Clutter & Feng Shui
Feng Shui is the ancient Chinese art of enhancing your environment to create balance and harmony in your life.
Since the goal of Feng Shui is to create environments that will nourish and support you, it is not surprising to learn that clearing clutter is an intrinsic part of the practice of Feng Shui. In fact, until this has been done, Feng Shui enhancements and cures are only minimally effective, at best.
According to Feng Shui pioneer Karen Kingston there are four categories of clutter:
- things you do not use or love
- things that are disorganized or untidy
- too many things in too small a space
- anything unfinished
Fundamental Feng Shui wisdom is to live in harmony with the supportive natural forces of your surroundings known as Chi. Chi is the subtle, vital, invisible flow of electromagnetic energy that is present in and links together all living beings and non-living objects in the universe. Clutter is one of the greatest obstacles to the smooth flow of Ch'i. Clutter starts to accumulate in a space when Ch'i stagnates and Ch'i stagnates when clutter accumulates. It's a vicious, self-perpetuating cycle that creates chaos and an inability to move forward in both the inner and outer lives of those occupying the space.
A key doctrine of Feng Shui is that your living and work spaces act as a mirror of your inner state and affect you deeply on both a conscious and an unconscious level. Most people are unaware of how much their clutter affects them, that it depletes them physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is only when they start clearing it out that they realize the effect it has had on them and how much better they feel once it is gone. Feng Shui believes that because you and your environment are so interconnected, when you relate comfortably to your space you feel more balanced and positive so you are better able to generate positive outcomes and achieve positive changes in your life.
If this is true, then why don’t people clear away their clutter? The reason most people avoid it is not because it takes effort and can be time consuming. The
real reason is that clutter clearing is a very emotional process and takes a lot of emotional stamina, especially when one’s identity, security or self-worth are dependent on or derived from their possessions.
If you have any doubts about whether or not Feng Shui actually works, you can easily prove it to yourself by clearing just a small area of clutter. Before you start, note how you feel when the area is full of clutter and the Ch'i is stuck. Then note how you feel after you have cleared it and the Ch'i is released and begins to flow naturally. If you're like most people, you'll feel the peace and contentment that a clutter-free space radiates.
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Love it or lose it.
Only live with what you love. You can achieve this by being thoughtful, creative, intentional and particular about the choices you make when designing, furnishing and arranging your home and workspace. Choose what YOU love. Don't be swayed by what design magazines recommend. If you have to settle for or live with something you don't love, offset it by placing something nearby that makes your heart happy.
Safety and comfort come first.
When designing, furnishing and arranging your home and workspace think about safety and comfort first, beauty last. Beauty does count, but NOT if it comes at the expense of safety, comfort and practicality.
Simplify and organize.
There are two types of chaos in our environments:
Active chaos is creativity at work. It's the natural and necessary spilling out
of the tools and materials that are needed for the creative process to
occur. It's the reference materials spread around a writer, the brushes and paints strewn
around the painter and the pots and pans surrounding around a cook. Active chaos' vitality
and energy are attractive, uplifting and inspirational.
Passive chaos is creativity that is thwarted by clutter and disorganization.
The longer the clutter lasts, the more the Ch'i energy deteriorates and creativity eventually ceases. And - because even hidden clutter and chaos drain creativity and vitality - it's not enough to free rooms of their visible clutter only. Storage areas hidden away behind the closed doors of closets, attics, garages and basements must also be cleared of unloved and unnecessary items.
To help you make decisions and clear away passive chaos while sorting through your possessions, ask yourself these questions:
- Do I love it?
- Do I need it?
- Do I want to share my space with it?
- Do I believe it to be beautiful or treasure it for reasons of my own?
- Does it reflect and support who I am at this moment in my life?
- Am I willing to respect and honor it by storing it neatly where I can
locate it when I need it? - What positive and/or negative thoughts, memories or emotions do I associate with it?
- Does it need to be fixed or repaired and am I willing to do so now?
- If I moved tomorrow, would I choose to take it with me?
- If it's time to let it go, am I going to sell it or give it away and when?
Whether you choose to practice Feng Shui in depth or simply take advantage of the basics to clear out clutter, it can be an effective way to get organized.
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