THE DO-IT-NOW METHOD: Your Way Out of the Clutter Cycle

For those folks who find themselves surrounded by clutter in the home, pausing to figure out the how and why of it all is a crucial step in gaining freedom from what can seem to be an out-of-control cycle.

Clutter has a way of appearing quietly, piece by piece, as we go about our daily lives and “small” decisions are postponed for “later.”  But as we watch our seemingly inconsequential acts of daily delay snowballing into overwhelming chaos, manageable moments can become obstacles that grow and grow and grow. Our stress and overwhelm gain steam in the background, and suddenly we look around to find we are stuck.

This particular cycle thrives on our avoidance of decisions and tasks. And of course, when we’re simply living our lives and “doing” our habits, we’re not conscious of avoiding various things.  But the next time you have the impulse to procrastinate on something little by adding it to the pile of other “little” things, try to pause and notice what’s happening. 

When I’m working with my clients and I catch this unconscious behavior in the organizing process (when someone deems a task too inconsequential, too much of a pain, or too overwhelming) I introduce them to The “Do-It-Now” Method.  

It’s a silly and obvious name for this simple directive: stop overcomplicating things with your mind and just make your body do [the thing] right now.

It’s the Just Do It of the organizing process.

Get out of your head.  Move the body in the right direction. By tackling tasks and decisions in real-time, you master the pile before the pile becomes a pile and then there’s no pile to worry about.

Welcome to freedom.

Understanding the Clutter Cycle

Decisions can be uncomfortable. They demand mental energy and can create cognitive fatigue.  Our minds are already fried by modern life, and we live in a culture that teaches us to rely solely on mental cognition to solve problems. We are taught that all we need to do is think and the answers will come.  However, anyone who has experienced the tyranny of rumination knows that this rabbit hole often leads to shame and fear and other delightful aspects of the human experience.  So relying on our thoughts to solve all of our problems can, rather ironically, make our lives way more difficult and complicated than they need to be. 

Through my work, I have found that particularly smart brains are easily overwhelmed by the simple tasks of daily life because they are already overleveraged.  And there’s a definite correlation between this type of functioning and the clutter cycle.

But here’s the thing: your brain is not your only center of intelligence. 

That might sound insane, but we all know this is true because our bodies and intuition speak to us every day, whether we’re tuned into them or not.

Here we are, with so much unused wisdom inside of us, and we’ve made a habit of smothering said wisdom with all the blah-blah-blah of fear and judgment created by our thought patterns. So, there is a subtle switch that has to occur to side-step the thinking part of ourselves, and the first step is to understand that you are not your thoughts.   

The meditation traditions are based on this very knowledge, so clearly this is no revelation.

Putting it into practice however is another thing entirely. 

We have to experiment with ourselves to find the way.  It goes a little something like this: we put our thoughts on pause and make a conscious choice to choose. To do that, we must first see our habits clearly, so we can catch what’s happening.  We do it over and over: pausing and choosing, pausing and choosing. And somewhere in this process, while focusing our energy on our intuition and body sensations, we will likely find a plethora of information about the things we are avoiding and what we can do about them.

The body aspect of this equation is what makes it simple.  Tuning into the body allows us to easily switch our focus from the thinking habit to something else entirely.

By slowing down and noticing how choices feel in our bodies we can move beyond conditioned responses, opening space for more authentic, holistic decision-making.  And if we can remind ourselves to make this subtle switch in perception and action we can reframe our habits to make decisions in the moment without making things harder with our minds. 

By cracking this simple code in our functioning, we have an opportunity to open up some flow in our lives.

Why the Clutter Cycle Persists

Waking up to ourselves in the moment is no easy task. Like I said before, the clutter cycle begins innocently enough when a task feels too small to warrant immediate attention, or perhaps it’s too inconvenient or unimportant… until what started as a minor oversight becomes an overwhelming pile of unopened mail or a mound of laundry the size of Mt. Rainier.  This has nothing to do with laziness and everything to do with the intrinsic or extrinsic motivation to act. As in: we lack the motivation and energy to do what simply needs to be done.

Why does this happen?

I have written a lot about this, but I will say it again here: It behooves us all to learn how to hack our motivation system. We are not all the same, so our motivation hack will be personal. Waking up to ourselves is a process of learning what makes us tick. From there we can mindfully create a system for optimal happiness and functioning. 

That is to say: if you can accommodate your motivation needs, you can make the machinery of motivation work for you.  All of us know that somewhere in our consciousness is a place where we are energized and capable of achieving the things we desire to create, whether that’s an awesome kitchen space or the next great American novel.  

But let’s face it, intrinsic motivation—the internal drive to achieve satisfaction or growth— can be hard to come by, especially for routine, seemingly unimportant chores. Without a deeper personal connection to the task, it’s easy to defer. On the other hand, extrinsic motivation—external rewards or pressures—might not always be available either. If no one is pressuring us to fold the laundry or rewarding us for doing so, it becomes tempting to let the task slide.  Or perhaps the very reason we avoid a certain task is that we do feel pressure.  What’s going on here?

As I said before, the reason will be personal to you, which is why I am constantly directing my clients to Gretchen Rubin’s book “The Four Tendencies.”  Understanding what personally motivates you and what makes you feel stuck is the first step to digging out from the clutter cycle.  So, find this book.  It will change your life and relationships.  I’m serious.  

But for now, let’s just say you’re going to need to think deeply about your behaviors and your blocks through the power of inquiry. 

Building Habits of Action and Inquiry

A key part of the “Do-It-Now” Method is developing a habit of inquiry. We’re going to want to keep an eye out for ways to foster a mindset that helps us stay curious and proactive. The first step will always be to catch ourselves in our old habits without judgment so we can ask the crucial questions that lead to change. 

So, when you catch yourself avoiding a task, go back to “pause and choose.” And during the pause, ask your body: 

• What do I want?  

• What do I need to do to get what I want?  

• What am I avoiding? 

• Or even, What am I afraid of?  

And then ask your body this powerful question: Who do I need to be to create what I want, and what would that person do right now?  

In other words: Just Be That Person You Want to Be. 

I don’t mean to make this sound like a total breeze. But again, try not to over-complicate this process. Make it as simple as you can with “pause and choose” and get used to taking advantage of every opportunity to change.  It all adds up.  Remember to tune into those subtle shifts in sensations and emotions in the body and give your mind a needed break.

Small Actions, Big Changes

The beauty of this method lies in its simplicity. 

Your clutter is work.  Let me say that again.  You are causing extra work for yourself and over-complicating your life by bringing things into your home.  The less clutter (stuff) you have, the less work you have.  I say this, not to blame or shame you but to plant the idea that you have the power to do something about this habit.  There are so many published scientific studies today that have found that cluttered environments lead to higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone, which can lead to long-term effects on both physical and mental health.  So it’s a worthwhile endeavor to do something about this in the name of your peace and well-being. 

And as far as shame goes, training ourselves to Do It Now actually allows us to release the shame and hidden emotional burden that clutter often causes by doing something about it. The goal is consistent progress, and that is all.  Each small action you take builds resilience, confidence, and clarity, helping you move from a state of chaos to one of flow.  

Start where you are, do what you can, and trust in your ability to grow. With each moment you choose to act, you’re consciously creating a life that reflects your values, aspirations, and capacity for joy.

Ask for help if you need it!  And good luck!