In her book Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui (pronounced “fung shway”) Karen Kingston defines Feng Shui as “the art of balancing and harmonizing the flow of natural energies in our surroundings to create beneficial effects in our lives.” This is one of my favorite, and most motivating books when I’m feeling the weight of clutter in my own environment.
According to Kingston these are some of the ways clutter affects you
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- makes you feel tired and lethargic
- keeps you in the past
- confuses you
- affects the way people treat you
- makes you procrastinate
- causes disharmony
- makes you feel ashamed
- puts your life on hold
- depresses you
- creates excess baggage
- dulls your sensitivity and enjoyment of life
- causes extra cleaning
- can be a fire or health hazard
- distracts you from important things
- costs you financially
Why do people keep clutter? Here’s what the author says
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- just in case…= lack of trust
- identity…= belongings represent who you are
- status…= bolster self-esteem
- security…= if you don’t have one of these, you’re a lesser person
- territorialism…= ego striving to control
- inherited “clutteritis”…= behavior patterns from parents
- belief that more is better…= brainwashed by advertising
- scroogeness…= need to get your money’s worth
- to suppress emotions… = keeps you busy
- and finally, keeping excessive clutter can indicate obsessive-compulsive disorder which can be treated with appropriate therapy
According to Kingston,
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- When doors can’t open fully energy can’t flow freely around your house and everything you do takes more effort
- Clutter in doorways, passageways and stairways obstructs the energy flow throughout the home
- Clutter on top of surfaces is like problems hanging over you waiting to be dealt with
- If you must keep items under your bed, the best things to store there are clean linens, towels or clothing
- Don’t make your bedroom a dumping ground for things that have nowhere else to go. It’s not ideal to have exercise equipment or computers in the bedroom.
- Get rid of clothes you don’t wear and make a point of looking and feeling good in what you have.
- Bathrooms cluttered with products and appliances create chaos and confusion and rob you of peace and calm
- A clear desk means a clear mind, and a clear mind has vision and perspective.
The book is full of many more observations and suggestions, so if this information has you curious, you might want to pick up a copy.
Again, the book is Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui and the author is Karen Kingston.
