Most people never stop to ask themselves WHY they clutter…they focus their attention on HOW to deal with it, WHEN will they have the time to start, WHO is to blame, or ‘WHERE can I stash this stuff before my in-laws arrive?!” Yet WHY may be the most insightful question, the one that can finally bring much-needed relief.
In the decade that I have been working with people to break through their clutter, I have come to realize that your surroundings are like a mini-biography, the tangible evidence of what you are trying to say, both consciously and unconsciously. As an example; if you’re the company CEO, then why don’t you have an office that reflects your authority? If your bedroom is overflowing with stuff, what are you telling your spouse? If your home office is stuffed high with boxes and miscellaneous junk, what are you saying to the world? If your front hallway is impassable, or your kitchen is a tornado-swept landscape, how can people get close? How can you truly nourish yourself and your family?
Until you stop rearranging your junk drawer, buying this latest self help book or that organizing bell and whistle, stop being the rock for everyone but yourself, until you start decluttering your thought process, the change you strive for simply will not happen. Your clutter has valuable wisdom trapped inside and it is literally shouting to be uncovered. Could it be time to listen?
Decluttering isn’t about redistributing your possessions so they fit better; it is about coming to terms with the issues lurking beneath your stuff. The good news is, once you fearlessly face your unexamined issues, clutter takes care of itself almost magically—it becomes a simple housekeeping issue. And this applies to paperwork, time, debt, overweight as well as stuff. One of my new phone coaching clients told me that after she confronted some of her issues in therapy, she was able to let go of 30 pounds she had been carrying around, without changing her diet.
The energy of the clutter that surrounds you---sticky, draining and stagnant—is actually suppressing your ability to acknowledge your deepest desires. Your priorities are what drive you to make decisions and get things done (or not done!), but once you start shining the light of awareness inside, you may be surprised to discover that most often, your priorities are not at all in alignment with your desires. This is what is most likely holding you back: you don't know what you want.
Have you ever even asked yourself what you want?
Here is what you can ask:
