Duplicates, triplicates or more... I'm not a great fan of blanket rules.  I find them somewhat simplistic and arbitrary.  Therefore I do not subscribe to the 'no duplicates' rule when it comes to organising or decluttering.

It really depends on what object you are talking about and how you use it in your environment.  For example, bathroom cleaning supplies.  If you only have one bathroom it's not an issue.  If however, you have 4 or 5 bathrooms on different floors then you may want to reconsider.  It will actually simplify your life to have cleaning supplies in each bathroom - no lugging them around and more spontaneous mini-cleans.  

I find that to have 2 spatulas, flippers, scissors and tongs in my kitchen makes my life easier.  They are all used, often at the same time so I do not consider them clutter.  This applies to many random items that I have more than one of because of how and when I use them.  

Think about how you use certain objects or tools in your home.  Maybe having duplicates does simplify things for you.  Maybe it doesn't or maybe you may feel more is necessary for you.  The point is that if you do have more than one of something then have it intentionally not just because it's there.

Organising - a circle or a line?  What do I mean by this?  We've all thought of it at times in terms of a line. Once I get myself together...once I get organised completely...once I don't have to work so much...once the kids get older...once the kids move out...once I get some time off...etc.  I'm sure you can relate.  This is thinking of organising as a line.  We are operating under the misapprehension that it's a one time deal. Not so, not so.  

Really, why would it be?  Did you buy one set of clothes years ago and you still wear them only or do you progressively add and edit your wardrobe?  Did you set up a budget when you got your first real job and never tweak it regardless of life's changes along the way?   Do you clean your home once and then figure it will stay that way by some miracle of the universe?  

So why then, should we assume that organising our spaces, lives, offices, relationships and money would be any different?  We are and, hopefully live non-static lives.  This, by definition infers change, flexibility, evolution.

Changing our approach to organising, therefore viewing it in terms of a circle or cycle will be less defeating.  If we allow it to become a natural part of our daily life instead of a monstrous one time task then it will actually come into its own in our lives.  We will be able to adjust along the way because of our past consistency.  It will really be a cause for calm and peace instead of another insurmountable task on our to-do list.

Organisation is an aid to balanced living; not an excuse to postpone living now.

Let's face it, we all fight guilt in its many forms.  It may rear its ugly head as far as not saving, not spending enough time with loved ones, not being a good example to our kids or any other one you may have.  As soon as you give birth you feel guilt in a new way:  am I being a good parent? Did I handle that situation/temper tantrum right? Should I have said that? I hope my kids do what I say and not what I do! It never ends.

Yet, I must say there is useful guilt and wasted guilt - in my world I consider the majority of it wasted as it's usually dictated by pathetic 'authorities' or people with no real problems to deal with - and they should relish their good fortune instead of judging.
At the same time it can be a compass which guides us in our endeavour to do what we need to do because we are humans who live in a society and do our utmost to uphold a certain level of civilization.

So what does your guilt motivate you to do?  Is it a positive force in your life? Do you find its results are derived from real sincerity or merely guilt shaming?  

Now, before I start philosophizing my blurb to ridiculous heights, let's apply this guilt to stuff.  Why do you have or keep what you have?  Stop reading, look around from where you are and ask yourself this question.  Now answer it honestly - no one can hear you so be candid.  Oh wait, I can hear you - 'it was a gift, it belonged to (insert name of important person in your life here), this item is from when I...etc etc'.  

Listen closely mes amis, I say this with complete understanding of your struggle - think of what is best for you - it may be time, and ok to just let it go.  It may not be, only you can honestly say, but please think about it.  You may come back to a certain object in a day or two or week or two and then it may be time.

If you were hospitalized or had to go to the aid of a loved one today, your everyday life would come to a halt.  So when you look around, is this stuff worth keeping - if your family members or a babysitter or friends or a maid service had to come in to help out, is this what you would want them to have to wade through? 

Serious life changers have a way of changing how we evaluate things, people, relationships, our own goals.  Food for thought.

What comes to mind when you hear the word maintenance?  The term applies to so much:  car maintenance, cleaning, body care and upkeep (on the rise with age), child maintenance, house maintenance, clothing maintenance, on and on etc. 
We find some virtue in maintaining things, stuff.  Sometimes more than we value maintaining relationships with real, live people.
Do you ever wonder just whether or not the amount of time, effort and money spent on the maintenance of some such or other actually justifies what it is you are maintaining?  This is a question I have been asking a lot lately.  
Random objects in my home, whether useful or not, used or not, is this thing really worth my time to maintain it?  Now sometimes the answer is a resounding YES!  thinking of my coffee machine for instance.  My only morning motivation, don't mess with it.  But, on the other hand, a chachka that I dutifully dust each week?  Maybe but maybe not.  Time to think about the chachka or whatever it may be in your world that demands your time, life force or mental energy that maybe you would actually feel freed or released without.
If you are having a hard time trying to decide, try evaluating it this way - if I wasn't taking care of this object right now how would I rather be spending my time?  If the thing doesn't warrant the sacrifice, say au revoir!

Hmm, control.  Control what exactly?  Let's look at the meaning of this word.  One definition is to exercise authoritative or dominating influence over.  A secondary meaning is to adjust to a requirement, regulate.  
Considering these definitions, do you feel like you are in control of your life or do you feel sometimes like it is controlling you?  Never thought about it really?  Maybe you should.  It's really only a worthwhile exercise if you are willing to be very honest with yourself.  

There are so many things in our day that we think are etched in stone, unmovable.  I have to do this, they are expecting me to do that etc.  I'm sure you, like me have a list.  Do you ever contemplate what would happen if you occasionally didn't check off that task today?  It can be very freeing to just imagine the scenario for a moment.  The shocking thing is that most likely nothing untoward will happen.  It will just remain as it is and you can do it at another time or not at all.  

Every day we prioritize our to do list, get up, get ready, eat, go to work, shop, sleep...  In between all these activities we frantically try and fit in every thing else, pick up dry cleaning, go to the bank, make these phone calls, drop this off, do the laundry, blah blah blah.  We foresee ourselves feeling very satisfied and smug at the end of the day because we have accomplished so much.  Aren't we amazing, look at all we've done!  Really?  It's quite a come down when in fact, at the end of the day you are just crabby and exhausted.  More often than not, devoid of the energy you would like to have for the more important things like sitting at the table to eat dinner, speaking with people instead of watching TV, reading a book (remember those?) mellowing out and unwinding before bed.  
We all agree I'm sure, that these are more important things, they are the noble acts that we know in theory will make our lives richer and more civilized.  Yet, what is our day to day slog saying about what we really consider to be more important?  I don't know the answer to that, that is where your own honest evaluation of your life comes into its own.  That is where the second meaning of adjustment is valuable but only if you are the one setting the requirement.

The delicate balance of life that is a constant voyage of adjustment...

First answer (for me) NO!  I realise a lot of you may think this is a contradiction in terms to being a professional organiser but I beg to differ.  Hear me out first, I think there is a lot of food for thought here.


I love organised space and a sense of order or control regarding my environment.  Another part of me - I am like you - multi faceted, likes stuff.  Not naff junk or stuff for the sake of stuff but a cozy (gezellig in Dutch - more on that later) amount to make my space a true reflection of the life I have lived thus far. Most things, besides the functional in  my home, tell a little bit of my life story.  Whether it is particularly interesting or not is redundant, it is mine.  For me that is home, yet still organised and user friendly. 
Now, second answer - YES!  but I must confess, more the philosophy behind it is what appeals to me.  I realised this after watching a Ted talk by the Minimalists.  Check out their link, you'll be intrigued. 

www.theminimalists.com

Now, back to gezellig.  I first heard this word when I was visiting a tres bonne amie in Amsterdam.  It is a Dutch word that is basically untranslatable.  I think that is really the beauty of it, to appreciate the word itself you must be open enough to embrace the idea of the word.  Here goes - cozy but so much more, it also describes certain feelings of well being.  I like this explanation best:

www.dutchamsterdam.nl/155-gezellig

It can apply to so many things, people and experiences and give you a warm, fulfilled vibe at the same time.  

Let me know what you think, I am dying to hear from you.

I can hear your first question loud and clear - HOW?  Fact, the average person spends approximately ONE YEAR of their lives looking for things!  What would you do with an extra year to add to your life?  Not to be maudlin but think of what you would give to have another year with someone you have lost.
Seriously now, think for 10 seconds and see what you come up with.  If I had extra time I would spend it doing things with my husband and babies.  Anything, going to the park, talking, drinking, reading, watching them sleep.  It doesn't have to be some amazing feat from your bucket list.  Just to have the added bonus of an extra year together is enough. In our culture the attitude is often, "time is money". That seems to carry a lot of weight with people as far as spending their time with more thought.  Maybe it would help us to sometimes have the view of just appreciating non booked up moments that are ours to spend feeding our psyches.  The ongoing benefits are obvious for some but will be made obvious over time to those not used to this way of looking at things.
So, how to claim that year?
Think of what you lose most often - keys, phone, charger, wallet etc.  Of course some things we put away so well we end up losing them in the end.  The advantage to having less stuff or a reasonable amount of stuff (very subjective) is that there is less to put away and therefore misplace.  
Consider this all too familiar scenario - rushing around in the morning trying to get your household or yourself out the door, to school or work on time without having a stress attack and breaking into a sweat before you hit the road.  Never mind the raised voices and short replies - and the subsequent guilt (inevitably).  
Contrarily - knowing exactly where all your important bits and pieces are so they are easily grabbable while you remain pristine and unfettered and start your day with a healthy blood pressure reading. 
This will not magically happen mes amis.  Some thought and effort - albeit not a tonne, will ensure your mornings run more smoothly, even for those non-morning lovers like myself.

Does hiring a professional organiser sound like something other people do?  A somewhat indulgent excess?  Let me ask you this - is this view because you don't really, deep down think you deserve to live in a clean, happy, well ordered space?  Is that too good for you?  You should just carry on and make do with the clutter, feeling of being burdened and constant weight upon you?
Let's just turn the tables a moment - if one of your favourite people (relative, friend, mate) confided in you that they felt overwhelmed, had feelings of not being worth it, that the state of their home left them isolated because they were embarrassed to have anyone visit, what would be your response?  'Yes, you're right, you suck, you don't deserve it, what are you thinking?!'  Of course not, that would be the furthest thing from your mind.  
You would encourage them, love them, be their champion.  You would be saddened by the way they were beating themselves up and how it was so adversely affecting their quality of life.  It's a terrible thing to witness.
So, now think about this - why are you any different?  What advice or counsel would you give yourself? You deserve the exact same love, consideration and assistance that you would naturally offer to those who mean something to you.  So let's just get it going, the smartest people are smart enough to ask for help and then get on with enjoying their lives.