letting go

“People hold on to their clutter because they are afraid to let it go ~~ afraid of the emotions they may experience in the process of sorting thorough the stuff, afraid they will make a mistake and later regret getting rid of something, afraid they will leave themselves vulnerable, exposed or at risk in some way.  Clutter clearing can bring up a lot of “stuff” to be faced and dealt with, and intuitively everybody knows it.

The process of clearing clutter is all about letting go.  Not just letting go of your belongings ~~ that is only the end result.  The most important thing is learning to let go of the fear that keeps you holding on to them after it is time to move them on their way.”   CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER WITH FENG SHUI,  By  Karen Kinston

photo credit 

I have a huge secret I’m ready to share with you. So, please be gentle with me as you read this. I’ve keep it closed up tight for years.  Those who have been in my home know it exists.  I don’t talk about it. It’s a closed subject.  In fact, the secret lies behind a closed door.  

Some of you may have a drawer, a shelf, or a closet that has been collecting clutter.   I have a whole room. You read it right.  A room ~~ 4 walls, 2 windows, a closet and a door ~~ that has been closed for almost 11 years.  I’ll confess even deeper by telling you that I removed the door knob to keep my secret shut tight and to avoid any trespassers. 

Before I became a mom I worked full time and the room was a very productive place.  It was my home office.  It was organized and functional.  Over the years, it became a container for things that did not have an assigned place in my home, for things that got in the way when people visited, for things that I simply did not know what to do with.

This room holds a lot of shame for me.  Not because of anything that has happened in it, more so, for what has not happen;  the family photos and handwritten notes that never made their way into the plastic covered scrapbooks, the gifts that were bought and never sent, the cards that were written and never mailed, the clothes that were not worn, and fabric that never made it’s way to the sewing machine.

I recently navigated through the layers of this archeological dig, and dusted off projects that will never be completed, gifts I received that never sang to my heart, and things that were bought because they were a great bargain.  I am thrilled to report that the "stuff" has been donated, recycled or tossed to the curb.

As I continued to excavate the memories that have been held captive within the cobwebs of those 4 walls, I realized that some are too heavy to let go. Like the subtle, yet so familiar cologne that lingers on the shirt my dad wore to his last visit to the hospital 19 years ago.  It still occupies a corner of the closet with the stale packet of gum in the front pocket.

It’s been a huge process of going through the layers and unraveling wounds from the past as well as dusting off treasures for the future.  

Clutter holds a negative energetic pull that keeps us stuck.  It is so obvious to me that when my home is cluttered and untidy, so is my mind.  This is when the creative blocks surface, making me feel stuck and blocked.

Love and fear cannot exist in the same space, everything that I am holding onto through fear is blocking me from having more love, more creativity and more space in my life.  Fear stops us from being who we truly are, and from doing what we are meant to do.

When we are able to resolve our clutter issues, we are able to discover parts of our self that got buried underneath it all. The rewards for clearing the clutter are abundant. 

Lately, I have a lot of clarity about my life purpose and I know that by clearing the clutter, and releasing the fear, it allows me to get closer and closer to my true self.  

Kingston tells us, “Letting go of clutter leaves you free to be you, which is the greatest gift you can ever give yourself”.

So, my friend, I invite you to let go of something you have been holding onto.  Trust me, it is the greatest gift you can give yourself.