Last month I asked my colleagues a question:
Do you enjoy listening to music while decluttering?
Because I sure do. In fact, music always makes me feel better, no matter I’m doing. Thanks to everyone who responded. Your answers have helped me compile a playlist. I’ve also included some of my own favourites in that playlist. A little more about the playlist later.
I’m happy to share with you some of the responses to the survey.
Noella Collins, from Organise Your, uses music to declutter depending on the client. If it suits, her go to song is Happy by Pharrell Williams. She said it helps “as a break, dance, sing and disguised stretch of muscles, [and to] change mind set if required”. I love it, Noela. That’s my go to song as well, which is why it’s the first one on the playlist.
Karen White, from The Sorting Angel, likes to declutter to Come Away With Me by Norah Jones. She said, “I like boppy songs that give me energy when I want to be motivated on a job and smooth music which relaxes me when I want to make careful decisions and support a person who feels anxious or unsure. I always check with the client and follow their choices when listening to music on a job.” Perfect, Karen. Norah Jones kept me relaxed and centred all the way home on a flight from the US a few years ago.
In the “no music” camp is Amy Kennedy from The Organising Bee, who said, “Podcasts keep me focused on what I am doing. I find that if it is quiet or I am listening to music that my mind wanders.” She also gave some great examples. “I love listening to podcasts – those that remove me from my own reality like Mamamia No Filter or Mamamia Outload, and those that I use to learn and grow my organising business, like Stand Out NAPO, Translating ADHD by Asher Collins and Cameron Gott and How I Work by Amantha Imber. Then there are those that I like to listen to support others in our wonderful industry like The Art of Decluttering with Amy Revell, Curious Freedom with Kirsty Farrugia and DIY Photo Organising with Chantal Imbach and Fiona Staff.” Thanks Amy! Lots of good listening there, and perhaps a future Quick Question Survey topic.
Now to the details of the Music to Declutter By playlist. It starts out with a high energy song, followed by several more. Some of the songs are specifically about letting go, some are empowering. Others are just great to keep the energy going. There’s a song by KISS in tribute to one of my long-term clients who is a superfan. We would often listen as we worked. The playlist goes for around two-and-a-half hours, which is plenty of time to get some good decluttering done. Towards the end there are a few songs to make you laugh. There is the organiser’s inside joke song, Confessions of a Clutterholic by Lois Morton. I even included my football team’s theme song. I find that’s a great one to help children put things away when you need it done by a deadline. Of course, you can choose their favourite team song, not mine! Then the playlist transitions to some slower music, and finally some of my favourite classical music to bring the heart rate down. I hope you like it.
And as an added bonus, thanks to Kristina Duke from Decluttering Diva for sharing her own Decluttering Mix.
Now it’s over to you. What would you add?
