Turn Your Junk Into Joy

“I can’t keep up with my work…I go from one fire to another…I feel so overwhelmed…I don’t know where to begin…I feel blocked…I have no energy…” Do you hear yourself or others around you saying such things?  Look around, do you then see piles of unfiled papers, items stacked everywhere, blocked doors, overstuffed closets, broken items... in other words… clutter!

View your house as a metaphor for your life. Keep your house in order…your spiritual house, mental, physical and emotional; as they said in the movie The Field of Dreams, “If you build it, they will come.” In Feng Shui, we say, “If you clear it, it will come.”  When practicing Feng Shui, the first step to take is decluttering.

A very cluttered garage

We just had a water leak in one of our downstairs rooms which caused us to remove everything from the closet and entertainment bookcase. This unexpected hassle was a blessing in disguise, the truth was that I’ve wanted to declutter those areas for years and now the universe provided me the opportunity. I will only replace half of what was stored and purchase a lovely new entertainment center. We’re turning our junk into joy.

An organized home can have a calming effect on you, your family and guests. This does not have to be difficult; in just minutes you can begin to make changes that can turn your home into a comfortable, peaceful haven.

The junk has been turned to a joyful, organized garage

Clutter is defined as any items that are disliked, unused, in excess and/or unorganized.  To begin choose a space you consider cluttered, such as a closet, storeroom, cabinet, desk drawer, table top, or kitchen cupboard, then follow these simple steps:

As you’re organizing and decluttering, ask yourself these questions:
“Do I love it? Do I need it? Does it represent or support who I am now? What pleasant or unpleasant memories does it hold? Does it need repair, and am I willing to restore it right now? If I’m letting go, will I sell, lend, or give it away, and when?”

Label 3 boxes or bags:  Throwaway, Giveaway, and Stowaway. When you have separated all items into 3 categories, put the throwaways in the trash immediately, prepare and label the giveaways to go to their new homes (family, friends, and charities) and make sure you remove them from the space and give them away within a week. Stowaway the items you are keeping to their proper places with love and gratitude.

Give yourself the gift of shelves and containers for your storage areas. Your environment displays your consciousness, and there’s no more revealing place to look than behind closet doors. You’ll know that you’ve succeeded in reinstating balance when you respond positively to every part of your home, and can easily put your hand on everything you need at any time. Congratulations!  Now watch for the helpful people, opportunities, and things that flow into your life because you have let go of the old and made room for the new.

Wonderfully organized closet with shelves and containers

Summer is a time of renewal, rebirth and moving forward.  This is a perfect time to revitalize your home environment by decluttering the stagnant energy.  Get started now removing the junk and enjoy the flow of prosperity and opportunities!

Overall, decluttering is the foundation in beginning Feng Shui; clearing the path for positive energy to flow in.