Spring Cleaning: Clutter…How did I end up with all this STUFF?
Spring Cleaning Part II: Clutter…How did I end up with all this STUFF?
Spring ushers in a season of growth - a time for new beginnings. Think of spring cleaning and decluttering as a spiritual pursuit. A deep spring clean and decluttering is a kind of alchemy that can transform every aspect of life. You may not realize that the energy in your home and the surrounding objects profoundly affect the energy you radiate into the world. Your “stuff” can produce a remarkably negative (or positive) influence on how you feel and significantly impact every aspect of your life.
What is clutter?
“Your home is a living space, not a storage space.”
– Francine Jay
Clutter is anything we don’t need, want, or use that takes up our time, energy, or space and consumes our serenity. We may feel overwhelmed daily when we look at our clutter. When we look at our clutter, we can feel controlled by our possessions. This feeling of being controlled can send us a constant message that we are hopelessly disorganized and out of control. Clutter can be a source of shame to us and those we live with.
Clutter is also a state of living with unnecessary items that crowd and create an experience of disordered living. Clutter represents indecision – can’t figure out “where to put the item or what to do with it.”
Examples of Clutter
We have clutter in our lives because we have not taken control and decided what we think or feel about an item. When we don’t make decisions – we end up with too much STUFF in our lives.
The following are some examples of clutter:
Any object you don’t love or use
Half-finished or never started projects
Anything that has been broken for a long time or that has missing parts
Clothes that do not fit or that you do not like (most of us only wear 10% of our clothing)
Too many objects or pieces of furniture for the size of the space
Old letters, photos, coupons, etc. that do not bring you joy
Paper, magazines, excess books
Too many toys, kitchen gadgets, old cosmetics
Duplicate items, old bedding, towels, old paint
Why do we collect clutter?
Despite the negative feelings from our clutter, we fear throwing things out. We may tell ourselves that we might need it, fix it, or wear it again. We don’t want to be wasteful or ungrateful. We don’t know what to discard, and we don’t know how much is enough.
Often the root cause of clutter is fear. For example, we might worry about needing a particular item in the future and not being able to replace it. This belief becomes self-perpetuating because fear of the future tends to create fear of the future. What you expect in life often becomes a reality. No matter what your reasons are for keeping clutter, it clogs the energy of your home, your body, and your life.
Why We Keep Clutter
From a spiritual perspective, letting go of physical “stuff” equates with letting go of blockages and barriers in your life. This is because clutter - whether physical or emotional - is never about the stuff; it is a signpost that indicates other things that are going on beneath the surface.
Why do we keep clutter?
It makes us feel safe and gives a sense of security
It makes us feel validated and provides us with a sense of self-worth
It anchors us to our past
It provides comfort
It acts as an affirmation of being loved
It affirms the identity of whom we would like to be
It reflects indecisiveness
It gives us a feeling that we are working on self-improvement
It feels like a duty to keep family heirlooms
It reflects our mental health and how we are feeling emotionally
Decluttering is not merely eliminating stuff but a gradual transforming of our space. It may take a while to live in a space with simplicity and ease. Our well-being craves feelings of purpose and order which can uplift our daily energy level.
Release Your Clutter
Although we may cling to our clutter, what we ultimately yearn for in our surroundings is a sense of beauty, order, serenity, a balanced life, and harmonious relationships.
How to release the clutter:
Begin to declutter. As you examine your belongings, try the popular Marie Kondo method of asking, “Does this item spark joy?”. If the answer is no, release the item.
Use a timer. Set a timer for 15 to 30-minute increments. During this time, stay focused on an area or particular task to remove clutter.
Gather supplies. Be prepared to declutter with these items: a timer, a box labeled “donate,” a trash bag, and a box labeled “correct place.”
Clean the area. Deep clean the space you have decluttered.
Take photos. To see your progress, take a before and after photo. You’ll be amazed at the transformation.
Be present emotionally. Some clutter could be making you feel safer emotionally or be acting as an energy shield. Clutter often stirs up strong or sentimental memories.
Consider a dumpster. Having a small dumpster ready will allow you to release trash and old items quickly. You will be surprised how gratifying it is to immediately toss out the old “junk.”
Start with what you can see. Tackle obvious culprits first. While the stuff tucked away in “junk drawers” or closets is draining, the clutter you can see out all the time is even more draining.
Start in one spot. Pick one manageable spot to start decluttering so the process is less overwhelming.
Pace yourself. You do not have to tackle your whole home in one day!
“Clear clutter. Make space for you.”
– Magdalena Vandenberg
Happy Spring,
Jenny