Can the Clutter
by Chynna Dahl
Have you got a drawer ... a closet ... a room ... devoted to nothing but clutter? A place that long ago lost the designation of "catch-all" ... and became a bona fide "junk pile?" The principles of feng shui teach that this drains your chi, causes problems, blocks your success and prosperity, and maybe even can contribute to illness. Depending on which part of the house it's in, it can affect a corresponding part of your life ... and not in a good way!
Even if you don't subscribe to that idea a place like this in your living space takes up room, is inconvenient, is unsightly, and drains you of energy with its constant presence and subliminal nagging that someday ... it's going to need attention. Someday, you'll need something it contains -- and not be able to find it. Someday, you'll have to go through this mess and deal with it. Somehow. Somewhere. Someday.
You might make this all easier on everyone (especially you!!) if you treat it the way people say to eat an elephant. One bite at a time. Meaning one little piece at a time. Chip at it the way erosion wears away rocks ... and without really noticing it, you may solve your problem completely.
You don't have to win this war in one spectacular, exhausting show of force, willpower and fireworks. You can win it inch by inch ... and keep your sanity and good humor in the process. Adopt a "Ten Items Once a Day" habit (or more items ... or more often ... if you really want to make some headway.)
At some point in the day ... as a regular promise to yourself ... deal with ten items in your clutter pile so that they disappear from the stack ... and go somewhere else permanently. Ten items. Once a day every day. Give them away. Throw them away. Put them away. Tomorrow ... do it again. And the next day. And so on. Pack it. Organize it. Use it. Trash it. Move on. You're on an honor system now, remember. Promises you make to yourself are just as important as promises you make to somebody else.
If you're a passionate packrat, you'll find things you forgot you had. Things you haven't seen in years. Things you can use ... maybe. Things you love ... maybe. Things that make you ask, "What the heck was I thinking??" ... maybe. You may even start to look forward to unearthing your ten treasures a day.
And when you're done, you'll at least know what you have. You'll also have an empty space -- where maybe you can start a new collection. (If you're a passionate packrat, that is.) You also may feel better. Who knows ... maybe even your life will improve -- according to the wisdom of feng shui. A cleaner, healthier, more liberated, less cluttered life?
That's a pretty good list of reasons and benefits. At least it's worth a try.
(c) 2006 Enchanted Spirit, Inc., All rights reserved.