Kathi Miller teaches people how to remove clutter from their lives, but her platform is less about organizing than it is about outlook.
"You are not your belongings," she says. "Your belongings are meant serve you, not define you or enslave you."
Before sharing her expertise for a group at the Menomonee Falls Community Center on Tuesday, Miller (Theclutterfreelife.com) answered 5 Questions From Patch:
How do we get so much clutter?
It's a habit. I grew up not keeping things. Even though my parents grew up during the Depression, I was taught never to keep anything. There was always someone less fortunate. ... It's habit. It's filling a void people are trying to fill, an emotional void.
What is the first step to having less clutter?
Asking yourself, what can leave? What do I need to live my real life, not my fantasy life?
What is typically the worst room in a home?
In this climate, the basement. As one of my clients said, "my basement was filled with years of indecision. "
What is the item you had the hardest time letting go of?
Never had one. It's just a skill. Whatever you practice, you get good at it.
What do you when you're not teaching this skill?
My husband and I travel internationally, with one rolling suitcase per person.
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