“The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” – Joshua Becker
If you conjure up a picture of inner peace and mental calm… you may see yourself at the Ocean watching the waves rise or fall, or maybe you’re on a yoga retreat deep in the mountains.
What probably doesn’t come to mind is a Saturday spent with a pair of rubber gloves sifting through old drawers and hauling things off to the local donation center or recycling bin. But what if decluttering your home can bring you peace inside faster than a downward dog or a beautiful sunset?
According to Feng Shui practitioners, clutter is robbing you of your life force! Let’s get that cleaned up and see how you feel.
5 Places to “Unclutter” Your Life To Invite More Peace and Flow In
1. Your Closet
If you haven’t worn it in 6 months, and it’s not because of the season – it’s time to let it go! This goes for shoes, shirts, jackets, jewelry! Everything. If you don’t LOVE it, someone else will. They’d be happy to pick it up at the local consignment or donation center.
2. Your Bookshelf
Haven’t read it yet? Never going to read it? Got the audiobook version on your phone? Time to let that story grip someone else’s imagination or educate another hungry mind. If your office is starting to look like a centuries old library, it’s time to reconsider what you really plan to read!
3. Your Garage or Storage Units
It may seem unusual to clear out a storage unit or garage, considering their purpose is to house those things you don’t often use. It’s okay to keep around a lawn mower you only pull out once a year, or some rare art that you haven’t found a wall for yet… but if you know you’re never going to use it again… you might find you had an eBay hobby or a passion for a garage sale you never knew you had.
4. Your Electronics
File clutter is still clutter! Every once in a while delete contacts you’ll never need, delete your 26,000 unread emails (I keep my inbox to 100 or less at all times), delete old downloads and clean up your social media space! You may not think it’s draining your energy, but you’ll see the difference once you hit delete, delete, delete!
5. Your Calendar
You may not think of this as clutter in the traditional sense, but so many of us keep things on our schedule we don’t actually want to do. We force ourselves to hang out with people we’ve outgrown or to maintain routines that no longer inspire us. Take stock of what’s on your calendar, how much you want to do that, and how much energy it either gives or takes. Then responsibly and kindly unhook yourself from what no longer serves.
I recommend a decluttering ritual once a season. If you can’t commit to once a season, go for that annual spring cleaning our great-great grandparents used to talk about! You’ll love how much more energy, time, peace and focus you have when you let go of the old, making way for the new.