The Hidden Cost of Clutter: Part 6 What to do When Life is “Lifing”???

Xtreme Audacity
Oct 1
6 min read

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Life has a way of throwing curveballs. One day you’re feeling steady, your home feels in order, your routines are flowing, and you’re checking off your to-do list with ease. The next day, Life is “Lifing”. A sick child. A demanding project at work. A financial surprise. A sudden move. A change in health. Or maybe it’s just the accumulation of small things, laundry piling up, bills stacked on the counter, and the quiet stress of knowing your home is running you instead of the other way around.

Here’s the painful truth: when life gets heavy, clutter doesn’t just sit quietly in the background. It multiplies. It clogs your space. It steals your energy. It costs you money. And when your systems break down, the disorganization magnifies stress and makes every challenge feel ten times heavier.

If you’ve ever found yourself searching for clean clothes at the bottom of a basket when you’re already late, paying late fees on a bill you misplaced, or snapping at your family because you can’t find what you need in your own home, you know exactly what I mean. When life is “lifing,” clutter isn’t just inconvenient, it’s a burden that keeps you from showing up fully for yourself, your family, and your purpose.

But here’s the good news: it doesn’t have to stay that way.

Living The Organized Life isn’t about having a picture-perfect house. It’s about creating S.Y.S.T.E.M.s that Save You Space, Time, Energy, and Money, systems that support you when life gets tough, not just when everything is easy.

Why the Hidden Cost of Clutter Hurts Most When Life is “Lifing”

Let’s be real: none of us are immune to chaos. Life happens to everyone. But the way clutter shows up during those seasons is sneaky:

It eats away at your time. You’re already stretched thin, and now you’re wasting 20 minutes looking for paperwork or the matching shoe.
It drains your energy. A cluttered space is visually and mentally exhausting. Instead of restoring peace, your home feels like another problem to solve.
It wastes your money. Missed due dates, re-buying items you already own, food going bad in the fridge, all financial hits caused by disorganization.
It strains your relationships. Disorganization often spills over into tension with spouses, kids, and even coworkers.

The hidden cost of clutter becomes most obvious not when things are smooth, but when life throws the unexpected. Those moments test whether your systems are strong, or whether clutter is quietly running the show.

Building S.Y.S.T.E.M.s That Save You Space, Time, Energy, and Money

Step One: Pause and Prioritize

When life is lifing, your first instinct might be to try to tackle everything at once. Don’t! That’s a fast track to burnout. Instead:

Pause. Take a breath and acknowledge the moment. Grace is the first step.
Prioritize. Identify the musts versus the maybes. Your whole house doesn’t have to be spotless. But maybe your kitchen counters need to be clear so you can prepare meals without stress, or maybe your laundry needs to be caught up so everyone has what they need for the week.

A simple reset is often more powerful than a deep clean.

Step Two: Lean on Your S.Y.S.T.E.M.s

This is where the power of The Organized Life shines. Systems aren’t built for the “perfect” days; they’re built for the crazy ones. Ask yourself:

Do I have a laundry system that keeps clothes moving even when I’m busy?
Do I have a paper management system that prevents bills from being lost?
Do I have a meal prep system that saves me from defaulting to expensive takeout?

If your systems aren’t holding up, don’t panic. That’s a sign they need to be adjusted. Remember: systems should serve you, not the other way around.

For example, one of my favorite quick resets is to keep a set of collapsible storage bins near my main living spaces. When life is overwhelming, I can toss stray items in them for a short-term reset, then sort later. It saves my peace in the moment without abandoning the bigger system.

Step Three: Build in Micro-Routines

When life is lifing, your usual routines may feel impossible. That’s okay. Instead of giving up, shrink them.

Don’t fold all the laundry? Fine. Fold just one basket a night.
Don’t cook an elaborate meal? No problem. Throw together a quick sheet pan dinner.
Don’t clean the whole house? Reset just the room you spend the most time in.

Micro-routines create momentum. And momentum leads to clarity.

A tool that helps here is a dry erase wall calendar. When life is chaotic, being able to visually see your week at a glance prevents overwhelm and makes prioritizing easier.

Step Four: Outsource Where You Can

Sometimes the smartest thing you can do is admit you don’t have to do it all. Outsourcing isn’t failure, it’s strategy.

Can you order groceries online instead of spending two hours in the store?
Can you delegate chores to family members, even if it means they don’t do them “perfectly”?
Can you use simple organizing tools to do the heavy lifting for you?

Something as simple as investing in a rolling laundry sorter can decrease your laundry time significantly. Each family member can drop clothes into the right bin, and you’ve already eliminated the dreaded “sort before you wash” step.

Small investments in the right tools can free up massive amounts of time and energy.

Step Five: Reset Your Mindset

When life is lifing, clutter has a way of making you feel like you’re failing. But let me remind you: Organization is not about perfection. It’s about adaptability.

Living The Organized Life doesn’t mean things never fall apart, it means you know how to bring them back together and your recovery time is lessened. It’s about building a home and systems that catch you when you fall, not demand that you stand perfectly upright all the time.

Your home should be your safe place, not another source of stress.

Step Six: Revisit and Revise Your S.Y.S.T.E.M.s

When the storm calms, take time to reflect. Which systems worked? Which ones cracked under pressure? That reflection is gold, because it gives you the insight to refine your systems so they serve you even better next time.

Think of it this way: you’re not starting over. You’re leveling up. Every “life is lifing” moment is a chance to strengthen your foundation for the next season.

Final Thoughts

When life is lifing, clutter can either add to the chaos, or your systems can anchor you in peace. The hidden cost of clutter is that it steals the very resources you need most during hard times: your space, your time, your energy, and your money. But when you live The Organized Life with S.Y.S.T.E.M.s that truly support you, you create breathing room, clarity, and confidence to face whatever comes your way.

So the next time life feels overwhelming, remember this: You don’t need perfection. You need systems that serve you, and the grace to use them imperfectly.

Here are some products to help you along the way.

Collapsible Storage Bins – great for quick resets and clutter catchalls.
Dry Erase Wall Calendar – keeps your week visible and manageable during chaotic seasons.
Rolling Laundry Sorter – streamlines laundry and keeps the whole family involved.

(This post contains affiliate links to Amazon from which I make a small commission with no extra costs added to you.)

I also dive deeper into this topic with Amy Chang, a Healthy Life Health and Wellness Coach, on my podcast. You can listen to the episode or watch the full conversation on YouTube, where we share practical strategies, mindset shifts, and wellness insights to help you thrive even when life is lifing.

Cheers to a successful organizing journey!!

Until Next Time