ANNETTE AND HER CHAPTERS

​I know this sounds ridiculous, but I read a quote in a magazine:

“If you never take risks in life, you'll never see anything new”

Blake Lewis

And I thought how awful it would be not to see or do anything new.

I may have seen and done a lot in my life, and got stuff to prove it, but I'm only 62, I've still got a lot longer left -  hope!

So I decided to have one last go at dealing with my clutter.

I avoided getting help to deal with my clutter for 5 years because I felt I 'should' be able to deal with it on my own if I just had enough time, just had more storage, just had a magic wand to make it disappear.

I just couldn't stand the thought of someone else seeing all the clutter and chaos I was living with.

I was too ashamed to acknowledge where I'd got myself.

But then I did my annual look on the internet, just to see what was new out there.

I'm surprised I hadn't seen Clare and Clutter Clearing before!

Something struck a cord with me.

She's been there too, she wasn't patronising in her videos, she seemed human, someone I'd like to spend time with, someone who truly cared.

What was even better was that it was the most affordable type of help I'd seen, and I could try it without having to spend a lot of money - something I don't have.

I'd done all the 'normal' things, or so Clare tells me!

• I'd bought the books that go with the decluttering TV programmes. They hadn't been read.

• I'd put some things in storage and was paying a ridiculous amount of money to store things - most of which I couldn't even remember what they were, but wasn't prepared to just throw them away without checking first.

• I'd asked my husband for help and that just caused us to argue so we gave up.

• I'd even got a quote for someone to come out to help me, but as Clare said it was just an extra pair of hands and someone telling me what I 'should' do, so that was a waste of money.

That said, if I hadn't tried all those things then I probably wouldn't have understood why and how Clare is so much better than those options.

7 Step Journey.

I've got to say, Clare and the Journey members have been my lifeline over the past few months thanks to the Social Gatherings, LIVE Q&A and the VIP Circle on Facebook.

Things have changed beyond recognition in just a few short months.

I'm amazed with how much clutter I've cleared without Clare stepping one foot inside my home.

As Clare predicted, it was after the Shopping Challenge.

It felt different. I could see food going out of my home, things I would never have imagined I would be OK with letting go of.

IPlus, as Clare predicted, my husband started to comment after I cleared the first room was cleared on Step 4. He wondered where I'd put it all!

He realised I was clearing the clutter instead of just moving the clutter around. I hadn't just moved it from one room to another like I used to!

He started to offer to help take things to the charity shop or the local nursery.

So I noticed the improvement quickly, my husband a little slower because he didn't know what or how I was doing it.

He still doesn't know I'm a Journey Member!

I can do it, and as Clare says, I'm doing a marathon not a sprint.

I didn't believe I could do it when I started, but now I not only believe I'll clear it, I KNOW I'll clear it.

I can finally see an end in sight, and I can't wait to get there.

And I know I will by doing what I've already been doing.

I'm overjoyed with my new clutter free home.

It's like moving home without having to pack! I'm already seeing and feeling the benefits - I'm less stressed, the house feels bigger because there's more light coming in, I've found beautiful clothes and things in the clutter that I forgot I had, I've been able to help other people by giving away things I don't need.

My favourite reward is guilt free TV. I love my TV programmes.

​My husband rewards me too without knowing it by taking us out for dinner when I've done some Clutter Clearing.

If you're not sure if you can do this because there's so much to do or because you've never succeeded before, then just start.

Like Clare says, you're on a marathon not a sprint and you can never see the finish line on a marathon, you just have to trust that it's there somewhere if you keep moving forward.

And becoming a Clutter College member was, for me, my way of constantly moving forward.

I'm going to get there, believe me!