Clogged by Clutter
Where do I place a fountain to bring in more opportunities? Will hanging a crystal enhance my career? Should I paint my room green for better feng shui?
These are frequently asked questions, yet small things like this will hardly make much of a difference, and even if they do, their effect will be short-lived. For the long-term, the foundation of your energetic environment will have the greatest impact.
So where do you begin? The first thing I say is to minimize your clutter. When I mention this in presentations, some people sigh, others groan and many nod knowingly.
Most everyone relates to clutter, no one seems to like having it, and yet, unless someone is spring cleaning or a move is imminent, it’s rare to get motivated to clear it out.
Everything in our environment is a reflection of what’s going on in our inner environment, and a cluttered home is directly correlated with the mental and emotional clutter we hold inside. You will often hear me say, “clear your clutter, clear your mind.” By sorting out your clutter, you sort out your life, which results in a release and renewal of your own life force.
Why we hold on to clutter
Clutter is woven into our emotional energy and it drains us. It ties us to the past instead of allowing us to live in the present moment, yet we hold on to it for various reasons. How many of these clutter scenarios do you relate to?
Clothes that don’t fit
By keeping clothes that don’t fit, you constantly have a visual reminder that you are not where you once were. If you can accept where you are with your size in the present and let go of the clothes that represent the “old” you, you will have an opportunity to create a “new” you.
Expensive, but unused items
Have you ever purchased something that cost “a lot” of money and later realized it wasn’t a wise purchase? Keeping these items constantly reminds you of your “mistake.” Each time it’s in view, you subconsciously judge yourself, which holds you in the past. Let it go.
Keeping things “just in case”
Do you have five umbrellas, but only two people in your home? Do you have a closetful of shopping bags that you’ve been saving from years ago? Holding onto everything that comes into your possession shows an anxiety about the future and a lack of trust that the universe will provide what you need, when you need it. When you open up space in your home or office, you open up the possibility that something new can arrive.
Items from a past relationship
Getting rid of possessions after a break-up or a death is always difficult because it means you really have to come to terms with your grief and loss. There is no set time when things “should” be cleared out, but the sooner you are able to clear out possessions associated with a past relationship, the sooner you are able to live in the present moment.
It’s fine to keep items to remember the positive aspects of a person’s existence in your life. Clearing out others’ things is for when you need to let go and move on.
Clear Your Clutter
There are many methods to clearing clutter, but the simplest is using the theory of relativity. It states that whatever is closest to you affects you the most, so start clearing from where you spend the most time. Your bedroom? Your office? Your car?
Mark your Calendar
Thinking about clearing your clutter is not effective. Make an appointment with yourself, just like you would with a good friend. It is totally worth it because at the end of the day, you will feel far better than if you spent it at the spa or out on the golf course. I promise.
For more information on feng shui expert and life guide Alice Inoue, visit www.aliceinoue.com.
