Our lives can be free-flowing, full of confidence, opportunity and good luck. Or, we can feel stuck, embarrassed and unlucky. To have more of the former, it can help if we clear out our physical environment. Getting rid of your clutter, all the things you don’t want, allows more space in your life for the things you do want.
Karen Kingston has written a great little book that has helped millions to work out their clutter problem, called Clearing Your Clutter with Feng Shui (pronounced roughly ‘fung shway’). Don’t be put off by the ‘feng shui’ bit. That’s useful, and interesting, but the advice on how to clear your clutter works even if you don’t care to know about feng shui. See her blog here: http://tiny.cc/izxyj. See the most recent edition of her book here: http://tiny.cc/0h392
Assuming you recognize clutter when you see it, here are some of her tips for clearing it out.
- Plan your attack. A weekend blitz with all hands on deck? Or a little bit at a time?
- Plan your route. Walk around your house and make a list of all the cluttered areas: the underwear drawer, behind the hall door, the coat hooks, the kitchen window sill. Next, sort that list from Small to Big, and get stuck in at the top of the list, smallest things first. Start with a drawer or a cupboard and do that. It feels great, and you’ll want to do more!
- Prepare to conquer. Assemble 5 boxes or bags:
- Rubbish. Things not loveable, nor useful to anyone.
- Recycling. Things to be given to someone else, sold, donated to charity, or Free-cycled.
- Repairs. Only things you are sure you’ll use after they’re fixed.
- Transit. Things on their way to somewhere else in your house.
- Dilemma. A small box for the things you really need some time to think about.
- Clear your clutter. Take everything out of the area you’re working on. Then, pick up one item at a time and deal with it. Does it stay or go? If it stays, either put it back where it belongs, or in the relevant box: Repairs or Transit. If it goes, put it in either Rubbish or Recycle.
Karen says, ‘Decide that everything that takes up space in your house must pass the Clutter Test.’
- Does it lift my energy when I think about it or look at it?
- Do I absolutely love it?
- Is it genuinely useful?
Required: ‘Yes’ to question 1, and ‘Yes’ to either question 2 or 3.
Finally, remember that the speed with which you clear your clutter will be matched by the speed with which new, joyful, wonderful things come into your life.
Make it fun! You’ll love the result!