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The Price of Rewards

© Janet Kitto

Life is full of rewards. Not just financial ones either. Watching a seed grow into a beautiful flower, or the sun rise out of the darkened sky. Experiencing the birth of a baby. Learning to play a musical instrument. Making a new friend. I could go on and on. We tend to overlook the rewards which are free because we're busy collecting things to make our lives easier. We focus on earnings and possessions and lose sight of ourselves in the process. Ask yourself, "What do I value most?" If the first thought that pops into your head is a picture of your well manicured lawn and your beautiful home, think about what goes inside that home. What about your family and friends?

Seeking rewards from relationships with the people in your life rather than with things, will earn you a bigger payoff. So why have I brought up this issue here when my topic is on clutter? Well, financial rewards tend to bring us more things, which over time, collect into clutter. Wouldn't it be more worthwhile to spend an afternoon with a loved one rather than another knick knack to dust? I came to this conclusion when I was trying to decide what kind of reward I should give myself for organizing my office. Then I looked around while in the midst of this thought and realized the reward was right under my nose. The clean desk I had was the reward. With the clutter gone, I could enjoy an hour playing a board game with my daughter, and not feel like I had to get back to "that mess" in my office.

The simple process of keeping my desk clean has brought me many rewards. At the end of my day I don't have to spend an hour tidying up. I clean up as I go. When I need that important document I don't have to spend 20 minutes trying to find it, even though I could have sworn it was in the middle of that pile. I know where everything is. Best of all, I can get right down to work when I need to. I don't have to clear a space. This leaves me more time to spend with family and less time to worry about the clutter, because there is no more clutter!

I'm finding that the more my focus shifts onto my values, and away from the value of my possessions, the less inclined I am to keep those possessions which used to rule my life. I've stopped worrying that "someday" will come and I won't be prepared because I let go of that stack of parenting magazines, or that pile of scrap paper. With my family and friends around me, I have all that I need.

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