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Coach Juli Shulem On How Simplifying & Decluttering Your Life Can Make You Happier

Yitzi Weiner

An Interview With Drew Gerber

Don’t say ‘yes’ to everything: Spreading yourself too thin makes it hard to take care of yourself as well as your environment.

We live in a time of great excess. We have access to fast fashion, fast food, and fast everything. But studies show that all of our “stuff” is not making us any happier. How can we simplify and focus on what’s important? How can we let go of all the clutter and excess and find true happiness? In this interview series, we are talking to coaches, mental health experts, and authors who share insights, stories, and personal anecdotes about “How Simplifying and Decluttering Your Life Can Make Us Happier.” As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing Juli Shulem.

Juli Shulem has been a Professional Coach for nearly two decades and was a Business Consultant & Efficiency Expert before that. Although she wears many hats she has been an entrepreneur/solopreneur for her entire adult life.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you share your “backstory” with us? What was it that led you to your eventual career choice?

I am an and Executives Productivity Coach, with a PCC certification through the International Coaching Federation as well as an Industrial Organizational Psychologist. I coach, write, speak, and train clients on ways to improve their productivity while reducing stress, overwhelm, and procrastination. My career started as a Professional Organizer over three decades ago for companies and organizations who were wasting time, money, and resources; and now my clients span the globe. I formerly went into companies, home-offices, and homes and created systems to keep clutter from invading spaces. The paper management systems I created were my ‘claim-to-fame’ in addition to the ability to find a solution to every organizational problem a client came to me with. Now, I work with busy executives and entrepreneurs, with a specialty in helping those with ADHD and those who are somewhat ‘stuck’ so that they can get back on the track of success and purpose. My strong desire to help others have better balance and joy in their lives is what led me to my work. I always loved solving problem and fixing situations people had and this career allows me to use my strengths every day.

Follow me here https://www.coachjuli.com/ to learn more.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?

I was working with a woman on task management in addition to organizing her environment. When I asked how she was doing with her time management system she stated she was ‘mad at it’ and that it was under her bed. An unusual reaction for someone wanting to learn this skill. When I asked her why it was under her bed, she stated, “I threw it under there because it was controlling me and I don’t like it.” After some discussion, she retrieved it from under the bed and I explained that the system, when used correctly, will GIVE her control — not the other way around. I trained her on the system more in-depth and the light-bulb moment happened and she started to see what she was doing wrong. She became proficient at managing her time and loved the concept as well as the system, and the binder was never shoved under the bed again.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

I have finished and published a 6-module program called: Your Life Productive…Finally!, which is an on-demand course that takes the participant all the way from dealing with papers, clutter, and files, to task management, calendaring, and project management. It’s everything that I have been teaching over my entire career wrapped up in six clear and easy-to-implement modules. It has received great feedback and can help those dealing with reducing their “stuff” so that they can have a more profound and wonderful lifestyle, and learn a better method of managing all that they do. The course is like hiring a Professional Organizer & Productivity Coach all in one! My hope in creating it is so that people can have a ‘tried & true’ step-by-step gameplan to help them move forward on clearing clutter, managing their tasks, and freeing up time to have more joy and positive experiences.

Can you share with our readers a bit about why you are an authority on the topic of “How Simplifying and Decluttering Your Life Can Make You Happier”?

I was a Professional Organizer for over 30 years. I was a Golden Circle member when the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) started — having been among the first Professional Organizers in the country. I worked with business owners and busy parents organizing and creating systems for better productivity, as well as those seeking better ways to get their environments in order. So, to put it mildly — I saw everything! The negative ramifications of client’s clutter and disarray motivated me to help not only clear the clutter, but create systems that were sustainable for anyone to maintain. It’s one thing to clear a space — that’s the easy part — but to create some sort of system to keep the clutter from re-invading the spaces — that takes another skill set altogether.

Ok, thank you for that. Let’s now jump to the main focus of our interview. We live in a time of excess. We have access to so much. But studies show that all of our “stuff” is not making us any happier. Can you articulate for our readers a few reasons why all of our possessions are not giving us happiness?

I have seen clients who had become ‘trapped’ in their home unable to have friends or family over because there wasn’t even a place to sit. They felt shame and embarrassment about how they lived. They didn’t want anyone to know how messy their homes were, so they essentially stopped having a social life. Others have confessed to me that they never had time to do anything in their lives because what little time they may have aside from work, was spent trying to get rid of clutter and get organized. It is debilitating for people to be surrounded by clutter. I have known marriages that fall apart due to one person in the relationship who is overly messy and disorganized. I have worked with clients who can’t keep a job because their work spaces were so messy that they lost important papers, materials, or data to do their job. I have seen clients who have lost valuable items, or broke objects, due to so much being dumped on top of the important items.

It can be very expensive having clutter! Case in point: I worked with a client who, while we were going through her office cabinets and drawers, found something she had been trying to find for weeks. She was thrilled. Until we came upon a duplicate of that item. She admitted that when she couldn’t find the first one, she bought another. Then she lost that one, and bought another. I eventually unearthed four of the same objects — each had the same story. Yes, it can be expensive.

Possessions fill many needs for us. Some may be sentimental and make us feel joy about a person we may associate with a particular possession. Some may put a smile on our face because it is pretty, funny, or remind us of an experience or person. Other items may have a definite or specific function. Many things, however, are held onto for less than positive reasons and those are the ones to address.

There is also the problem of having excess whereby there is no room for all the objects and the clutter can become psychologically debilitating. Some people buy things thinking that the new ‘widget’ will make something they do easier or better — great! — except the person either neglects to get rid of the old, unused widget or they realize the new widget doesn’t work as hoped and they fail to return it or get rid of it. This collecting scenario is often where the problems begin.

On a broader societal level, how do you think this excessiveness may be harming our communities and society?

As a society, we seem to be covered with clutter. So much ‘stuff’ is in the way of happiness, progress, productivity, and success. Many people are consumed with consuming. Acquiring more stuff, for no other reason than to satisfy an immediate need for momentary gratification, which doesn’t bring happiness. When I visited Bali years ago, I experienced a culture of minimalism. These people had the basics of what they needed, and they were happy. They smiled a lot! There was virtually no homelessness anywhere. People cared for others. I saw no clutter anywhere. They had what they needed and used and filled their days with good food, friends, family time, and enjoyable activities.

I drive around the community near where I live, and there are entire front yards filled with junk, old used toys, and crap that has long since been useful or wanted, simply abandoned. It looks terrible and one can only imagine what the insides of these homes looks like. There are safety issues with stuff lying all over the place, and not to mention the number of things that are lost among the clutter. I have seen homes with so much clutter that hallways are obstacle courses. There are often real sanitary concerns in these situations too. Not to mention entire communities can be taken down in terms of property values if one’s environment is a cluttered mess. In addition, some places can also become a fire hazard — thus making it unsafe for those living nearby in addition to those inside the home.

The irony of struggling with happiness in modern times is glaring. In many places in the world today, we have more than ever before in history. Yet despite this, so many people are unhappy. Why is simplifying a solution? How would simplifying help people to access happiness?

Simplifying opens up opportunities. When clutter consumes our lives and environments there is a feeling of being trapped. Clutter also offers ‘excuses’ to not do something because many feel the need to contain and eradicate their clutter before allowing themselves to move onto another venture or have experiences. I have witnessed people who won’t invite people over, thus reducing their social opportunities, due to their cluttered home. I have had clients who are late to work searching for their phone, keys, etc. thus putting their job at risk, in addition to having stress and overwhelm more often than not. There is often shame, embarrassment, and ultimately unhappiness due to these issues. Those who are constantly battling their disorder issues can be seen as less reliable especially if they lose important information. Being unable to keep a job is not a recipe for happiness. Simplifying opens us up to so much.

Can you share some insights from your own experience? Where in your life have you transformed yourself from not having enough to finally experiencing enough? For example, many people feel they don’t have enough money. Yet, people define abundance differently, and often, those with the least money can feel the most abundant. Where in your health, wealth, or relationships have you transformed your life?

My life has gone through several transformations both in my career and in my personal life. There was a time for several years that I was nearly broke due to divorce. I lived on very little and noticed that I could be quite happy like that. I streamlined my life by getting rid of everything that was not essential to my survival. In order to keep my home, I needed to rent rooms in it. That meant clearing those rooms and opening space for tenants. As a Professional Organizer I was pretty organized, but I realized I could do even better. I made it so that I had all my personal belongings fit nicely in the one room and small office space that I would inhabit. It worked! My home was a sought-after place for young working professionals to live, garnering me the freedom to pursue my career more proactively as well as improve my financial situation. That time in my life allowed me to grow and develop my career which is strong and successful to this day. I also learned a lot about property management and real estate in the process!

People, places, and things shape our lives. For example, your friends generate conversations that influence you. Where you live impacts what you eat and how you spend your time. The “things” in your life, like phones, technology, or books impact your recreation. Can you tell us a little about how people, places, and things in your own life impact your experience of “experiencing enough?”

After moving across the country, I realized while packing up a 5-bedroom home, that SO much of that stuff didn’t serve a purpose, and I saw no reason to pay to ship it across the country — — so I didn’t. New environments, new phases of life, and new passions can change what we want or need around us. Moving can really shed a light on what we value and help us discover what is ‘enough.’ For me, having materials or tools that offer me the most efficient way of doing my job and living my life, my artwork, and items for my one artistic endeavor is enough. For example, I never need to buy hanging file folders again. I have so much less paper going digital years ago, that I even got rid of an entire filing cabinet. Another example is that I no longer enjoy some of the crafts I used to do, so all those supplies were gotten rid of. Space is made for those items I get joy from and will use. Beyond that, adding more becomes superfluous. Having a serene home and work space is so much more satisfying than having a lot of ‘stuff’ around me. I love that I can invite someone over on the spur-of-the-moment and not worry that my house is a cluttered mess — ever. It just doesn’t get messy and it is also super easy to clean because the surfaces are uncluttered.

What advice would you give to younger people about “experiencing enough?”

Keep everything in perspective and be very mindful about what you really NEED versus what you WANT. Rarely is a hasty decision necessary. Take time to decide if you actually need to purchase something in the moment. Turns out to get something right away doesn’t always yield the desired effect — — plus time, money, and resources are wasted. Have a REASON for having or doing something. Ask yourself: What does this bring to my life? Where will I put this once I buy it? Would I prefer something else later in time, thus forgoing this item now?” Being well travelled, I learned early on that buying all the cool items I came across in various countries was a waste of time and money. I thought carefully before acquiring an item, and would purchase something once I determined where it would go after I returned home. Sometimes a photograph of something I liked was enough and that took up far less space and never needed to be dusted!

This comes down to really knowing your personal values and passions. Write these down so you have a ‘map’ of sorts which can help make sure you know when you have ‘enough.’ Like a well-written article — be concise with your life in terms of belongings, relationships, and experiences as excess can ‘water down’ all of it.

This is the main question of our interview. Based on your experience and research, can you share your “five ways we can simplify and declutter our lives to make us happier?”

  1. Keep a minimalistic mentality: Give some serious thought to what really services your life and what doesn’t.
  2. Schedule time to de-clutter: If you have a significantly cluttered space to clear then schedule time daily — even if it’s just 30 minutes a day– so you can get it done. Get in the habit of being mindful of keeping your space organized on a regular basis.
  3. Don’t say ‘yes’ to everything: Spreading yourself too thin makes it hard to take care of yourself as well as your environment.
  4. Relationships: People come and go through our lives and some are great for specific reasons or time periods, or because we are near one another. We all change and eventually you may find that some people just no longer have a place in your life — and that is okay.
  5. Be happy with what you have: Purchasing the ‘latest and greatest’ of everything breeds clutter. Getting something of quality and value should last, thus reducing the need to buy another in the near future. Putting your time toward experiences and people can provide far better memories than the next fad on sale.

You are a person of great influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. 🙂

My ‘platform’ for the length of my career has been to eradicate wastefulness. Growing up with rather limited money as a child, my family could not afford to waste anything, I learned the value of not discarding something that still had some usefulness in it, and used things until they (quite literally) fell apart. I purchase things of excellent quality so they last. Things that are well made offer excellent value and usually are a cost savings long term. If people in the world discarded less and used items fully, there would be less waste and clutter. If our environments were organized and clutter-free we would not over-purchase things we already had but misplaced. It’s a cycle that can be stopped. Get your place in order, keep things in good repair, get rid of items no longer useful, and be done. Staying organized is quite easy when getting organized is done right the first time. And with the time we save dealing with disorder, we can spend more time with special and important people in our lives, and have experiences that bring us joy.

Waste of resources, time, money, and stuff doesn’t move us forward. Streamline, simplify, and organize so you can enjoy the limited time we all have. Life is too short to live with a mess.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

Thank you so much for these insights. This was so inspiring, and so important!

About The Interviewer: For 30 years, Drew Gerber has been inspiring those who want to change the world. Drew is the CEO of Wasabi Publicity, Inc., a full-service PR agency lauded by PR Week and Good Morning America. Wasabi Publicity, Inc. is a global marketing company that supports industry leaders, change agents, unconventional thinkers, companies and organizations that strive to make a difference. Whether it’s branding, traditional PR or social media marketing, every campaign is instilled with passion, creativity and brilliance to powerfully tell their clients’ story and amplify their intentions in the world. Schedule a free consultation at WasabiPublicity.com/Choosing-Publicity.

Coach Juli Shulem On How Simplifying & Decluttering Your Life Can Make You Happier was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

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