My client had stacks of papers, magazines and mail on her floor. They looked like mini-towers. She was frustrated with having to dodge them every day. She was also tired of telling herself she was going to do something about the piles, and then ignoring them.
So we started in on the piles. I had her go through one piece at a time and make a decision. As we went through each item in the pile, I complimented her. I wanted her to feel good about making these decisions so she would feel inspired to incorporate clutter busting as a regular part of her life. Kindness is the greatest motivator.
When the first tower of stuff was finished, I had her notice the new space she'd created. I asked her how it felt. She said it was peaceful. I said that space is a thing just as much as the stuff in the space. By removing the things that are not serving us, we get to enjoy the peacefulness of open space.