Before you read on, take a moment to look around you. How is your desk? Is it covered in piles of paper, unread articles, “to-do” piles, unpaid bills? Are you surrounded by unfinished projects? Or is it neat and tidy, with everything in its place? Look up and check out the rest of the room, the rest of your personal space? How does it make you feel?
Did you know that the state of our physical environment actually contributes in quite a large way to our energy levels? It also affects our clarity of thought and our ability to be resilient. This, in turn, affects our health and well-being. When we are surrounded by clutter, including reminders of failed relationships and things we are just hanging onto out of a sense of guilt or obligation we feel physically more tired. Our motivation and our energy are lowered and we can literally feel “stuck”. And sadly, we are actually preventing what we really want from coming into our lives!
Don’t despair! Keep reading. This isn’t about judgment and I’m really not trying to make you feel worse. I want you to know that you can create a space that makes you feel good and supports your health and well-being. And you can start right now! Here’s how:
- Get yourself and pen and paper and get up and walk through the area you are ready to tackle. You pick where you would like to begin, whether at home or at work.
- Begin writing two lists:
- The cluttered areas that are causing you the most grief (be honest with yourself-no one else has to see this)
- A “to-do” list of actions that will alleviate the discomfort.
Breaking the task into manageable portions will go a long way to getting you started in your clutter-clearing.
Tip: Don’t take on your whole house or apartment in one go—you’ll feel overwhelmed and quit. When deciding where to start pick a small project that is manageable and also watch out for the emotional attachment trap. For example, you could start with an underwear drawer—throw out the old ones, and create space for the new, or a kitchen counter-top is a good neutral place to begin. As you feel good about clearing clutter you will be ready to tackle projects with greater emotional attachment.
- Set yourself up for success! Plan a time to begin, whether it’s right now or book an appointment with yourself.
Gather some boxes and label them as follows:
- Donate
- Sell
- Garbage
- Recycle
- Return to rightful owner (oops!)
The idea is to sort directly into these boxes, so that you do not end up with just more piles of stuff on the floor or worse still, all over the bed!
Tip: Make the task more palatable by playing your favourite CD, or my personal favourite, the reward system. I book myself a time to work and then I allow myself time afterwards to do something fun!
Allow yourself to have your feelings! Sometimes clearing clutter can be like a trip down memory lane. Take time to journal or pick up the phone and chat with a friend and then let go and let the good stuff come in.
- Clearing clutter and getting the energy flowing back in our lives makes us feel absolutely fabulous! The more you do, the more you will want to do, as it feels so good to let the energy flow around us again. Feel great about taking a box of stuff you no longer use to the local thrift store and imagine how it will help someone else’s life. Enjoy the recycling process. Letting go of clutter is an energising experience!
Tip: Remember, the clutter didn’t all arrive overnight, so be gentle and caring with yourself and allow yourself time to take on these projects. Your energy will increase and you will actually find yourself looking forward to your next clutter-clearing appointment.
- And the final step is maintenance. Begin to establish routines in your life that support being organized. Simple steps might be to always do the dishes before you go to bed. We feel much better when we start the day walking into a clean kitchen, and your day will begin on a positive note.
Well, I am feeling inspired to tackle my desk! I’ve been procrastinating, and as I look at it now, it will take me maybe half an hour tops to get it back on track.
If you would like help getting started, please call me for an appointment at 206 201 2764 and we can personalise the above process, looking at your habits and general mental, emotional, spiritual and physical health. We can then take a serious step to your feeling more energy and being healthy. I can also connect you to some dedicated clutter-clearing professionals—just e-mail me. And finally, a book I recommend is Karen Kingston’s Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui.
Enjoy the rest of the summer and don’t hesitate to contact me to get started on the Feeling Absolutely FabulousProgram™.
