http://www.care2.com/greenliving/how-clutter-affects-you.html
How Clutter Affects You
Adapted from Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui, by Karen Kingston.
Most people have no idea how much their clutter affects them. You may actually fondly believe yours to be an asset, or at least a potential asset, after it has been sorted through and organized. It is only when you start clearing it out that you will realize how much better you feel without it. Here are some effects to watch for:
Having Clutter Can Make You Feel Tired and Lethargic
Most people who have clutter say they can’t find the energy to begin to clear it. They constantly feel tired. But the stagnant energy that stacks up around clutter actually causes tiredness and lethargy. Clearing it frees up the energy in your home and releases new vitality in your body.
Having Clutter can Keep You in the Past
When all your available space is filled with clutter, there is no room for anything new to come into your life. Your thoughts tend to dwell in the past, and you feel bogged down with problems that have dogged you for some time. Clearing your clutter allows you to begin to deal with your problems and move forward. You have to release the past to create a better tomorrow.
Having Clutter Can Affect Your Body Weight
A curious fact I have noticed over the years is that people who have lots of clutter in their homes are often overweight. I believe this is because both body fat and clutter are forms of self-protection. By building layers of fat or clutter around yourself, you hope to cushion yourself against the shocks of life, and particularly against emotions you have difficulty handling. It gives you the illusion of being able to control things and prevent them from affecting you too deeply. But this is an illusion.
Having Clutter Can Confuse You
When you live surrounded by clutter, it is impossible to have clarity about what you are doing in your life. When you clear it, you get fewer colds, you can think more clearly, and life decisions become easier. Being clear of clutter is one of the greatest aids I know to discovering and manifesting the life you want.
Having Clutter Can Affect the Way People Treat You
People treat you the way you treat yourself. So if you value yourself and look after yourself, people will treat you well. If you allow the junk to mount up around you, you may attract people who mistreat you in some way because subconsciously you will feel that it is what you deserve.
Having Clutter Can Make You Feel Ashamed
Perhaps you have reached the stage where your home is so cluttered and such a mess that you are ashamed to invite people over and positively panic if anyone turns up unannounced. You can live in lonely isolation with your junk, but wouldn’t you prefer to have a good clear-out, repair your self-esteem, and regenerate your social life with confidence?
More from Annie B. Bond (3189 articles available)
Clear Your clutter With Feng Shui
Clutter is stuck energy that has far-reaching effects physsically, mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. Karen Kingston, pioneer of a branch of Feng Shui known as Space Clearing, expertly guides you through the liberating task of clutter clearing.buy nowrelated stories
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21 comments
add your comment »No one has ever explained to be before how clutter affects your life! It's all true. Thanks Karen Kingston. I do have clutter, but I also love my things! In a small apartment, how to make room for what we want to keep is a challenge. I'll work on it and try to find a used copy of your book that I can afford. I'm so happy to find this site.
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I always find it fast and easy to clean out the clutter when I'm on the phone. It's amazing what talking to your loved one on the phone for an hour can do. I leave arranging my drawers and folding laundry, etc. for the times while on the phone for long time on the weekends. It's really amazing how I hardly feel I'm cleaning. :)
I always knew that the feeling of coming home to clutter is much worse than the feeling I get right after I have done my clean up. So, I keep it up as much as I can and I stay in good mood and shape. :)
Reading this article gave me comfort in that I know I'm doing the right thing, and I will work hard to keep it up. :)
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I am going through this right now and I can tell its taking a major toll on me and I know I need to do something to get the different kinds of clutter out of my life.
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I go through all of my things about 2 months, and really think about everything that I am keeping (I say to myself if there was no humans on the earth would this object really matter). I have 3 storage bins under my bed and even the thought of them being under there collecting dust overwhelms me and stresses me about, that why I go on these cleaning frenzies. A little note when I was growing up my family never got rid of anything; there were just piles and piles of useless stuff.
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Faith/Others
Their are online freecycle groups just for getting rid of unwanted items, and for keeping them out of the land fill, Search the internet for your area
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Wow, this has really made me think. It is true, I am overweight and enjoy having clutter around me. It makes me feel safe and means I have layers of protection. I do need to lose weight, so I will clear the clutter around me. Thanks for your advice, it has made me think more. Glo x
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I also first read the article about coincidences, then the one about clutter. This is the 2nd "message" about clearing clutter I have received in the last few days... at a time when I am packing up to spend the winter in my second home and trying to decide what to take, what to leave behind, and what to donate. The message has been heard, although it is hard to let go of old stuff... but it is vital to make room for the new! Thank you.
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Wow!
First i read about coincedences...then.. the next article is about clearing clutter...which is a huge issue for me...for my birthday this Saturday my grown children are coming to support me in letting go of my CLUTTER!
I have been unable to loose weight and have been very lonely...I look forward to my little house by the sea transforming into a light filled, sparsely decorated 'home' that I can feel serenity in. This helpful note will be on the fridge for all to read.....then, of course we will throw the note away as to not start new clutter!...hahahaha
V from Venice
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This seems to be such a hot topic these days.
I am wondering though... What if one LIKES one's "clutter"? What if others have a problem with my "clutter" when I do not? I live in a 300 square foot apartment, and I have many interests and many books, as well as many ongoing projects. Of course my place is "full of stuff"! But all that "stuff" is meaningful and useful to me. It is rare that I have to buy something because I can't find what I need in all my "clutter" but it happens often that I have had to buy something to replace something I gave away when I listened to some well-meaning advisor who admonished me to "clear my clutter"!
There is more to this "clutter thing" than meets the eye, (or the soul).
I wonder how many other people like me there are out there?
Simonne
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A clear space is a clear mind. Thanks for the reminder.
Pat
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