Talking Clutter again

Since fall is officially here, I thought I would address clutter once again before we are stuck inside all winter.

You have heard me say this before. Feng Shui is about increasing the flow of energy or chi in your space to create harmony but it’s also about surrounding yourself with things that you love. That being said, when there is too much “stuff” in the way, the energy gets stuck and things tend to stagnate in your life.

Sometimes when there is an energy blockage you may not even be aware that it is the clutter that is causing the issue. Now, I am not asking you to live a totally minimalist lifestyle. You don’t have to completely clear the decks! Just take a look around your home and ask yourself the following questions.

Do I like this?
When is the last time I used it?
Where did it come from?
Does it have sentimental value to anyone in the household?

I have found that we sometimes get so used to seeing something in a particular spot that we are almost immune to the fact that it’s even there.

Do you catch yourself saying, why didn’t I get rid of that long ago? Or, why didn’t we fix that before now? If so, then you need to take a look at your surroundings in a whole new light. Go through each room and actually stop and look at each piece of furniture, everything that hangs on the walls or sits on a table or shelf. Is it in good repair or has it been around way too long already? Is it just there simply because it always has been?

Do you save every newspaper and magazine?
Are there piles that seem to take on a life of their own?

In the past I have suggested that you not even bring the junk mail in the house. Toss it in the recycling bin before it ever gets inside. Keep a shredder handy and instead of setting it down so it can pile up, shred it. Look at things one time and get it done.

Remember my 9 minute plan. Take 9 minutes each day and clean, sort and put things away. Once you get used to it, you will be amazed how much you can get done in a short 9 minutes. Hopefully there will come a time when you don’t even need a full 9 minutes per day anymore and can cut back to less days a week.

Until next time!


“Have nothing in your home that you do not know to be useful and believe to be beautiful.”

William Morris