Is there anything more human than having clutter? Everyone has clutter of some kind, and while we know it's a drag, we often do not understand the impact that clutter and disorganization can have on our lives.
Clutter Stresses Us Out
Whether we’re aware of it or not, clutter stresses us out. It not only takes up space in our physical environments, but it also, and maybe even more importantly, greatly affects our mental states. Clutter sucks the energy right out of us and leaves us feeling chaotic, frustrated, distracted, and even guilty. It makes it hard for us to focus or process information because of all the visual stimuli competing for our attention. And forget about relaxing: everywhere we look, clutter is reminding us of all the things we have to get done, and it takes a fair amount of effort to keep track of all of our stuff.
Clutter's Impact is Far-Reaching
Clutter’s impact is quite far-reaching, though, and it can start to affect other, seemingly unrelated, areas of our lives as well. You may be too embarrassed to have friends over because of the mess, putting a dent in your social and dating lives. Or you may find you're wasting a lot of time and money when you have clutter, searching for things you just can’t find, missing bill payments because of misplaced mail, or having to buy duplicates of things because you can’t find the original. It’s exhausting!
How Feng Shui Views Clutter
Clutter, specifically the practice of clearing out clutter, figures prominently in feng shui, and for good reason. In feng shui, clutter represents stuck energy. Just as blockages or clogs in the body can cause illness and disease, clutter and clogged spaces in your home or office can cause stuck-ness in certain areas of your life if allowed to build up. This happens because it’s very difficult for positive energy to flow easily and healthfully in a space when there’s stuff everywhere you turn. But we're also negatively affected when we’re constantly confronted by clutter and disorganization – if what we see impacts how we feel and think, a cluttered space will make it hard for us to feel energized about tackling new projects or as though our lives are exciting and full of possibilities.
Improve Your Space's Function and Efficiency
Clearing clutter and organizing spaces improves that space's function and efficiency. It helps us to feel freer and more in control of our lives. Your space will feel more spacious and way less chaotic, and you will almost certainly find that you have more brain space to focus on those people and things that are important to you. It allows us to relax and gives our possessions a place to land and a purpose to serve (so they’re not just sitting around collecting dust). From a feng shui perspective, clearing clutter helps balance us, allows for energy to flow more smoothly around our homes, and makes room in our lives for new and brighter opportunities to enter.
It may seem easier to put off cleaning out your closet than to roll up your sleeves and actually do it. We totally get it! But you'll save time and resources in the long-run by taking an afternoon to go through your belongings. If clearing out the clutter is not your thing, read 5 Simple Ways to Clear Out the Clutter and let us show you how you can take the first step towards improving your life!