Clutter Basics - July 12 Feng Shui Friday

Feng Shui Friday

July 19, 2013

Greetings!

It's a Feng Shui Friday with the continued focus on clutter (hopefully toward DE-cluttering). Over the past several weeks I've been helping my friend with an estate/garage sale. Her mother passed away last fall leaving a house filled with 50 years of belongings. And I mean FILLED. After twelve years in this business--clearing clutter the feng shui way--I am once again reminded how clutter impacts our lives and the lives of others.

Feng Shui Tip of the Week

Clutter Illusion: Can you find the man?

The impact of clutter. No matter how much or how little, clutter's impact shows up in four areas of our lives: Time, Money, Health and Safety, and Energy. When your material possessions, projects and to-do lists, emotions, or weight begin to take more time or money to manage, locate, insure, store, clean, arrange, repair or organize--clutter is impacting your life. When a healthy career and relationships with family, friends and neighbors is negatively influenced by your things, or when your safety and health is compromised by too much stuff, too many decisions to make, overwhelm, frustration, depression, anxiety--clutter is impacting your life. Most important (a feng shui thing) clutter is an energy zapper. When your physical stuff zaps your energy--clutter is impacting your life.

Energy Zapper. In her book Clearing Clutter with Feng Shui, Karen Kingston says, "we are energetically attached to our clutter." Here's how it works. Imagine that every single thing you own is attached to you by single pieces of thread. Every thing in your vehicle's glove box, the stuff in the basement and garage, all your clothes, jewelry, books, CDs, kitchen utensils, all the stuff in your junk drawer, papers, electronics and chargers, and all the pens and pads you bring home from hotel stays. Every single thing is attached to you and you're dragging it around with you 24/7--mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually--because you have to DEAL with it in some way: cleaning, managing, organizing, repairing, thinking about it.

The clutter fall-out. Even if you don't think your clutter is impacting your life, it may be impacting the lives of others. Again, in Karen's book, she talks about the methods for getting rid of clutter. Sadly, one of them is the Wait-Until-You-Die-And-Let-Relatives-Deal-With-It method. When my husband took possession of the mountain cabin his mother left him, many days and weeks were filled with frustration as he threw out piles of aluminum TV trays, bread twist-ties, empty paint cans, stacks of lumber that had rotted from dis-use, old mattresses and springs, bags and boxes of food (dozens of years past their 'use' date) his Dad had saved. And like my friend as she cleaned out her mother's basement and crawl space filled with coffee cans inside coffee cans and thousands of glass canning jars, rolls of wall paper, garage sale finds, and past-use-date food, food, food. In their grief process, those left behind often feel anger and frustration and continually ask "WHY?" What were you thinking when you saved all this stuff for me to deal with? Do you want this to be part of the memories you leave behind? This week consider using Karen Kingston's Go-For-It-Method. Take responsibility for your stuff, clear it out yourself, make your own decisions about where it's going and feel the amazing energy of snipping off all those threads you no longer love, use or need. Feels lighter already, right?

Food for Thought. Clutter is subjective: what's too much? What's enough? Only you will know when your desire to hold on to your stuff comes at the expense of positive and healthy relationships with others and yourself. Only you will know when time, money, health and safety, and energy begin to hold more value than possessions. Only you can decide when less is more, it's time to let it go, and simplifying is inspiring.

Until Next Week

Wishing you Simplified Interiors

Kathie Seedroff

Mark Your Calendar for Happenings, Events

and Classes

dtc-cbw logo Denver Tech Center-Colorado Business Women

Wednesday, August 14

11 a.m. Networking

11:30a.m. - 1 p.m. Lunch and Program

Maggiano's DTC Register here

YOU CAN'T TAKE IT WITH YOU

Any tips or advice you'd like to share regarding your journey in clutter clearing and letting go? I'd love to consider your stories or tips in my new book. Call 303.947.7790 or email me.

Conquering Clutter: The First Step to Downsizing

Sunday, January 26, 2014

9-10:30 a.m.

St. Andrews Methodist Church

Whether you're looking for a simpler lifestyle, downsizing to a smaller home, or determining what keepsakes to hand down, conquering clutter is the first step. Come learn why conquering clutter is more than just getting rid of stuff; it's about letting go of what no longer serves you--body, heart, mind, and spirit--and making 'room' for inspiration, possibilities, and opportunities. We'll explore why it's hard to let go, steps to get started, and motivational tools and resources to keep going. Make this the New Year to get in the spirit and conquer your clutter.

Change your Life, Home and Office one week at a time

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