Oprah recently aired a re-peat of a program about organizing.  It was called "Oprah's Messy House Tour", complete with goofy jingle.  In this program, professional organizer Peter Walsh surprised people in their homes and helped them clean up their clutter.  Many organizers have a lot of love for Peter Walsh, not just for what he can do with a cluttered space, but for the attention he brings to our profession.  He also has the wonderful ability to explain to people what clutter really represents.

Peter emphasized in this program that the physical clutter in your home is often a reflection of the clutter that is present throughout your entire lifestyle.  The apathy and sense of defeat with which people view their jobs and relationships shows up physically in their closets, kitchens, and home offices.  When we don't respect our possessions, we show people that we don't respect ourselves.

What I love most about Peter is the compassion he has for the people he works with.  He surprised a young, seemingly confident New Yorker in her apartment.  As they worked to organize her closet, she adamantly professed her love of the shoes and handbags she owned.  Peter gently explained to her the irony of carelessly tossing those things on the floor to be stepped on or buried.  In just a few  hours, they cleared away trash and clutter that she let pile up for months and years.  At the big reveal, she was finally brought to tears, expressing her thanks that someone chose to believe in her when she was afraid to believe in herself.

The tears of the young New Yorker were about much more than the removal of physical clutter.  They were about hope for the future.  They were about renewed confidence.   What I love about helping others organize their space is seeing that "ah-ha moment" (to use an Oprah phrase) when people finally understand that they can do better for themselves in every aspect of their lives.  Sometimes all you need to improve your life is for someone to believe in you.  Lose the apathy.  Live vibrantly in your relationships.  Believe in yourself.  You're worth it.