Have you noticed when you organize your home or office that the clutter seems to slowly creep back? In the organizing world we call this “backsliding.” That’s right, it has a name and it is very common. All of my clients have said to me that maintenance has been the single most difficult part of organizing. And I have to agree. It’s a lot like going on a diet. You will never maintain your goal weight if you stop exercising and eating right. So you can’t expect to stay clutter free if you stop organizing. If there is one thing I say often it’s that organizing should be a DAILY task. Just like brushing your teeth. Especially if you are chronically disorganized.

I see it as a huge milestone however, if a client of mine notices they are backsliding on a more frequent basis. This means their threshold for clutter has reduced. Which I believe has a lot to do with my ability to keep organized. I see serious consequences when the smallest pile starts to form on my desk or when my clothes start to pile up in my closet. So backsliding is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just a small reminder that we need to take care of ourselves and focus on our needs for bit. What could be wrong with that?

I recently had a client email me after one session. She said she was feeling discouraged because she noticed the clutter was slowly coming back. Of course, after one session, I had to tell her she was being a bit hard on herself and remind her these things take time. Then I had to congratulate her. She was starting to see things differently already. And just seeing things differently can greatly change our actions.

So if you see yourself backsliding, don’t get discouraged. It’s normal and trust me, it has it’s benefits. Even if you don’t feel it or see it at the present time.