by The Simplifier Co-Editor Lance Brown

If clutter is starting to overwhelm your office, yard, car, or any other three-dimensional space, and you can’t seem to figure out how to make any headway, the 360-degree method is a simple way to make quick, visible progress.

Simply put yourself in the middle of the space you want to declutter, facing some fixed point on the perimeter. Point to that spot with your arm out. The line between you and that fixed point is your starting line. Now pick a direction, left or right, and pivot in that direction until you are pointing at clutter of some sort (if you’re just starting, you’re probably pointing at clutter from the start!) And simply resolve all clutter as you come to it, item by item, a sliver at a time.

Eventually, the sliver will become a wedge, the wedge will become a quarter, the quarter will become a half, and before long, the whole 360 degrees of your space will be clutter-free.

How do you “simply resolve all clutter” as you come to it? That’s the beauty of the 360-degree method - it asks you to resolve your clutter one object at a time. If you find yourself pointing at something which shouldn’t be there (i.e., clutter), take that item and put it where it should go. If it doesn’t have a place where it should go, create one. If you simply can’t find or make a place, then you may have to consider reducing your overall load of stuff.

Clutter taxes your peace of mind, and with zero benefits. It has to be dealt with one way or the other. The 360-degree method is a good way to achieve triumph over your clutter in an incremental but very noticeable way.

P.S. - Of course, it’s key that you don’t let the wedge that you’ve cleared get recluttered while you’re completing the circle. If it does, start back at the starting point again. Don’t worry - clearing that section will be easier the second time around!