Clutter & Feng Shui

What type of clutter do you have? The type and placement within your home tells a story.

When I mention I look at people’s spaces, I often see flushed cheeks and concern - “Oh, you wouldn’t want to see my house! I have so much clutter.”

We feel ashamed about the clutter that collects from modern living.  I wonder if that shame furthers us from what we really want - more connected and meaningful experiences. It’s not really about the clutter at all, but our relationship with it. In the spirit of letting go of shame and isolation in favor of welcoming change and connection, let’s begin a discussion on clutter.

Clutter reveals things we don’t want to see. Busy days piling up into months and years.  Things we didn’t want, didn’t have time for, thought we would use, thought we would fix, it all collects somewhere. It looks like clothes we hoped to wear, tools sitting out as a reminder for a project left unfinished, mess we were too exhausted to get to properly, hobby items in a pile we put aside… each abandoned thing was begun for a purpose that we left for something else.

But what matters to you today, here and now?  Does your space support you in your values?

Clutter or the flip side, obsessively cleaning clutter -  how much space does that take up in your life? Either can prevent us from accessing inner and outer spaces of ease, creativity, and joy.  To cultivate a peaceful, connected, nourishing space, we first begin by observing.

Walking your daily path…

First observe without judgement or action.  Don’t clean anything up, throw anything out, or speak negatively to yourself about why something is there or what you did or didn’t do. Simply see what’s there. Daily routines can make us blind to what is right in front of us. Observation can reveal opportunities for expansion.

Walk through your daily routine and observe. When you wake up, what do you see? Do you see a pile of miscellaneous clutter or stacked clothes? Do you see beautiful art? Continue through your daily path. When you walk to the kitchen, living room, or bathroom, do you have to step over something, or move something aside to reach what you need?

How do you feel after walking through your space? Do you feel tired, annoyed, joyful, anxious, empowered? How would you like to feel?

Initiating change…

Begin with your most private space, your bedroom. You spend something like 1/3 of your life sleeping, so begin cultivating a nourishing sanctuary for your body and psyche to rest and absorb support. Changes here ripple throughout your life.

Your most sacred space, changes within your bedroom are simultaneously the most impactful and most difficult to make. You have become accustomed to a certain environment, a certain way of experiencing the world and relationships. Used to having certain things in your orbit - all the mental clutter and physical clutter. Where has your attention been going? Claim it back and offer it towards who and what matters most to you in your life.

Remove any items that are bedroom related or promoting rest. Notice, what is under your bed? Blankets and pillows are soothing and acceptable, but shoes hold active energy that take us places, and sentimental items are emotionally charged and need a different storage place in the home.

Prioritizing your peace and removing bedroom clutter might leave empty space that feels uncomfortable or disarming because it’s unfamiliar. You are creating space for breathing room to grow and replenish.  You are cultivating freedom, possibility, and choice.

Go at your own pace, and notice if any resistance comes up. Where you place things expresses threads of an unconscious story. You are bringing your awareness to these items and stories, and reimagining the life you want to live and the person you want to be.

What matters to you, and who will you be? Clutter can exist, and you can still explore your uniqueness and joy, cultivating an easeful and connected life.

Wishing you well,

Mariah Herself