​Lifestyle, the word evokes thoughts of glamour and celebrity style living but really it’s more your personal habits, behaviours and ways of acting on a general basis. 
 
Many strive to promote a certain lifestyle which is more in tune with their imagined self rather than the real person they are and the real life they live daily.  Why? 
 
Various reasons abound – insecurity, ambition, lack of contentment, the lure of marketing.  The common thread through many of these reasons boils down to envy, a negative feeling about where you are at, where you are going and who thinks its good enough. 
 
Let’s explore some manifestations of this particular kind of discontent. 
 
Kitchen – dishes abound.  Why, if you are a household of 4 people do you have enough dishes for 40?  Why, if you do not drink alcohol or not a great variety do you need 12 glasses for each specific potion?  Why, if you only celebrate certain holidays once a year, do you need a whole themed china set for the occasion?  Why do you have 3 punch bowls with accessories if entertainment stress prevents you from inviting large groups?
 
Of course, there are those who do feed 40 regularly and love to enjoy their tipple from the appropriate crystal vessel.  Great, then that is part of your lifestyle – enjoy.
 
Bathroom – body products, make up, perfume etc.  Do you like make up?  Do you wear a variety or do you stick to your basic go-to items?  Same with perfume – do you have a signature scent or do you change according to moods and activities?  Do you have enough body wash to last the next 10 years?  Is the storage real estate worth the trade? 
 
Again, maybe a vast amount is crucial to you but it’s worth an inner conversation.  The lifestyle that was you in the past may no longer be the lifestyle you need to embrace today.
 
Clothes – do they serve your current lifestyle?  Do you attend a lot of corporate events?  Do you exercise regularly?  Are high heels the bane of your existence or do they make you walk tall?  Dress shirts – how many are necessary to carry you through a wash cycle? 
 
There are no right or wrong answers.  The key is to ask yourself the questions and answer them truthfully.  Be ok with the life you have now as far as your possessions are concerned.  Owning your lifestyle of today clears up so much mental clutter.  It doesn’t mean it will never evolve, adapt or change.  It does mean that you will have the mental space to live your life on purpose.

It’s spring and everyone is psychologically motivated to purge, de clutter, get organised etc.  This mania of Spring Cleaning is a phenomenon that is popular in the West but not necessarily ‘a thing’ in other areas of the world.  Some have expressed admiration for this annual purge that we embrace. 
 
As with all de clutter projects, there is the remnant pile of items that need addressing.  They are things you have decided to keep but they need attention.  This is called the backlog.  Primarily, the backlog is a real issue when it comes to paperwork.  Boxes of papers that you have not dealt with and they are now taunting you with chants of guilt and failure. 
 
Many are focussing on maintaining their daily tasks so as to function better long term.  Great, but what about the old stuff we have neglected over time?  Two words – PACE YOURSELF.
 
Decide to decide, once and for all.  Choose a regular, reasonable time to start dealing with it.  This is very subjective; it may be 30 minutes a day, 3 hours a week, one day a month etc.  Stick to your schedule, put it in your calendar and keep the date with yourself.  Set yourself up for success – eat before you start, go to the bathroom, put a show on or a playlist and dig in.  Set your timer and just start.  When the timer goes, you are officially done. 
 
Tidy up and leave it ready to start again on your next backlog attack date.  These dates may be a part of your routine for many months.  They may only take a few days or weeks. 
 
Regardless, you will be making progress and gaining gradual control of your space.  The very fact that you have started will be very powerful in ensuring your success.

Routines – habitual activity, pattern, custom, technique, system.  Do you have any?  Do you want any?  Do you need any?
 
Let’s consider some examples of what routines are for the majority of us – brushing your teeth, washing your face, showering, eating regular meals, exercising, going to bed.  These basics are a real struggle for some.  For others they are second nature.  Why?
 
These are routines or habits that have been instilled in us from a young age.  We don’t even think about doing or not doing them.  We usually don’t even remember the process of doing them – that’s how ingrained they are.  You could compare it to when you drive to or from a daily destination.  Sometimes you don’t clearly remember the journey because your mind was elsewhere and it has just become so mundane.
 
Moving beyond these basics though – other routines or systems could make the flow of your day to day activities and responsibilities so much less stressful. 
 
1. Choosing tomorrow’s outfit tonight
2. Preparing tomorrow’s lunch tonight
3. Preparing your bag (handbag, workbag, schoolbag) for the next day
4. Running the dishwasher daily
5. Washing up dishes right after use
6. Doing a load of laundry each day
7. Preparing medications/vitamins for the week ahead
8. Meal plan along with smart grocery shopping
 
Decide on implementing one habit each month.  If you attempt to do them all you run the risk of overwhelm and burnout.  This is not a competition – it is another tool I wanted to bring to your attention to aid you in your life. 
 
Once you have chosen one for this month then ponder over how best to make it as easy and as natural as possible for you.  For example – if you want to work on number 1, think of a place that you will regularly place the outfit.  Where do you usually get dressed?  In your bedroom, in the closet, in the bathroom?  Put it where it makes sense for your life.  Do you need a hook to hang it?  A box to fold it?
 
For number 2, will you put the lunches on the counter, in each person’s bag, in the fridge?  Try to do the same thing each time you are doing this habit.  If in the fridge, try putting it all in the same area of the fridge so there’s no treasure hunt to complete in the morning to get the whole lunch together – nothing more irritating than a salad with no dressing!
 
For numbers 4 and 6, think of the rhythm of your day – does it make sense for you to run the dishwasher just before bed or right after lunch?  Are you comfortable with leaving appliances on while you are out?  For the washing machine, can it be on at the same time as the dishwasher?  Is it better for you to be home and hear the buzzer so you are reminded to put the clothes in the dryer or to hang dry them immediately?
 
I will not go through the whole list.  This is meant as an illustration of how routines and habits work best if we adapt them.  You may start one way and then feel the need to tweak.  For me, removing makeup and washing my face before bed is a hit and miss.  If I do it after dinner then I’m much more likely to stick with it as I’m not so tired at that point. 
 
These suggestions may strike your fun side as boring and responsible.  On the flip side, if you reduce the thought involved in the basics, you free your mind and your schedule to do what you really want to be doing.
 
Do what works for you and your life.