Clearing the clutter
Why I have committed to the biggest clutter clear of my life and how it is already having a big, positive impact on my home and family.
Earlier this year I sat down and really thought about where the biggest amount of my stress was coming from and realised it wasn’t about the meltdowns and the unpredictable ups and downs of supporting a neurodivergent family but it was all the stuff, all the clutter, the chaos, the mess and all the endless searching for lost things. I am highly sensitive to spaces and energy…and mess! And my family is too, even if they might not realise it. It’s also sometimes hard for me to see the impact it has on them when they are busy causing the mess!
Clearing clutter is so time consuming that I’ve always made a start and then given up without really making a big enough impact. However, this time a few things have shifted and I wanted to share these here because they might help you, even if clutter isn’t the thing you are struggling with. I think this approach can be applied to lots of things.
As I mentioned above, I took time to really understand the negative impact all our stuff is having on me on a daily basis. When you really understand how something is effecting you, it gives you a real incentive to make a change.
Connected to the negative impact and stress audit, I have also been spending time thinking about where my time is going. I feel like I have less time to achieve things that I used to. I kept blaming this on the fact that we now have dogs (who I absolutely adore and wouldn’t be without!) but I realised it wasn’t just about the dogs, it was actually a lot to do with all the stuff. Everything takes longer when you have loads of stuff. Simplifying is my new way of looking at everything!
I found a way of approaching clutter clearing that finally made sense to me thanks to the wonderful Denise Linn. She ran a free challenge on Hay House a few weeks ago and everything she said in her webinars made so much sense to me. I have gone on to also read her Space Clearing book, so I am now thinking about the things we keep and the energy in the house. I adore this approach and it’s also really helping me to clean the house with a beautiful
I have set myself up with a long-term goal and then daily goals to reach that target. My long-term goal is to half the number of things we have in the house (and garage!) Now that I am a few weeks into this, I think that by the time I have finished it could be more than that. But that’s because we are starting from a “huge amount of stuff” state. For a start we are a family of 6 and then you throw a couple of entrepreneurs into the mix, who used to have a large studio space full of stuff…and you get the picture. We have also moved house so many time because we rented for so many years. This means that although you might have a clear-out each time you move, you never really settle long enough to properly tackle it all.
So, here I am, 15 bin bags into my 100 bag clear out. I have just had a small pause will I’ve completed a university assignment, so I expect in the next week I will double this to 30/100. Let’s see! I am looking forward to reporting back in a couple of months time to share how it’s all going. Do you live with lots of stuff or are you a minimalist? I’d love to hear how lots of stuff and clutter makes you feel, and if you have children how you think it makes them feel.
A really interesting and helpful read Emily. I, like you, function better with less clutter. To others my home doesn’t look cluttered but to me it feels like it is all the time especially when I can’t find things. Running a business from home isn’t helping that either as it takes up storage space I could use for my own personal belongings. You’ve given me lots of food for thought and positive energy to keep going! Thank you!