Needless to say, this article opened up discussion amongst my Professional Organizer peers..in the end, it’s for you to decide if your clutter is “art”…
May 29th article by Dominique Browing entitled “Let’s Celebrate the Art of Clutter” opened up a discussion amongst my Professional Organizer peers, as you might expect. The article undermines the process of purging personal possesions to eliminate clutter.
Sure, there can be art in clutter, as Dominique argues. I love seeing the interesting “stuff” my clients have kept over the years. Though it is rare, in the cases where people have collections that are well managed and maintained, they are extraordinary and interesting and intellectually stimulating. The operative statement here is “my clients”, and by that I mean they decided to make an investment to get help in eliminating clutter. That decision, virtually evey time, is because their clutter does not bring them joy; it is not serving them. Their possessions are not “winking happily” at them from tabletops and the bookshelves of which there are “never enough”.
It’s an intriguing read, but at the end of the day, it is for you to decide if your clutter is beautiful art that serves you and brings you joy, or rather is a burden, and brings you shame. If it’s the later, then you can be thankful for the Organizer in your life to come and help you artfully let it go!