Does clutter magically appear in your home? Do you wake up wondering where all the stuff came from when you just gave 20 bags to charity?
Let’s look first at what clutter is.Clutter is ANYTHING that we do not use, love, or want. It can include broken items, unfinished projects, duplicates, or borrowed items. It can include the parrot figurine that a wedding guest gave you that you think is hideous. How many outfits do you have in your closets that are too big, or too small? Just as keeping clothes that no longer fit do not honor who we are today, keeping objects that do not fit our lives do not honor ourselves!
So, how do we decide what stays and what must go? Here’s where the self-reflection comes in. Think about how you see yourself today. Imagine where you see yourself in two, five, or ten years from now. Will the objects that you surround yourself with fit in the life of the “YOU of tomorrow?” Once you think about where you would like to be, and what you’d like to accomplish over the next few years, imagine what emotions will accompany those achievements. Do you want a new job that will bring you freedom? Do you want a new relationship that will bring you love? How do you want to feel on a daily basis? Make a list of these emotions, and feel into them, or make them real for you now.
Once you target the emotions you want to bring into your life, take a tour of your home, starting with a single room. Do the objects in this room bring you the emotions you want in your life? Do they make you feel joyful and uplifted, or stressed and deflated? The objects in your life carry energy and represent emotion. They hold your emotions. They can keep you tied to the past and limit your possibilities.
Because our identity is so often wrapped up in our stuff, letting go of the physical can bring fear and uncertainty. Our stuff sometimes makes us feel safe and protected. Do we want to peel back the layers and expose ourselves to the world, or hide behind the false sense of identity and being?
Are you ready to begin your clutter-clearing journey and open your life up to new and exciting opportunities? Before you begin, take a look at your intentions and goals for clutter clearing. How do you want your space to look and feel? What new opportunities would you like to open yourself up to? Once you have a goal or intention, create an affirmation around it. For example, if you desire to feel more love in your life, a possible affirmation could be: I clear my clutter to create more opportunities for love in my life.
Now that you’ve settled on your affirmation, clear a little bit of clutter everyday. Use a timer. Set a goal. Begin to shed the layers of your life that no longer fit, just as a butterfly emerges from its cocoon. Notice how your life begins to change as you shed the physical clutter.
What do you want to bring into your life? What are you going to let go of to make that happen? I’d love to hear from you!
Hi Felicia!
Great tips! I especially love the one about thinking about what I want in my life in 2, 5 or 10 years from now, to help me decide what to let go of.
Thanks Melody! I’m glad to hear that is helpful. Picturing the future I want always helps me when I’m stuck on what to let go of.
Felicia, reading your blog was like a deep healing breath! I use the “healing cleaning” practice each time i need a change in life. Is like letting go the old and renewing the energy to create a new life.
Awesome tips! Thank you
Anjara, You are welcome! I’m glad that the blog post felt like a deep healing breath! Clearing clutter is cleansing in so many ways 🙂
Great tips, Felicia! I love the focus on how you want to FEEL, and not just now but in the future. It’s soo important that our environment and our physical “things” match the frequency we want to BE and these are great steps for getting started with clearing the clutter. It especially feels doable to focus on doing just a little bit each day, and consciously doing it FOR how we want to feel using the affirmation. I love this approach! 🙂
Thanks Jesse! I’m glad you like this approach! It is important that clearing the clutter doesn’t become so overwhelming that we don’t do it. I like to break it down into small, manageable steps and find joy in the process 🙂
Hi Felicia!
I had a visceral reaction to reading your post (I’m a recovering ‘hoarder’ as my husband says 😉 And, as I write this I’m looking at 2 boxes in front of me that are half-filled, needing to be filled and taken down to the basement…! I love that you instigate some self-reflection here because I’m thinking “Where else am I keeping things open that are really ready to be closed?” I also appreciate, “Surround yourself with things that fit in the life of you tomorrow” – woah! That was a gem for me. And…it makes me want to paint my office 🙂
Hi Marcie!
It’s great that you are in the process of clearing some clutter 🙂 What color do you want to paint your office? That’s a great way to bring in new energy!
Felicia, this is such powerful information!
I’ve known and practiced this for years, but after moving four months ago with literally two shirts and two pairs of jeans (I filled everything else with books and business stuff), I’ve been holding onto clothes that have been given to me by others that are too small (and yes, I’ve been stuffing myself into them), or don’t like very much. I’ve received some clothes that I LOVE, but it’s been difficult because I’ve felt that I can’t release any of these things because I don’t have anything to replace them yet.
I see where this is limiting, and releasing is generally part of starting the process of flow. Thank you so much for reminding me! 🙂
PollyAnna,
I’m glad this was helpful in your process of flow 🙂 Release what you need to in order to let more of what you desire come into your life!
These are wonderful tips, Felicia! I love the process of using intention to clear clutter and clean up my space, but I often tend to forget about the feeling I want my space to convey to myself, my family, and others. I especially appreciate the reminder to clear a little bit each day. Even in the midst of a busy schedule, I know that I can eke out some time each day to clear something each day. Great post!
Poignant topic Felicia 🙂 Grateful. Feng Shei ‘dictates’ clear flow. Clutter does not allow this. You are correct. Allow new people, items or experiences in by letting go (donating) what does not serve you. Do not remove items because of spite toward the person or time period (doesn’t bring resolution). Wishing I could have hoarding family members (not in the house I stay) understand the benefit they could bask in (mother taught daughter behavior- she now believes it is normal 🙁
Blessings to All trying to exist here on Earth.
Blessings to you too. Yes, attitudes towards clutter are often inherited. Perhaps she will be shown a different way and create a new normal for herself.