I was feeling a bit out of sorts. My creative self felt like it was moving at a crawl and my decision-making at a snails pace. Something was off but I couldn’t put my finger on it until I started to reflect over the last eight weeks. I had traveled two times in 30 days to the East Coast to see my father who’s ailing and followed that with a week-long business trip. I realized that our home never fully recovered from the holidays. There were “loose ends” in many places which left me feeling unsettled. Even though I have a housekeeper (I highly recommend for all women!) there are some tasks that she can’t do – like clearing clutter from desks and drawers.

Clutter can destroy your creative thinking. When I give clutter permission to enter my home or office, I find it difficult to make good, solid decisions.

I decided to take advantage of my weekend to clear the clutter, get organized and make room for more clarity and creative thought in my life. Result? In just a few hours, I began to feel calmer, more peaceful and I noticed that my decision-making had become razor-sharp.

If your creativity seems to be in drip mode and your decision-making feels less than your best, maybe it’s time to clear the clutter in your life and business.

I’m not organized by nature. Cleaning and organizing are not something I enjoy doing. Here are 5 easy tips to help you get started:

1. Choose Wisely – Pick an area of your home or office where you spend the most time. For me, I chose my office desk and our kitchen counter. We hang out in the kitchen as a family and over the last month, it had become a dumping ground for many unnecessary items.

2. Set a Timer – If you find cleaning and organizing to be less than enjoyable (that’s me!) set a timer and work in small increments. I set my timer for 30 minutes. The key is to stay focused for those 30 minutes and not allow any distractions.

3. Tunes please! – Get your favorite music going in the background. I love listening to Pandora and depending on my mood, it’s Lady Antebellum or Maroon 5 for me.

4. Take it ALL out – My organizer taught me a great lesson. In order to really clean and organize a drawer, you have to take everything out of the drawer. Don’t stand over the drawer picking things out one at a time (that’s what I used to do). Dump the entire drawer out in front of you. It’s faster and much more effective.

5. Reuse & Recycle – Make sure you have two trash cans within arms reach – one for recycling and one for trash. Don’t waste time walking across the room to throw things away.

The next day, I woke feeling a new sense of clarity and the best part? Highly creative. I had been stuck on a business idea for a few weeks and it all came together that morning. I felt a new, recharged, and fresh energy as well.

Is it important for your creativity and clarity to soar? You bet. A wise mentor once shared with me that “clarity attracts cash.” Use my five easy steps to clear your clutter and make space for a big idea in your business today!

Anything is possible. Everything is waiting for you.