a mission to help entrepreneurs and other on-the-go people simplify decluttering so that it no longer blocks their momentum and keeps them from the things they really want in life.
[Leanne retired from her ‘day’ job of almost 30 years in 2017. She was ready to leave the typical 9 to 5 grind behind and start something that would make a lasting impact on people’s lives. Decluttering, organizing and space planning are some of her favorite things, so starting Let’s Ace Your Space was a natural direction for her to take.]Leanne hasn’t always been an organized person, but she was able to change her habits and mindset around her space to finally get her home decluttered. She’s also helped lots of folks declutter and organize their homes to free up powerful mental and physical energy to accomplish their goals.