subject: Noise Clutter in Your Home [print this page] Noise Clutter in Your Home Noise Clutter in Your Home
Have you ever thought about this a type of clutter that adds so much chaos to your home, but is far different from stacks of paper, old toys, and out-grown clothes?This type of clutter is NOISE!We all remember Dr. Seuss' Grinch and how he complained about the Whos in Whoville: "That's one thing I hate! All the noise, noise, noise, noise!"Now, this doesn't mean we have to become like The Grinch if we cut down on the clamor in our lives. After all, we have sounds of chaos all around us. Television, radio, Ipods, video games, street noise, traffic, and the voices all work their way into your head, sometimes several of them at once. It's pretty amazing that we don't collapse in utter fatigue from hearing it constantly.We have learned to tune a lot of the noises around us out: kids yelling at their brothers or sisters, the constant humdrum of the washing machine, maybe even your spouse's voice. We don't tune out forever and before you know it, your nerves are shot and you are yelling right along with the rest of them.How can you turn down the volume so you can hear yourself think? This can be hard to do. Marla and Kelly at Flylady.com have a few suggestions:"Imagine getting up very early in the morning to watch the sun rise. All the family is still sleeping in their warm beds; you are the only person that is stirring. Fix yourself an imaginary cup of coffee and go sit on your porch and watch the sun peak through the clouds and trees. What do you hear? When was the last time you enjoyed a sunrise? Are the birds singing yet? There is a time just before sunrise when one bird will start its morning solo serenade. Then you will hear another bird answer for a sweet duo. The earth is so peaceful with a gentle rustling of the leaves. Then the orange glow starts to fill the picture. As the sun comes up, so does the volume level."Perhaps you have noticed oftentimes the noise level keeps you from thinking. Start today finding ways to reduce the sound pollution in your home.Flylady continues: "For years I have been the type of person that would get up and turn on the television almost before my feet hit the floor. Now that has totally changed. As I rid my house of physical clutter, I no longer needed the noise diversion. So, as a result, my noise clutter went away. I began to hear the sounds of the birds and the wind chimes, as well as the squirrels chattering in the trees. With all the yammer silenced, I found that I could focus better on my work at hand and I could remember my routines. This is all part of the peace that you can have too. Turning off the noise can help keep you from getting sidetracked."You may end up seeing some unexpected benefits from cutting down on the noise clutter in your life. There will be more time to think, to plan, to read, and maybe even talk to some of the most important people - your family and friends.
