An Interview With Drew Gerber
Just because we don’t see it piling up in the same way, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Unsubscribe from emails you’re never finding time to read. Do you need to copy in quite so many colleagues to this email? This will get you (or them) off a hook but also help the environment as sending / storing data requires more of the earth’s resources. Consider editing your digital photos library to keep only the best images of any particular event or activity.
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 Katherine Blackler, CPO.
Based in London, UK Katherine has been running SortMySpace Ltd since 2016 helping overwhelmed Londoners to consciously create a calm, welcoming and organised space to live or work in. She is the immediate Past President of APDO Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers and well as a Golden Circle (5yrs+) member of NAPO (the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals). In July 2019, Katherine became the first person in the UK to gain the CPO® (Certified Professional Organizer) credentials.
When she’s not tackling the projects that you’ve been putting off, she enjoys swimming, dancing, Pilates and yoga classes, rambling in the countryside and she certainly doesn’t need to be asked twice to travel to new destinations.
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?
Back in 2014, after 15 vears working in various roles coordinating people and processes in the corporate world, I concluded that I needed a new challenge. I have tendency to fully immerse myself in whatever I’m committed to so, while ever I was plugged into the demands of the city, it was hard to figure out what my new direction would be. So I left the financial security blanket when my project management contract came up for renewal. I started renovating my compact London home whilst I gave myself the time and space to think about the well-meaning advice of “do what makes your heart sing”. At that stage, I didn’t know what really made me tick. I really enjoyed the process of optimising every inch of space in my home and designing clever use of storage but I definitely didn’t have the equity to start a new career in property development so was still exploring my options.
During the refurbishment, a friend showed me an article about Minimalism including this powerful quote from William Morris; Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful. It had a profound impact on how I viewed renovating my home. I started making more conscious decisions about what belongings I should keep or acquire as the refurbishment was taking shape.
I then Airbnb’d my new-look home and took a six-week road trip across the USA. As a thank you for hospitality from various friends, family and new acquaintances, I found myself helping my host families to tackle their messy kitchen cupboards or redesign their living rooms to be clutter-free. A passing comment from my best friend of “Could I just pay you to move in with me as you make my life so much easier by being here?” gave birth to the concept of me professionally decluttering and organising homes for a living, an industry admittedly neither of us had even heard about at that point in time. It felt like a real Eureka! moment, not only spotting a gap in the UK market but with a role that suited my experience and skills up to this point.
Upon returning to the UK, I founded SortMySpace Ltd and set myself up as a professional organiser and declutterer. I joined APDO (the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers) based in the UK as well as NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organising Professionals) based in the USA and started to build my business!
Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you started your career?
One of the most moving moments that springs to mind, was the day I bumped into the back of a client stood transfixed in her bedroom doorway whilst I was laden up with armfuls of her clothes and accessories that had drifted to the living room. She was a single woman in her 40s and her apartment had become somewhat congested. She was stood crying in the bedroom doorway, so I gently probed as to what was causing the tears. She explained it had just dawned on her that she’d been using her stuff as a physical barrier to protect herself from being hurt emotionally. She felt that no man would want to stay over if her bedroom resembled an obstacle course. She had been, albeit unconsciously until now, using her clutter as a mechanism to keep her and her heart protected.
After hugging and talking it out, we transformed the bedroom to a more welcoming and relaxing space that she was proud to show off. And in our next session we assembled an IKEA bookcase in her living room, thus breaking down a self-limiting belief she had held, that she needed a man for completing any such DIY tasks!
Gaining awareness of how and why we behave in certain ways is the first step towards making any change. I’ve always said my work is never just about “the stuff”. I love seeing a client shift their mindset or habits as well seeing the physical transformations around them.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?
I have always attracted a higher ratio of North American clients than my London counterparts. I’m guessing I’ve picked up several ‘Americanisms’ as well as a genuine affinity with the USA after visiting it frequently to see my dearest friends and family stateside. My project for 2023 is to ascertain how I could position myself as a transatlantic organizer, and able to assist households when they relocate between the UK and the USA. Moving house is one of life’s biggest stressors, let alone moving continents. Having a familiar and friendly ally support the transition on both sides of the pond would definitely take the edge off an otherwise daunting experience for those clients. It’s a very fresh idea so my first step is to now look at the overall legal mechanics and processes to hopefully make this development a new reality. Watch this space!
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 served as the President of APDO (the Association of Professional Declutterers and Organisers) from 2018–2021 and I’m now a Golden Circle (5+ years) of NAPO (National Association of Productivity and Organising Professionals). Wanting to take my profession to the next level, I also became the first Certified Professional Organiser (CPO®) in the UK in June 2019 which involves ongoing professional development and study to continually improve my craft and my offerings to clients. My clients and our work together is a constant source of learning and development too.
Credentials aside, I think it’s important to stress that as people, we’re all on our own journeys through life and are at varying stages of those journeys. I’m the first to admit, whilst I’m established as a professional organiser, I am also a human being, living the human experience. Life’s curveballs can hit me just as much as they would to anybody! My home is rarely Instagram-ready but I continually strive to have a place for everything so I can resume order as easily as possible. Luckily lots of my clients find this ‘confession’ reassuring when I share it with them. They’d be intimidated if a seemingly perfect “Mary Poppins” knocked at their front door! At home and with clients, I focus more on functionality than aesthetics but I consider it a win when we can achieve both!
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?
When we have too many items or options, we can suffer from ‘decision fatigue’. Some people’s decision-making abilities are greater than others. If you struggle to choose or prioritise, having too many choices is overwhelming and can lead to decision paralysis. You don’t even get started for fear of choosing a less-than-optimal option. Barbara Hemphill, one of the forerunners of the professional organising world, says; ‘clutter is nothing more than delayed decisions’. Paring down so you only have items you really like (or need, for items such as uniforms and toothbrushes!) as well as storing the everyday items where they’re most accessible, reduces your decision-fatigue, stress triggers and can increases your happiness about and your enjoyment of your belongings.
Whenever we gain new possessions, the brain receives a rush of dopamine and we often assume that rush will equate to ongoing pleasure in those objects. Unfortunately, hedonistic adaptation is where we quickly acclimatise to a new level of happiness, satisfaction or that standard. It’s not long before we turn to the next goal or upgrade to excite ourselves about. Often the anticipation of obtaining an item is equal to, if not greater than, the actual acquisition. We’ve had generations of marketing that’s designed to tap into our insecurities. We’ve been led to believe that buying this, that or the other, will make you healthier, happier, sexier, richer etc. As a result, we keep buying in the hopes of finding the magic bullet. And certainly in the UK, we have a hybrid of wartime “waste-not, want-not” mentality combined with the instantaneous gratification that Amazon and other retailers can deliver to our door, sometimes on the same day. All this leads to most households having an excess of stuff, more than we can usually practicably use or enjoy. I often say we’ve become ‘consumed by consumerism’. It’s easily done and nothing to be embarrassed about. But over time, this means our stuff isn’t making us as happy as we expected it to.
On a broader societal level, how do you think this excessiveness may be harming our communities and society?
I suspect there’s been a loss of community as each household has their own version of items so we don’t need to interact as much with our neighbours or family to borrow things from them. As a counterbalance to that, we have initiatives like the Library of Things in London which is a lending library of household items you probably don’t need very often (a pressure washer, popcorn maker, electric drill or camping tent) available to hire for a few days / week when needed.
I’m no scientist but I do question if our brains aren’t developing fast enough to match the deluge of data we each receive these days and that that’s leading to an increase in cases of dementia and neuro diverse conditions (such as ADHD) in our population. I was shocked to read that “a weekday edition of The New York Times contains more information than the average person was likely to come across in a lifetime in seventeenth-century England”. When I realised the article featuring Richard Saul Wurman’s statement had actually been published by The Guardian in 2000 I was alarmed. This was estimated before most people had access to internet-driven smartphones or tablets, all of which give us information (admittedly of varying quality!) on a constant 24/7 basis. No wonder we’re feeling overwhelmed in 2023!
Each and every stimulus the brain receives, it has to acknowledge that new information to confirm that it’s not a threat. Then it must discern if it’s still important or interesting. A micro-decision is made whether to do anything with that new information and if so, what? This constant and excessive amount of information can be particularly challenging for neuro-divergent individuals whose internal wiring makes decision-making, prioritising and time management trickier. So, whilst the western world clearly has an aging population, coupled with a greater awareness of neurodiverse conditions to explain the increase in diagnoses, I feel our environments and activities may be exasperating matters too. E.g., Someone in seventeenth-century England probably didn’t experience the same volume of stimulus nor the consequent struggles to keep up with society’s expectations, even if their brain wasn’t neurotypical.
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 isn’t just about chucking out items you don’t use anymore or that’s gone past it’s sell-by dates. It’s often easiest to start with the physical “stuff” but the principles then can be applied to some of the less tangible things in life too. The process involves us really taking the time to think about what you really want and need in your life. You need to identify your goals, hopes, dreams and lifestyle requirements. When you reduce the number of belongings you own or streamline the distractions that busy us, you save time, energy, and money maintaining, repairing, replacing the objects and save those same resources fulfilling and potentially resenting life’s activities. In turn, that frees up time, energy, and money to spend on or doing things that really matter to us.
When we are living to our own unique footprint of values and priorities, (rather than society’s or other people’s expectations), we feel more congruent with our true selves and likely to feel more content with life as a result.
We often fall for Happiness being a destination but, and it might sound like a cliché, Happiness is really lurking in the journey. If you can find things to be grateful for or notice something to make you smile in the present moment, it improves your outlook on things and increases the sense of contentedness. Practicing gratitude has been proven to improve mental health and even on the toughest of days, we can pause to appreciate the fact we’re still breathing. And if we’re not breathing, well… we’ve nothing more to worry about!
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?
In my corporate career, like many of my counterparts, I was focusing on ‘climbing the ladder’ and acquiring material things that I defined as a success at that stage. I was never really into designer handbags and shoes, but I bought a house and was on track to pay off my mortgage before turning 40. But I often turned to my well-stocked medicine cabinet to alleviate various ailments and I didn’t feel I had enough quality time with friends and family.
After assessing what I could actually manage with (whilst still having funds to travel which fills my soul and expands my perspectives), it freed up my thinking about the kind of work I could perhaps do instead. I fulfilled my work contract, then took the time out to reflect and set up SortMySpace Ltd. These days I’ve still a long way to go before I’m mortgage-free, the bank balance isn’t what it used to be, and I definitely can’t book spontaneous all-inclusive holidays now! But what I gained in flexibility in how I shape my week, having the time and ability to prioritise my fitness and friendships as well as doing work that I find so much more personal and rewarding means that, overall, I feel more abundant than before!
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?”
Motivational speaker Jim Rohn declared “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with”, so it’s important to recognise your key influences around you. World-renowned life coach Tony Robbins’ ideas have been a great counterbalance for me if I’m feeling overwhelmed, feel that I’m ‘not enough’ or that I’m not yet where I want to be in life. He talks about 3 elements to be in ‘peak state’, e.g. where you can best see life’s opportunities and are able to embrace them.
Physiology. This covers all the non-verbal communication and your posture. How positive you feel about your life can be affected by how you hold yourself (think how different you feel it you have your head held high, chest upright versus slouched and diminishing in stature). Your energy levels also shift based on whether you’re moving your body enough. This is why exercise has become an absolute must for me and not just a nice-to-have. I’d also recommend watching Amy Cuddy’s Ted Talk on YouTube and try a week of her Power Pose.
Focus. Your sense of experiencing enough will also be very influenced with what you focus on each day. Do you pay more attention on what you already have versus what you don’t have? On what you can control versus what you can’t control? On what you’ve achieved versus what’s still on the to-do list? A practical example is that I’ve set myself a weekly goal of walking 70k steps but I celebrate if I hit at least 50k. This cushioning helps me recognise what I have achieved and prevents me beating myself up or dramatically quitting if there’s been a challenging or more sedentary week.
Language. Be aware of the language you use and the energy you put behind that language. Reframe “I have to go to work” (or whatever chore you’re facing), to the subtle shift of “I get to…”. It helps you appreciate that not everyone has a job to pay the bills, not everyone has a home to maintain and / or plenty of clothes that even need washing etc. When you’re talking with yourself listen out for words or expressions that aren’t helpful. If a friend was using the same tone or phrases, would they still be your friend? We’re usually really hard on ourselves so talk to yourself as you would when supporting a friend.
What advice would you give to younger people about “experiencing enough?”
The rise of social media and the constant stream of seeing who’s up to what adds pressure for many of us. It’s very hard not to be drawing comparisons, even when we inherently know we’re viewing the heavily edited and staged version of others’ lives. Minimise how much time and attention you give to social media! I switched off all the app notifications off on my phone, so that I control when I review the latest updates. It was a game changer for my time and focus. I often forget to open Instagram for days at a time now. And when you take a break to catch up on social media, set a timer so you don’t fall down a rabbit hole for too long. Most phones have settings you can restrict your daily time for each platform and it warns when you’re approaching that limit. That can be quite the eye-opener how long we spend mindlessly browsing and subconsciously absorbing influences.
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. Physical belongings.
The obvious place to start is addressing our material items. Ask yourself the following questions:
- Have I used or worn this in the last 6–12* months?
- Will I use or wear this in the next 6–12* months?
- Would I buy this for myself or my family now?
‘No’? Consider selling, donating, recycling or, as last resort, ditching.
* Because of Covid circumstances, you may feel that 12–18 months window feels more appropriate!
For items you do use, but only infrequently, ask yourself
- Do I need to own this myself?
- If I kept this item, can I lend it to others?
- Would I outsource the task any way?
- Will technology have been superseded?
- Where would I find this if I did need it?
- Can I afford to re-buy it if ever needed it?
When our environments are filled to the brim with physical items, our brains are often processing the things we’re seeing visually, albeit at a subconscious level again. Simply rallying up and disguising a mish-mash of items inside an opaque container can quieten the visual stimulus. But taking the next step consciously reviewing, getting like-with-like items together and thinning down to what you really need or want will make your daily life even easier.
2. Commitments.
Review your calendar and to-do lists (whether they’re physical, electronic or a “just in your head” versions!) to see where you can thin down your commitments and arrangements. Build in some white space or buffer between appointments. Be generous on travel time each way. Check you are needed in every meeting you’ve been invited to. Learn to say ‘No’ in ways that don’t offend others but respect your own boundaries. I colour code my diary to know it’s in balance e.g. I use green for work / career matters, blue for personal time (including fitness, socialising etc) and yellow to reflect when I’m contributing to my community (volunteering).
3. Digital Clutter.
Just because we don’t see it piling up in the same way, doesn’t mean it’s not there. Unsubscribe from emails you’re never finding time to read. Do you need to copy in quite so many colleagues to this email? This will get you (or them) off a hook but also help the environment as sending / storing data requires more of the earth’s resources. Consider editing your digital photos library to keep only the best images of any particular event or activity.
4. Relationships.
Write a list of who you spend the most time with. How do those individuals make you feel? You can consider people as either drains or radiators, e.g., do you feel cold & diminished or warm & uplifted after spending time with them? Prioritise those who make you feel good and who help you to be the best human you can be. Obviously, this doesn’t mean ditching your partner or friend as soon as they’re having a bad week but if someone constantly leaves you feeling depleted and you’re out of ways to break that cycle, you could minimise how often or how long you spend your precious time with them.
5. New Habits.
Even after a major purge, there’s a strong chance that things will build up again as life continues to bring opportunities and material possessions our way. You’ll need to create new habits and consciously stay on top of things so it doesn’t build up to the same level. Give items a finite amount of space eg 1 drawer, 1 shelf or 1 cupboard’s worth. Then use the 1-in, 1-out method to make sure that area doesn’t overflow with new acquisitions. If you see something you’re tempted to buy, try to leave it overnight or a few days before investing and see if you feel as strongly after the initial excitement has settled. If an item is in the sale, ask yourself if you’d love it enough to buy it full price? If not, you may be falling for the thrill of the deal rather than the item itself.
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. 🙂
For several years now I’m getting increasingly concerned about the rising numbers of those experiencing homelessness, people who are sleeping rough on the streets but also those sofa-surfing with friends or family or using hostels but have no fixed abode. It’s a vicious cycle that you can’t get accommodation without evidence of a job and equally, can’t get a job without an address. The Covid pandemic and rising costs are adding to the numbers now facing homelessness. Working with my clients, I get to see first-hand what an impact transforming their personal spaces can make on how they feel about navigating their everyday activities and their mindset. It’s got me questioning deeply how vicious it must be on someone’s mental and physical health having no fixed home at all (let alone one that’s been consciously curated to best suit your lifestyle and goals). I’m intrigued by the tiny house movement, as a transition step at least. I feel it could be a way to give more people the warmth, shelter and safe space to ensure they have the basics covered: somewhere to sleep, prepare and eat food and access to hygiene facilities. But such solutions need to be handled in an ethical and safe way. We need to find solutions around this growing crisis and I’d like to be instrumental in that.
How can our readers further follow your work online?
I can be found on various social media platforms under @sortmyspaceuk on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn. Although it’s worth warning that my postings are somewhat sporadic when I feel inspired to share something. Spending time on social media isn’t, currently at least, something that really “makes my heart sing”.
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.
Katherine Blackler Of SortMySpace 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.