No matter if you are an organizer or someone just reading along about organizing...I'd love to hear your thoughts.

What do you call your stuff? You know, those things in stacks and piles that you might want to get rid of or things that you need to find homes for?

Do you call it clutter? Junk? Stuff? 4 letter words? Garbage? Things?

Are any of these offensive? I guess I am thinking that if you called someone's child a brat, they would be offended even if it was true. So if you call their clutter &%$#, is that okay cause it is &#^$?

Is clutter like this? Do you find certain words should not be used? Of it is what it is and you don't care what it is called.

I personally stick to "things." I say "Where do you want the things you donate? or Where do these things go?" It is safe.

Just wondered what you call "it."

Interesting question Lea.

I take my cue from the client. If they call it X, I call it X. I think it works better when we are speaking the same language. If I were to use language that was different from theirs they might begin to feel or think differently about the things in question. And we all know emotions can change the game in a heart beat.

It's hard to make my point here, but I what I am trying say is people may have affection for a word we might think of as synonymous with clutter. For example, I know someone that uses c*#p to describe his belongings, the things he loves. For most people that word means something undesirable, but with him I would never suggest he get rid of his c*#p. However, I might suggest he get rid of some 'stuff'. Make sense?

Interesting thought, Lea.

My one friend has no clutter, things or whatever we choose to call "it". Her house was so bare it was uncomfortable, seriously.

One day she asked me what I was doing with "all this c*#p", get rid of it". I was very offended by the use of that word and became very insulted and defensive.

BTW, because she was such a minimalist, she was always out going somewhere, doing things, travelling, visiting. She wasn't a slave to her belongings or home. I learned a big lesson from her . I would be home cleaning and dusting and she was at the beach.

Context dependent these words come to mind... paraphernalia, goods, jumble, core, sundries, kit, collections, bits 'n pieces, thingies, muddle, non-essentials, muss, gear, melange

I agree with mirroring the clients verbiage except if they're using overly negative terms like cr*p, trash, etc. Then I'd stick to stuff or things.

I think that, for the most part, we need to lift our client's spirts and bring a sense of peace into their homes. Out goes the clutter and in comes a peaceful space... some place you want to be. I think that part of that peace comes from our attitude and how we view their space- which includes the words we use.

I rarely use the c&%P or other 4-letter word in front of a client. I can't say I never have but I want to lift them up. But, I hear others say it so I thought maybe I was an old fuddy-duddy... just checking with you guys.

I don't think using foul language in a business setting is ever appropriate and I'm no "fuddy-duddy" as you said. If anything I tend to use it too much at home. I try not to in public.

Good topic Lea, thanks!

I call it STUFF. Clutter has a negative connotation is seems and I like to keep everything upbeat

I too try not to swear in front of a client. TRY is the optimal word...lol.