Organize with EFT Series - Phase 1 Stop the Clutter with EFT

Most organizing books suggest that getting rid of clutter is the first step in getting organized.  This mostly means dealing with the clutter which has built up over the years.  However, because of constant incoming data such as paper, objects and events, people are not even capable of catching up with daily arrivals let alone being able to concentrate on the previous build-up.

Some people go through big "clean up" cycles without creating a system.  Others, overwhelmed with time constraints generated on them by others, feel that whatever comes their way is their priority.  The results of both behaviors create a feeling of defeat and hopelessness about the targeted task.

If people first work on decreasing what is coming at them, they can feel an instant relief, and get immediate satisfaction.  This creates the encouragement and motivation towards aiming for tackling years worth of old junk.

The "Stop the Clutter" phase is involved with taking actions such as decreasing or stopping junk mail, magazine and catalog subscriptions; limiting events and organizations that one is involved with; and eliminating unnecessary shopping.

There are 3 basic challenges in this phase.  Each challenge and appropriate set up and reminder phrase is described below.

A. Challenges with TIME

While tapping Karate Chop:

Even though I believe that I don't have time to work on getting organized�?

I love and forgive myself for not creating time to get organized

I love and forgive anyone else that contributes to my not having time to get organized

Use the Reminder Phrases:

This belief of not having time, or

Not having enough time

Other phrases related to Time - Pick the ones which are true to you

Even though I don't think spending time on getting organized is worth my time�?/EM>

Phase 2: Observe Habits

When people decide to get organized, very often what they do is rush to buy products which they think will help them get organized.  Those products get buried under the piles of stuff, becoming part of the clutter.  This is because “organized�?is related to people more than it is to places.

“Organized�?is about people’s habits, lifestyles, personalities, what motivates them and how they function.  If spaces are given all the attention without taking people who are using them into consideration, what is achieved is aesthetics without functionality.  And this is why conflicts arise when one person who thinks he knows better creates an organization which becomes a total confusion for the other party.

Below are sample set-up phrases while working on emotional challenges originated from others�?inputs:

Even though my husband thinks I am a mess�?/EM>

Phase 3: Eliminate the Unnecessary

Eliminating the Unnecessary covers four areas:

1. Eliminating the unnecessary behaviors
2. Eliminating the unnecessary objects
3. Eliminating the unnecessary people
4. Eliminating the unnecessary events

Through careful thinking and decided action with help of EFT, you can free up a lot of time and space, and have peace and happiness in your life.

1. Eliminating the unnecessary behaviors

There is a story about a cooking a holiday ham.  The mom is busy in the kitchen preparing a holiday ham, and her son is watching her.  He sees her cutting both ends off the ham before placing it in a baking tray.  He asks, “Mommy, why do you cut the ends of the ham off?�? His mother answers, “That’s how my mother always did it.�?/P>

So the boy calls his grandmother.  “Grandma, why do you cut the ends of the ham off before you bake it?�? “That’s how my mother always did it.�?nbsp; The young boy calls the great-grandmother.  “Great Grandma, why do you always cut the ends of the ham before you cook it?�? She answers, “Because it doesn’t fit in my pan.�?/P>

How many extra steps are you taking while you do things just because you assumed it is the right way to do it?

Tap with:

Even though I always  ___ (fill in the blank) because Mom, Dad, etc. told �?taught �?showed me so, and I have never thought of trying different ways�?/EM>

Phase 4: Defeat Procrastination

“Whenever I feel like exercise, I lie down until the feeling passes!�?(Anonymous)

Procrastination comes from the ancient Latin word procrastinatus: pro (forward) and crastinus (of tomorrow).  Thus the word means forwarding it to tomorrow.  I saw a sign at a restaurant which read: “Free Beer Tomorrow�?  And if you went there tomorrow, this sign will still read tomorrow! For most people when they say “I’ll do it tomorrow!�?same rule applies!  If you really want to do it, you put a real date on it.

Procrastination is defined as avoidance of an action or task, and it is often linked with perfectionism.  For whatever reason, when a person procrastinates, this behavior causes him anxiety, stress, guilt, and sometimes physical manifestations in the body as headaches and insomnia.

The procrastinating behavior causes loss of productivity, tension and crisis, disappointment in self and others for not fulfilling responsibilities and commitments.  While procrastinating is considered normal to some degree, chronic procrastination may be a sign of underlying emotional, psychological or physiological disorders.

Main causes of procrastinating behavior are examined under three categories:

• Environmental/External: Disorganization, cluttered spaces, nagging people.
• Emotional/Internal: Feeling of overwhelm, indecisiveness, perfectionism.
• Physical and Mental Illness: OCD, ADD, depression.

We might actually to some extent integrate the last cause �?Physical and Mental Illness- under “Emotional�?considering with EFT education and energy psychology information, we believe that most of those challenges are caused by an emotional imbalance in the body’s energy system.

Below are some sample setup and tap-along phrases that can give you an idea how you can use EFT for yourself or your clients.

Tap with:

Even though I have been procrastinating on writing this annual report�?/EM>

Phase 5: Create a Functioning System

If a child is constantly being yelled at to clean up his room, and all he does is to hide everything under the bed and in the closet, it might be because he doesn’t have sufficient space and knowledge about how to do it.  Rather than writing, “You are a mess�?on his mental walls, it is advisable to figure out why the situation happens.

Is it because something is missing such as shelving, or is it because there is too much stuff?  Is it because the drawers in his chest keep getting stuck, or because he does not like folding his clothes?

Creating a functioning system is a process which necessitates understanding needs and one’s self.  One third of it is observations, one third of it is tools, and one third of it is the space.  If you only go by the space and the furniture, you might still end up with a mess when we don’t add the person who will use the space in the equation.

For example, you cannot order a closet system and expect that it will work wonders because you have paid thousands for it.  Most closet companies give you a system according to your space and whatever accessories you think are “nice�?  After the installation, your clothes might still end up on the floor, on the bed, and on the exercise machine because you didn’t factor in if you:

• Like to fold, throw* or hang your clothes
• Prefer to see them, or do you want them in drawers
• Have long/short, bulky…etc clothes.
• Like to group them according to color, season, length, type or your dressing style

So, by making observations about your likes, dislikes and habits, you can avoid living in guilt for the things which you are not responsible for.  For example you might have a nice closet system in your closet but it might not be suitable for your habits.  When you see the clothes on the floor, you will immediately blame yourself.  In reality it might be that the closet system does not work for you!  It might be that the closet door only opens half way and blocks the rest of the closet.  By being aware of what is happening, you can stop concentrating on the problem and blaming yourself.  And when you are at peace with yourself, you can think clearly and create something that works for you.

Some sample phrases to clean out the guilt and gain clarity could be:

Even though I hate folding my clothes�?/EM>

Phase 6: Understand Paper Management

Paper management is one of the biggest problems people face today - when we are supposed to be "paperless".  Statistics indicate that there are nearly 650,000,000 pages printed from computers every day.  That's enough to fill a file drawer 180 miles long!  And there are 178.9 billion fax pages sent/received per day; a 1500% increase in only the past 5 years!  Where does all this paper go? It ends up on top of your desk, cabinets, windowsills, drawers, kitchen counters, dining room table. And when you will have guests, it goes into paper bags to be hidden under the sink, inside the dryers, and pantries!

Paper clutter is a big part of the clutter people suffer from.  It is also one of most overwhelming kind of clutter because;

• Most people don't know what to do with it.
• It keeps coming in through many means.
• Each piece needs reading, thus taking much longer to sort than other kind of clutter.
• Can be related to deep emotional scars- letters-photos-emails from certain times.
• You don't get visual gratification as much as organizing a room.

Here are some EFT Set-Up phrases to get you started:

• Even though I feel like I am drowning under paper, I understand that many people suffer from the same problem�?/EM>
• Even though, I don't feel like dealing with it�?/EM>
• Even though we haven't been able to use our dining room table for so long, I am open to the possibility of forgiving myself for letting the piles of paper grow so high.
• Even though I still hold onto letters from my old boyfriends, and keep them in my bedroom closet, I am open to the possibility of considering letting go off them.  Maybe this way, I might concentrate on my current relationship/ marriage instead of feeling stuck in the past.
• Even though I have no clue how to set up easy, practical filing systems, I am open to asking other people, reading some articles, and playing with creating something for myself.  I realize that what I create doesn't have to be perfect.  I understand that I can always change things around.  I choose to see that if a system doesn't work, it means that the system and my habits do not match.  It has nothing to do with me as a PERSON.
• Even though I am afraid to let go off some papers thinking I might need them, I see that I have no clue about what I have and where I have it, so I might as well let go off most that I don't use until I make my piles manageable to create a system.
• Even though I want to hold onto the article clippings from newspapers and magazines, I accept the fact that almost everything is on the Internet now.  Maybe I can let go off the control and enjoy my breathing space!
• Even though my magazines look really nice, and I can't bring myself to discard them, I understand that there is no way for me to get back to a certain article unless I search for days.  I realize that I like looking at certain pictures which triggers my creativity and the things with I want to do with my life.  Maybe I can just cut those pictures and create a brain map.

Phase 7: Get Rid of Old Clutter

While working with EFT, going through old boxes of stuff is a very fast and amazing method to uncover the cause of the problems that are currently present in our lives.  Most the time these boxes contain things that are directly related to our past, and we can have immediate access to the memories.  Thus we kill two birds with one stone; get rid of the physical clutter, and get rid of the emotional clutter.

"Old clutter" mostly exists in boxes of stuff from previous moves which are left unopened.  It can also be found in boxes of things not wanted or needed anymore, but shoved in the basements, attics, and garages FOR NOW!  Getting rid of things comes with a lot of guilt and many "should and shouldn't have’s�?  It comes with fear and many thoughts of negative consequences.  So it is easier to just pack them away in a nearby space by rather than making a radical decision to get rid of them.

According to Feng Shui principals, even though the clutter is boxed and put away, it still affects us energetically.  People who hold onto things get stuck in the past, they can't get over past hurts, and most of the time feel stuck and can't move forward.  Opening physical space in our environment frees up emotional space as well.  New desired changes, things, and people enter our lives much easier.

At my seminars I ask my audience, if you didn't own anything, what would you do?  They get a naughty smile on their face and they say, "Anything I want.�?/P>

Going through this old stuff is painful and overwhelming.  However, using EFT will take the edge off so that you can live through all the memories, experiences, events, and remember people.  And you will make your closures and say your Goodbyes.  Start with following general EFT phrases.

Sample EFT phrases:

Even though I feel overwhelmed thinking about opening this box�?/EM>

Phase 8: Work on Time Management Skills

Most time management challenges are directly related to clutter and disorganization.  Whether it is at work or home, when you have a working system in place, it is much easier to manage the time. All the time that is spent trying to access things and looking for things is freed up.

Also, because you operate effortlessly and efficiently, you get more done in a shorter time, thus releasing more time.  This puts you in a very good mood, which helps with your physical and emotional health; and you save even more time - the time that is spent as a result of sicknesses.

There is also another aspect to consider when we look at managing time.  Time management actually means managing the activities that fill up our time.  So, if someone does not find time to exercise, this might be because that person does NOT really want to exercise.

With EFT, one can discover if the problem actually originates from the time constraints or other emotional blockages.  In this case a helpful setup phrase could be, Even though, I claim that I don't have time to exercise�? This opens up a door for possible past blocking events related to exercising experiences.  Then appropriate EFT setup phrases are applied to address the causes.  (Find an EFT practitioner to do the detective work properly)

Below are a few sample set up phrases for variety of situations related to problems with both aspects of time management.  There are many other situations to be taken into account, which we do not have space for in this article.

Even though I don't believe that I have time to exercise, I might be able to go for walk/take the dog for a walk.

Even though I hold onto these articles, magazines, and newspapers thinking that I will read them one day, they just seem to pile up and I never seem to have time to read them...

Maybe if I get rid of most of the information that I can find on the Internet, I might have a more manageable and realistic "To Read" pile.

Then, I can grab some of those every time I go to a doctor's appointment and read my pile instead of the magazines in the waiting room.

I love and forgive myself for thinking I should be reading more than I can.  

Even though I am afraid that I will miss something if I throw out a newspaper without reading every section�?/EM>

Phase 9: Maintain Order

After everything is de-cluttered, systematized, and organized, you will need to put things away to be able to keep the order.  From time to time you might slide back.  That is OK.  As long as you have good system in place, it will be very fast and easy to put things away.

However there are certain roadblocks I notice with the clients I work with, and from the questions I get from my readers and audience.  Below are sample setup phrases for the most common situations in the Maintaining Order Phase.  Tap with me:

Even though I understand that time to time, spaces will get messy�? 

I love and forgive myself for letting it go and becoming this way during the week.  I understand that life goes on and new, incoming things do NOT stop and wait for me to work on maintaining the house and my office.  I love myself anyway.

Even though I thought that once I had cleaned up and organized everything, it would stay that way.  I see that it is not the case.  Now I understand that just like taking vitamins, eating food, and taking showers; keeping up with maintaining the organization requires working at it EVERYDAY. I accept it the way it is and I accept myself.

Even though I feel overwhelmed with all the things that need maintaining, maybe if I learn to enlist my family or my employees, I might be able to catch up with what needs to be done easier. Maybe I can let go of having to be in control all the time, and let others help me in the ways they can help me �?rather than trying to teach them my ways.  I accept myself the way I am and I am open to accepting them the way they are.

Even though I am trying to make my house look like the ones in the catalogues, I am open to the possibility of understanding that those are photos of staged rooms to give a certain impression and to be able to sell products and services.  They are not real.  So it is OK that my home does not look that way.  I love and accept myself.

Even though I am constantly buying and saving magazines, and shopping for new products, thus adding to the things that need to be maintained, I am open to the idea of reducing the magazine subscriptions, and the newspaper clippings I save.  I understand that I can find information on almost everything on the internet now.  And I know that I can go to a local library to access it even if I don’t have access at home.  I promise myself to work on it.  I love myself for helping ME work on the habits that I want to change.

Even though I don’t feel like putting things away every time I use them, I know that this is how thing get messy.  And later on I will have to deal with more work.  It becomes more overwhelming when it builds up.  I will be more inclined to put things away if I can picture myself finding them in their homes when I access them next time.  It already puts a smile on my face when I see myself getting to my things easily.  This positive picture will work better than feeling bad about myself when I do not placing them back.  Yes, I will work on the positive picture and change my behavior.  I love myself.

Keep tapping and working at it.  You will feel better and better everyday. HAPPY ORGANIZED DAYS!

Figen Genco, BA.

EFT/Feng Shui/Organizing Consultant