Feng Shui De-Cluttering
This is the first and most important step to applying feng
shui to your life.First, please be sure you read the preparatory feng shui clutter clearing steps,
as they create the solid foundation for your success in eliminating clutter.
STEP 1: Be Brave,
Identify ALL Your Clutter. Focus first on removing the clutter and then clean,
but don’t try to both at the same time or you will get sidetracked. Remember 30
minutes of de-cluttering and then clean to your heart’s content… but not at the
same time.
STEP 2: Understand
The Secret of Eliminating Clutter for Good. Clutter is a stagnant roadblock to
your energy, sapping your ability to move forward in areas of your life that
will truly provide you happiness. Yes, that old sweater your great-aunt
Gertrude knitted for you is “special” and your cassette tape collection from
1985 is quite impressive… It is time to move forward.
STEP 3: Get three boxes and label them “In”, “Out”, and “Don’t
Know”. Get a timer and set yourself aside 30 minutes every day until the
mission is accomplished. Get some fast paced music to keep you moving along… Do
not hesitate when choosing which box an item goes in. Go with your gut and keep
it moving. If you are unsure, just toss it in the “Don’t Know” box. We’ll get
to that one later.
After you've read and
accepted the preparatory feng shui clutter clearing steps, the current step of
planning and getting the supplies for your session is a breath of fresh air!
Light and easy, not
much explanation is needed here, just follow the simple steps below.
So, let's say you are facing a big pile of items you do not
know what to do about. You cannot make one decision about them all, this is impossible.
Here's what you do:
Pick up an item from your clutter pile and QUICKLY place it
in one of the 3 boxes. If you are taking more than 30 sec to 1 minute to decide
about an item, you are not doing it right (remember you have the I DON'T KNOW
box, so use it!)* The reason I say "QUICKLY place it in one of the 3
boxes" is because your initial reaction is usually accurate. If you
hesitate and do not know what to do about an item, place it in the "I
don't know" box, this is what it's there for.
Proceed in the same energetic rhythm with each item in your
clutter pile until the session time is up. Do not slow down your pace, keep it
the same throughout the whole clutter clearing session. The key is to stay with
a rhythm, do it relatively fast, and end your session on time. This way you
will build up a genuine enjoyment for clearing your clutter, and I assure you
that with enough commitment you can be living clutter free in a very short
time.
Even though it doesn’t sound like much time, do not go over
the initial 30 min. Once the time is up, you're done for the day. You’ll be
amazed how much you can accomplish in 30 minutes and if you go longer, you’re
likely to get burned out and confused. Pat yourself on the back and go have
some fun. You did great!
Now, even if the only
box that got filled during your first feng shui clutter clearing session is the
I Don't Know Box, you still have done some really good work and, more
importantly, have started activating and moving the stagnant, blocked energy of
clutter.
Here are some helpful things to know: It is best to have a
designated area for clearing clutter (if possible). So, instead of having piles
and piles of clutter in many areas of your home, bring them all to a
"clutter central" (in stages, of course!) and work from there.
There will definitely be items with strong emotional
attachment (often entangled with confusion and guilt) that you will find
difficult to deal with. No worries, just keep placing them in your "I Don't
Know" Box until one day you know. (You might ask a friend for help with a
particularly challenging "I Don't Know" Box).
Depending on the amount of clutter you are dealing with, you
might sure have more than three boxes (or bags). No matter how many you end up
with, you are still looking at 3 choices: the IN, the OUT and the I DON'T KNOW.
Here's what you do
with each box. •IN obviously stays in. However, with one condition: ONLY if you
have space for each item. If you do not find proper space for each and every
items in your IN box, you might have to let some of them go. After all, if you
really, really needed them, why did they end up in the clutter pile?
•OUT goes out, of course. To charity, to friends, to a
garage sale, whatever sounds right to you. The sooner it goes out, the better,
do not keep the OUT in your home for too long.
•The I DON'T KNOW is a challenging one. It is basically your
therapy box. You might find yourself going thru the same I DON'T KNOW box,
session after session, with not much change.
If you are brave
enough, here's what you do: close the I DON'T KNOW box tightly, and take it to
a storage place. Mark your calendar 6 months from now. If you do not even
remember 6 months from now what is in that box, give it to charity without even
opening it.
If this sounds too drastic to you, find a friend to help you
go through the most challenging of your I DON'T KNOW boxes. You might cry, you
might get angry, you might feel whatever you might feel, but ultimately clutter
clearing is also a strong clearing of old emotional ties, old emotional patterns
and energy residues. So, take all the time you need to do that, and then follow
the steps from the paragraph above.
Allow yourself to let go of unclarity, confusion and guilt.
You deserve better than that.
And now, to the best
part! Out with the old. In With The NEW!
For all of your real estate needs contact Kristin Benedetti at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices 1299 Prospect St. La Jolla, California 92037, BRE # Lic 01946447 , Cell: 858-900-5578,
lajollaluxuryhomes@outlook.com ,
www.lajollaluxuryhomefinder.com. For all of your home improvements, I can also provide you with referrals to contractors throughout Southern California.
