Do you have a space in your home that gets you a little overwhelmed?

It may be that drawer that is overflowing with old bills and takeaway menus or your wardrobe that is jam packed full of clothes. It may be the makeup drawer that is lined with patches of loose bronzing powder, filled with old and used-by cosmetics and lipsticks that are missing lids.

Now this may all seem insignificant to you because the rest of your home is clean and organized, but the truth is, it is affecting your reality. Why? Because every time you go to that drawer or wardrobe you get a negative feeling—it may only be small, yet it is still negative.

And negative feelings create negative energy.

When you declutter your home and get organized, you will feel calmer, less overwhelmed and you will create a positive space for new things to be able to live and breathe.

Your home should be your safe retreat, a place you go to reconnect and recharge. You can create a home that nurtures, inspires and empowers you, a space that is so filled of positivity that it attracts love, abundance and opportunity. When you choose to get rid of your stuff and declutter you will find:

>>You open up to more positive energy and therefore feel more inspired, connected and whole.

>>You feel less overwhelmed as you don’t have that constant nagging thought, “I must fix that,” or “why did I let it get like this?” every time you try and open your wardrobe door.

>>You can achieve your dreams and goals. Because your home is organized, you now have more time to focus on the things that truly matter.

>>By reducing quantity, you manifest quality. As your priorities change, you start to learn what truly is important in life.

>>By having less, you appreciate more. You look for the simple luxuries in life.

>>By removing what you no longer need, you make space for what you do want.

>>When you have space and positivity energy, abundance flows your way.

>>Your home inspires you and allows you to see the beauty and miracles of everyday life. Because when you declutter and downsize, your sensitivity to beauty and style increases and you become aware of what surrounds you.

>>An organized home empowers you because it makes you feel in control—this then flows over to every other aspect of your life

>>And the best part: it attracts abundance and love into your life. When you downsize you treasure and honour what you own, you develop gratitude for everything and everyone in your life. You feel uplifted and supported by the positive environment that you live in and this vibrates out into everything you do. Positivity and gratitude attracts abundance and opportunity.

Create the space for your dreams to flow into. Take some deep breaths, muster up some courage and follow my decluttering tips.

Start small

The thought of decluttering your entire home probably feel overwhelming, so instead of focusing on the finished project, focus on working on just one drawer/cupboard or room at any one time. Focus on the area that annoys you the most; declutter it and move on to the next. Work on it until it is complete, because if you do a little here and there it never really feels accomplished.

Start the clearing

Grab some garbage bags and empty boxes and spend an afternoon purging your stuff. Decide whether to throw it away or donate it. The rule for donating is make sure that it is in good condition, washed and neatly folded. When you prepare to give, give with love and make the box of donations a nice gift for someone in need to receive.

Time to be ruthless and honest

Start going through your stuff and ask yourself a few questions. Why am I holding on to this? Why am I hesitant to let it go? How does this item serve me or not serve me? How can this item benefit somebody else better?

Your stuff does not define you

Remind yourself that your things don’t define you; it’s your character, experiences and values that define you. Release all attachment to your stuff and get back to the heart of what truly matters.

What to do with your stuff

Give your stuff to charity or friends because why hoard things for a rainy day when someone else can be making use of them today. Everything is energy and therefore interconnected. If your stuff is in good order give it to someone who needs it more than you do. I personally do not sell my stuff; I give it away because I believe that when you give, you are doing your small bit in the world to make a difference. If you find that something is hard to let go off, think about how it could drastically change somebody else’s life. For example, that designer suit that you have never worn could be donated to a woman’s shelter and there will be a woman staying at the shelter in need of a second chance, she will wear that suit you donated to an interview and score a job that will become her second chance.

The sacred 10 percent rule

When decluttering your home you should organize everything from your kitchen drawers, shoebox, underwear drawer and cosmetic bag. Only keep the things you truly love, but don’t allow the drawers/cupboards or shelves to fill up – keep at least 10 per cent empty space. That’s your space to attract abundance, opportunities and newness into your life.

Create a clearing space

A clearing space is an area in your home that you can allow to get messy and chaotic for a short while–maybe a closet, spare bedroom or basement. The purpose of the clearing space is to help you detach from your possessions by separating you from them first and getting rid of them later.

Chances are when you start on your decluttering mission, you will come across items that you cannot get rid of, usually for one of two reasons: 1) either you feel that it is too expensive to get rid of, or 2) you have an emotional attachment to it. Deep inside you know that you don’t need it, but somehow you cannot loosen your grip. What you need to do is find a dedicated clearing space and put these objects in there. Be ruthless and put everything that enters your thoughts “get rid of” in there. Remember you can always put it back in your home; it doesn’t mean that it is gone forever. Once you have put all your things in the clearing space, let them sit there for at least one week, and what you will find is that your attachment to the item will lessen, it will not seem so needed. After at least one week go back through your stuff and see what you can get rid of.

Keep your clutter cleared

After you have done the work of clearing out all your stuff you will need to ensure that no more stuff overloads that beautifully created space. Things that I suggest you do to keep your clutter in check:

>>Every week throw out at least five items, it doesn’t have to be huge items, it can be as simple as the shopping receipts in your wallet, the empty shampoo bottle, an old bill, the shopping catalogue, etc.

>>Every time you buy a new item, make sure you get rid of something in its place. For example, when you buy those beautiful new heels get rid of those old ballet flats that you never wear.

>>If you haven’t worn something for a year then get rid of it. Storing unused items holds onto old energy and does not give room for the new to live and breathe.

Energize and cleanse your home

After you have decluttered your stuff, go through and clean your home with natural products– I personally love using eucalyptus oil. When your home is decluttered and clean you naturally feel inspired, creative and love life.

Decluttering is healing and therapeutic. By decluttering your home, you are getting rid of overwhelm and negative thoughts and in turn, allowing room for new positive ones. When you remove out-dated and unnecessary stuff, whether it is in your living space or in your mind, you are creating space for abundance and creativity to flow. Decluttering your home will nurture your mind, body and soul.

  Online media personality, holistic lifestyle coach, author and entrepreneur, Claire Charters founded the holistic lifestyle blog Serene Wellness. Claire works hard to create a wholesome path to wellness through her writing and her unique tours and retreats. Her articles on health, wellness and spirituality can be found on various sites. She has a growing community of people following her on her blog, Facebook and Twitter. She also run’s free courses which are designed to inspire people to start living their best holistic life. Read more about Claire here.

~

Editor: April Hayes

Like elephant enlightened society on Facebook