The theme of releasing clutter is top-of-mind these days. Magazines write about it; articles appear in newspapers; and, of course, there’s the internet. There are several methods for dealing with clutter: the KonMari method, Swedish death cleaning, and, more intentionally, Feng Shui. It is unanimous that clutter can make you feel stuck, keep you from moving forward, and exhaust you.
Clutter manifests itself in many ways. A few years ago, I began a painting with the usual floral theme I have been exploring. The first rendition showed a field of no less than 30 flowers. As I was working on it, two things happened. The title “The Gathering” dropped in easily, but despite its title, there were too many flowers. I grappled with the dilemma of a statement about having a large enough group of flowers to create a gathering, yet not too many. The result of my decluttering is shown above, proving to me that less is more and that there are many ways to declutter.
So, what exactly is clutter? As a Feng Shui consultant, I define clutter as an over-accumulation of physical items, creating a negative environment, which causes depression, overwhelm, frustration, and anxiety. These items can be trinkets, photos, books, newspapers, piles of mail, clothes, remnants of projects, mementos, and collections. The issue typically starts small and soon turns into a safety issue. But clutter isn’t just a lot of stuff piled up. Items that are broken or unusable qualify as clutter. Things you no longer like for whatever reason become clutter. Someone may have a well-appointed home yet still be plagued by unseen clutter – drawers, closets, shelves, basement, attic.
Physical clutter, hidden or not, affects the well-being of those who live or work there. From a Feng Shui perspective, the stuck energy of clutter showing up in an external space is a reflection of stuck energy on your inner level.
Because the first step toward decluttering is typically the hardest, think about decluttering for only 9 or 18 minutes a day. Otherwise, the task can seem insurmountable. The number “9,” or increments of 9, is considered lucky in Feng Shui, so using its power can bring about good results. Don’t underestimate how decluttering for 9 minutes per day for nine days can change your life. During this process, you will be required to ask some questions about your stuff, like:
When was the last time I used it?
Do I like it?
Do I need it?
Will I miss it if it’s gone?
Some items must be kept, i.e., Christmas decorations, out-of-season clothes, scrapbooks. Therefore, it’s important to have appropriate storage so that you know where things are when they’re needed and can access them easily. However, any “just in case” items need to go. They take up precious space. Those “just-in-case” items are hardly ever used anyway because no one can find them when they’re finally needed. Don’t waste time (or energy) on an item that has no use. It’s appropriate to thank the items being released. After all, there was a time when they were important enough to buy or to accept into your life.
Of course, clutter is a continual battle. Like weeds, it keeps coming back unless there’s continual monitoring. However, once you begin this Feng Shui process, you will begin to feel lighter and brighter, mirroring the state of your space. Some clients have assured me they lost weight once they started decluttering – as the space got lighter, so did they. As my painting was less cluttered, I could see the message in a whole new way. Decluttering leaves an opening for new possibilities in your life.
If you’re interested, check out my website for additional Feng Shui-inspired pieces at carolehyderart.com
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