Getting the Clutter Out of Your Life

I never had clutter problems when I lived in my small apartment many years ago. Lack of space prevented me from having too much ‘stuff’. Being in a bigger house means more space to stack ‘stuff’ whether in closets, on shelves, or stacked in corners. I’m currently in the midst of clearing clutter out of my house, and while I’m not a hoarder by any means, even small stacks of magazines, books, old clothes, medical records and outdated decorations seem to occupy more space than I ever intended.

The problem with clutter is that it not only affects us at a physical level, but emotionally, mentally and spiritually as well. I’m just coming to realize this in recent past – clutter contributes to stress (as well as less than desirable moods), and can become an excuse to not sit down quietly on a daily basis and take time out to just breathe and be still.

For the last number of months I’ve avoided going into certain rooms in my house. I enter a room with the intention (and bag in hand) to clear the space only to be overwhelmed with the task. So I go into a smaller room thinking I can get that done first, then complete the larger rooms last – but that overwhelms me too. The whole process causes mental stress because I don’t completely check any one room off my list and it’s always in the forefront of my mind sort of like a mantra – ‘clear the clutter, clear the clutter’. Emotionally I fluctuate between anger and depression (which robs me of joy), so I head into my healing room to pray and meditate, only to see a stack of boxes that should be ready to be disposed of but aren’t. Talk about an energy draining process!

Because I’m hosting upcoming holidays at my home, I have to get more serious about clearing things out, and I’ve kicked things up a notch. Rather than try and complete an entire room at once, each week I’ve been going through every room and filling one large green bag of anything which no longer serves me. If I can fill up two bags, even better. I have put many books on the curb in the recycling bin, and have given health and cookbooks to friends who can use them. There are a number of organizations like the Salvation Army, The Cancer Federation, and Goodwill that are more than happy to take items like clothing and furniture and find new homes for them. (That’s the thing with clutter, what no longer serves me just may end up being a gift to someone else!)

One of the best books I’ve read that helped steer me in the right direction is Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui by Karen Kingston. It’s filled with many excellent suggestions to help you clear clutter and get back into balance on every level. I highly recommend it if you, like me, need some structure and guidance to getting rid of clutter in your life.

Now get started!