I have a confession to make – I am a clutter bunny. A pack rat. A really, really questionable housekeeper, to be more than polite. I like being organized and all, it just presents as a challenge for me. That, in and of itself, would be okay, I could live with a personality glitch, but in my heart of hearts I know that it makes my entrepreneur’s life harder. So, I’ve decided to focus on improving it.

Along with some very brave women on Twitter, my favorite social media tool, #CleanUp09, a “Just Say No to Clutter” campaign, is kicking off.

Are you a candidate for this campaign? If you have any of the following symptoms of clutter creep, you are:

  • Do you have to search for your keys because you don’t have a regular, easy to find place for them?
  • Do you have cars parked in the driveway because you can’t fit your cars into your garage?
  • Are your office files (or email box) in shambles, preventing you from  easily and quickly retrieving whatever information you desire at a moment’s notice?
  • Do you miss appointments or double book because your schedule isn’t pulled together and organized?
  • Do you not invite people over because you don’t want them to see the mess?
  • Do you have multiple sized sets of clothing (none of which fit you and all that are outdated) in your closet?
  • Do you have any eBooks (yes, even the free ones) on your computer that you can’t retrieve because you don’t remember where the files are?
  • Do you have any drawers, closets, or rooms that are not functional due to overflowing stuff?

You don’t have to confess it to me, but at least confess it to yourself.

How, you might be asking, does this have anything to do with being a female entrepreneur? In my travels and conversations with hundreds of female entrepreneurs, one thing has stood out as a problem for all of them - overwhelm. Clutter can come in many areas – physical, emotional, mental, etc. When you’re trying to do so many things in a day, spending your time doing things over, or not finding the tools you need, or having chaos rule your environment, is counterproductive to your success. You lose energy, you are scattered and unfocused, and you are working harder to get less done. And, frankly, it’s no fun, so you aren’t going to enjoy your passionate work. Not cool.

The action starts officially Jan. 1, 2009, but you can start anytime. DON’T clean up anything before you take a picture of it. I  will do my best to get us some prizes too, but at this point, it’s a matter of personal improvement and that has its own rewards. Don’t let your New Year’s Resolution power push come and go without creating a better world for yourself. And always remember, we are together in this – you have friends.

The contest requires some commitment, but the idea is to make it light and fun. So, to be part of Cleanup 09, here is what you agree to do:

  • You will be patient with yourself
  • You will reward yourself when you do the right thing (especially small steps!)
  • You will start small and finish small (break big projects down)
  • You will take action.
  • You will support each of us as we improve our environments and ourselves.
  • You  will remain tolerant, of yourself and others.
  • You will be forgiving of your past mishaps and make a new day.
  • You will talk about your experience (and post your pictures) so others can learn from your journey.
  • You will release your shame and self-flagellation and just get on with it.

Want to play? If so, take a picture of your trouble spot. I recommend you choose a small one (like maybe your kitchen junk drawer). Then, organize it. Throw out the old trash, let go of the “I will need to use this someday” stuff, and set up a system that you can maintain. I have some resources listed below that might be of assistance in deciding what stuff to keep and how to go about doing this.

Next, get on Twitter and tweet out to your followers to invite them to join. Use #Cleanup09 in all of your tweets related to the cleanup so they will be grouped together and we can all find them easily. You can email me your pictures and I’ll post them here, you can post them on your own site, or you can post them on photo sharing sites like Flickr.

Here is my first hot spot – 2 “before” views of my desk area:

I am committed to posting pictures of my messes, before and after, and then celebrating the end of them when I clean them  up. The picture thing scares the devil out of me, as I am fairly certain that the embarrassment will be nearly unbearable, but I am not going to let shame stand in my way of a better life – and neither should you.

Here are the resources I promised. If you know a clutter counselor, invite them here to post their recommendations for helping. All are welcome and the more the merrier!

Post below in comments what area you are going to start with and what it would mean to you to be more organized.

Together, we are stronger!
Vicki Flaugher, the original SmartWoman

follow me on Twitter: SmartWoman