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Declutter Your Way to Peace and Beauty

posted by Annie B. Bond Mar 2, 2007 7:08 pm
Declutter Your Way to Peace and Beauty
122 comments

By Annie B. Bond

Practitioners of meditation have long known that spiritual growth leads to less clutter, but a new trend does it in reverse. People are now decluttering their way to spiritual growth! The end result from both processes is the same: Simplicity brought about by a yearning for peaceful beauty. Peaceful beauty! Such a place is not where you find old stuck energy that has ended in a confused mess! No wonder the No. 1 rule of feng shui is to remove clutter! Declutter your way to spiritual growth using Clutter Codes. Here’s what they are, and how they help:

Decluttering your way to spiritual growth is about dealing with the issues of our lives that come up when dealing with the clutter. Are your mother’s ashes on the mantle piece? Are you 50 years old and still have every test and paper from high school? Instead of seeing clutter as a meaningless mess, you can classify it and begin to understand its place in your life. Some clutter can stay, some must go. Coping with the meaning of the clutter provides spiritual healing.

Tag all of your clutter with one of the following Clutter Codes. I’ve given some examples for each one. Once you’ve coded your clutter, resolve clutter that falls in the “stagnant” code first. Stagnant energy holds you back and festers. On the other end of the spectrum, “active” clutter can remain. Active energy is alive and vibrant!

Stagnant: Things that you can no longer use.
A pile of magazines and catalogs that has been read or are no longer relevant and out of date. (You know you will never go back to them.)
Clothes that no longer fit.
Old vitamins and pills.
Expired coupons.

Stuck: Things that you will probably not use.
Papers, magazines, fliers that you think you might peruse but most likely will eventually become stagnant.
Books you may or may not read, but probably won’t.
The high school papers, mentioned above.
Broken items that you want to fix, but probably won’t.
Unfinished craft projects.

Waiting: Things you use very occasionally or seasonally.
Holiday and seasonal decorations that aren’t stored coherently.
Seasonal clothing and sporting equipment that don’t have an off-season home.

Active and Disorganized: Things that you use regularly, but not frequently.
Clothes, papers, projects that are may be used within a few weeks but that are “homeless” in that they are not filed, processed or stored in a way that is out of the way. (This is more about “mess” than “clutter.”)
Kitchen appliances that you use only occasionally.

Active: Things that you actively use
Activities of the day, or the next few days, that are in process.
Things that you like easy access to for daily use—sunglasses, coats, schoolbags, etc.

More on Feng Shui & Organizing (80 articles available)
More from Annie B. Bond (3248 articles available)

122 comments

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122 comments

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122 comments add your comment
Monica B.

A wonderful way to remove material clutter from your Home is Freecycle....there is someone out there wanting your goods. Having an uncluttered home to me is having a sense of balance & the flow of good energy can move about.

Jeanne Macdonald

We moved recently, which was a wonderful opportunity to get rid of a lot of the accumualtion (22 years worth - you can imagine how much). Now that we're moved in to our new place, I 'de-clutter' one room a day, which ensures that nothing piles up.

Aletta Kraan

Thanks !!!

Ari R. Kolman

I agree, and when the clutter is gone, you will even feel a deeper connection to me. Un-clutter your surroundings and un-clutter your mind. You will understand things then in a more clearer way you’ll find. Everything means more then they seem, but if you have so much clutter you can’t see the more part. Good luck everyone and let me know how it goes. I’m clutter free today. Muawww. PS: first you make yourself feel better then you can make others in a way that you never thought possible. Enjoy.

Nancy Gay Snow

I love this action!! I am so 'at one' with the spiritual growth/clutter connection! I just actually MOVED, which is a spiritual growing thing in itself, also it helped me get a handle on beginning to declutter and rid myself of all the 'mess' in my mind; now I have a good start, and nothing, but nothing goes into my new home that is not needed and active. One other cluttery thing I did recently that is not so 'observable' is get rid of a lot of 'clutter' to my INBOX, things I might like to read, but know I won't; I can only spread myself so thin, so I had to become more picky about the stuff I had accosting my mind each day. Some great comments here, by the way! thanks to all.

Andrea S.

Always Helpful! Im addicted to the daily action articles.

VV V.
  • VV V. says
  • Nov 13, 2008 4:58 AM

OT

Why can't we read all the comments?
It's the same every time and in every single browser (I have FOUR): only the comments immediately below the article appear... :(


Sue B.
  • Sue B. says
  • Aug 20, 2008 10:31 PM

Regarding clutter, I read somewhere: "If it doesn't tug at your soul, let it go."

This has helped me decide what to keep and what to toss.

Brenda Y.

LaShaune-yes, sometimes its people that are "cluttering"
up your mind, your attitude and energy, its importnat to keep positive people around when we are changing and trying to unclutter our minds and homes!

LaShaune R.

WoW! I have to save clutter on the outside is proof of what a person is like on the inside (the heart and/or the head). I have found myself in such a predicament... I am in the process of ridding the clutter from the inside and out. It is lots of work. Perhaps, because people are soooo judgemental. As they say, damned if you do and damned if you don't. However, I am the person that must live with me. I decided to make me a better person regardless of anyone or anything. Now,I am a single, 38 yr. old student, with dreams, aspirations, accomplishments (with scars), but oh, so very worth clearing the clutter. Clutter can be people, events, thoughts or things. Its is important to take the trash out routinely. Sincerely, L.A.

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