229: The Emotional Process of Decluttering {Interview with Marie Jackson}

"A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with—that's poverty—but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you're clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it's clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar. (148)" ― Victoria Moran, Lit From Within: Tending Your Soul For Lifelong Beauty Interview with Marie Jackson www.organizedmarie.com "I created Organized Marie to help women live an organized life. I'm a full-time working mom that knows first hand the struggles to stay organized. I've been organizing since I was a kid. If I saw a space that wasn't organized, I'd organize it almost immediately even if it wasn't my home. Growing up, school was a huge struggle for me. I had a learning disability and had to see a specialist from third grade to ninth grade. In high school, I was in the math class a year behind my peers. I was usually on the B honor roll, occasionally A. It took a lot of work to get there. There's no way that wouldn't have happened if I wasn't organized. College came and that was ten times harder. I remember getting my first D in one of my classes which had never happened to me before. I had an anxiety attack. I was playing soccer for the university and was terrified I'd become ineligible. After meeting with my professor, we agreed to get me a tutor. She really helped me bet back on track. Throughout the rest of college, I had tutors, most of them were my teammates. Playing soccer and going to college was hard. I had to find time to work with my tutors. All of this forced me to be organized beyond belief. It helped control my anxiety. Tests would always make me nervous but the more prepared I was, the less stressed I was. I remember my freshman year on the soccer team, a few of my teammates thought I was a straight A student because of the amount of work and organization I did, I only wish! Throughout my working career being organized has lead me to successes. It's helped me stay consistent, persistent, and most importantly keep my stress level down. Now that I'm a mom, being organized is more important than ever. You never know what your child might need. You of course only learn this when you're out somewhere and realize you don't have what you need #momlife. What I've learned about organizing throughout my life is that it's a journey, not a destination. Being organized has been so beneficial in my life and it can be really beneficial for you too. Let's go on this journey together because that's my mission, helping you reduce stress and inspiring you to live an organized life."