Feng Shui Clutter Control

In Feng Shui, clutter is equated with congestion. Think of how you feel when you're full of energy versus when you have a head cold. You get the picture. A congested house lacks energy and the clutter fills the space meant for delicious new possessions, experiences, and opportunities. One of the most powerful things you can do to increase your health, wealth and happiness is to de-clutter, or decongest, your home.

So what is clutter?  Dictionary.com defines clutter as "A confused or disordered state or collection; a jumble: sorted through the clutter in the attic."
That's part of it, but only at the physical level.  In Feng Shui clutter can be categorized as follows: 

-Things you do not use or love,
-Things that are untidy or disorganized,
-Too many things in too small a space, and/or
-Anything left unfinished.

Briefly looking at each of these categories we can relate to our basic Feng Shui principles. 

Things you do not use or love.  Everything is alive with ch'i, so we must learn to live only with things that we love.  Things that are loved, used, and appreciated have strong, vibrant, joyous energies around them that allow the energy to flow smoothly. On the other hand, things that are neglected, forgotten, unwanted, unloved, or unused will cause the energy in your home to slow, stagnate and congest.  This can be felt in your life as being depressed and lethargic.

Being untidy or disorganized can still occur even when we are surrounded with things that we love.   Yes, we love everything in our home, but can't seem to find anything!  This creates feelings of frustration, anger, and helplessness.  These feelings will ripple out into the rest of our lives and affect our relationships, health, and careers.  Feng Shui cure:  Organize yourself!  You will literally feel set free of the bondage of clutter and your life will open to new possibilities, friends, and opportunities!

Too many things in too small a space.  OK, you are living with what you love, but you can't move around due to all the neatly organized storage units you have all over the house!  Two choices:  rent a storage unit or move to a bigger place.  Sometimes this is unavoidable.  We get married, have children, but still live in the same small home.  You may be so cramped for space that you and the energy just can't move and flow freely.  This could show up in your life as being stuck, not getting promotions you deserve, not meeting new interesting people.  There's no room for anything new in your home OR your life.

Things left unfinished.  Things not dealt with around your home reflect issues not dealt with in your life.  Annoying little things like dripping faucets, broken appliances, stained carpets, etc.  The list keeps getting longer, clothes that need mending, bills to be paid, phone calls to return.  All this is clutter.  This is a physical, emotional and spiritual drain on you.  Once you make the conscience decision that you are going to improve your life, you will be able to take care of all these chores and literally reap the benefits as you feel your vitality soar.

When you begin to clear out your unwanted belongings, you may notice subtle or dramatic changes. For example, when I simplified and organized my closet, I gave away a bag of old clothes. Then, I found the perfect new clothes in a store I'd never been to before. Then, I was invited to an event, I wore my new clothes, met people interested in my work, and my business and connections grew. "The more I let go of the old, the more I attract and welcome in the new."