For clarification I added the phrase literally speaking into this post, because the title of “Declutter your life” can be interpreted in different ways. In fact this blog is a 2-parter, and next week I will talk about decluttering your life, metaphorically speaking. But today I’m speaking literally. I’m talking about all those home organization projects that you keep putting off. That deep cleaning day where you actually move the couch to vacuum. And that pile of papers thats been sitting on your kitchen table for months that still needs to be filed away.

I know this topic doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with health and wellness, but believe me it does. According to Feng Shui principles, living in a cluttered environment can have a huge impact on your life and even your physical health.

Feng Shui is an ancient art and science that developed over 3,000 years ago in China. It was originally based on balancing the energies in a particular space to increase the health and good fortune of the occupant. Feng Shui is still used today to promote a harmonious atmosphere in the home and to create a free flow of good energy throughout the space. While there are a few different schools and methods of Feng Shui, any practitioner will tell you that the first step is to get rid of all the clutter.

Lately I have been having a really hard time focusing in my apartment. I found myself easily distracted, stressed, and overwhelmed. While it appeared that I was really busy during the day it seemed that nothing was actually getting done. Then it hit me about a week ago that my environment was not conducive to being productive. I had a to-do list a mile long of unfinished home projects. I had a pile of notes and papers that had been sitting on my living room floor for months that still needed to be reorganized and filed. I had random books lying all over my place that I needed to find room for on my bookshelf. A box full of items to bring to Good Will that has been sitting on my bedroom floor for about 2 months. A pile of 20 or so fashion magazines stacked in a corner. And forget about the hundreds of emails I still needed to sort through on my desktop. There was more, but you get the picture.

While I am not a Feng Shui practitioner I knew enough to realize that my cluttered environment was creating energetic chaos. Clutter is literally low, stagnant, confusing energy that will drain you over time. It blocks the flow of energy and can manifest physically into headaches, brain fog, weight gain, insomnia, and over all fatigue. And even if you don’t buy into Feng Shui’s physical effects, you have to admit that it is hard to think clearly and focus in a cluttered environment.

So with this realization I took advantage of the 3 day weekend and organized and cleaned every inch of my house. Including every closet, drawer, nook and cranny. I ended up with about 3 bags of trash and 2 full boxes to bring to Good Will. I can’t believe that I had that much trash and random items that I don’t need any more stuffed away in my one bedroom apartment. Yes it took all 3 days, but wow what a difference! Waking up to an organized clean home is an amazing feeling. I can already tell that my energy is more focused and clear. And what do you know, my allergies seem to be gone (maybe cause I got rid of all that cat hair behind the couch).

Now I know that clearing out clutter is no small task. It takes time for one, and it can seem overwhelming at first, so start small. Chances are you won’t be able to take 3 solid days like I did, so focus on doing one thing a day or even just one thing a week. I suggest making a list of everything that needs to get done in your home. Start with a room, a closet, or even just a drawer. Set aside 30 minutes a day if thats all the time you have. It might take a few weeks but in a month you could have a completely new home, and I promise that you will feel the difference.

Here are a few tips to help you declutter your life:

• Closet: Have you worn it in the past year? If the answers no, (unless it’s an item for a rare special occasion), give it away. This includes all clothes, shoes, and handbags.
• Decor: Does your decor really fit you anymore? If you have random trinkets and decorations that just don’t represent your style anymore, give it away. It will fit someone else’s decor perfectly!
• Paperwork: Use the 7 year rule when it comes paperwork. If you still have pay stubs from 12 years ago chances are you can get rid of them now. Have a shredding party, or use it as in excuse to have a bonfire. And if you don’t have a filing system yet, develop one pronto!
• Kitchen: When’s the last time you cleaned out your pantry and your fridge? Check the sales dates and start chucking!
• Magazines: All those magazines that you were hanging onto for a rainy day; well if you haven’t read them in the past few months chances are you never will. Out to the recycling bin.
• Books: If you’re never going to read it again, even if it was a great book, give it away for someone else to enjoy.
• Emails: Yes emails count as physical clutter. How many unopened emails are in your inbox? Just set aside 10-15 minutes a day and start chipping away at them.

Those are a few suggestions that you can start with to help begin to clear space. Now understand that this is not just a physical process, decluttering your space can be an emotional process as well.  It can hard to let go of things that you’ve accumulated throughout the years. I’ve never been much of a keeper myself. I don’t tend to attach sentimentality to things. For me memories are much more important then a physical object that someone once owned. But there are a few small keepsakes I have from my grandparents that I keep in a box under my bed. You don’t have to let go of everything. But if you are hanging on to something ask yourself why. Are you hanging on to it because you feel guilty about letting it go? Are you afraid to let go of the past? And if you are not ready to let go of something right now thats ok, just organize it and put it in its proper place.

By decluttering your life your home will look better, you will feel better, and you will be able to function more efficiently. And if you need some more motivation to get you going, know that in Feng Shui when you create a clearing for energy to move freely throughout your home, you’ll find that areas of your life suddenly improve. You may find a positive change in your physical health, harmony in your relationships, and even more abundance coming your way.

So use that last statement as motivation, and start decluttering today!