THE DECLUTTERING SEASON

 

“Declutter your mind, your heart, your home. Let go of the heaviness that is weighing you down. Make your life simple, but significant.” Maria Defillo

There are seasons to do different things; seasons to be active and times to chill out, seasons to sit still and periods of intense action, seasons to reduce the clutter in our homes and times to empty our minds, seasons for creativity and others where nothing comes at all. Sometimes our priorities and ability to progress can get mixed up and submerged by clutter and disorder, both physical and mental, and can halt all progress forward and hide much needed action. Layer upon layer of personal possessions often makes it nearly impossible to see the wood for the trees. If we are just able to reach the clearing with little around us, we will experience a deep transformation within us that radiates out into all we do.

Decluttering a house is more complex than at first it may appear. There is the emotional baggage and attachment to objects and the ways of doing things that can cause strong resistance and the underlying subconscious fear of what will happen once order is established. The carefully covered up furniture and surfaces and concealed spaces are suddenly exposed, and the findings are not always to our liking.

Whilst my dad was going through one part of his treatment for cancer, I decided to take a few jobs as a cleaner as I needed something physical to do and I just couldn’t face working in an office. It was a season to do something different and taught me a lot. Firstly, never judge a book by its cover; cleaning doesn’t always get the recognition it deserves. Secondly, organising someone’s house or office is not only physically keeping the space clean, but it is also important for the dignity of the individual and for helping them to work more efficiently and live better. The effect of an organised and clean environment is like a dominos run that once triggered will have a knock-on effect with a growing momentum. Finally, the seemingly well managed chaos that may have kept things ticking over for a period, once identified and seen in the harsh light of day, can actually be found to be the source of numerous issues that have nothing to do with cleaning or an organised house or space.

Our homes and possessions can be a source of happiness and satisfaction, but when things start to get out of hand and the mounds of personal items are taking over drawers, cupboards, garages, entire rooms and eventually camouflaging the house, it can be difficult to keep our eyes on what really matters and what will allow us to live a better, more fulfilling journey in life. I am totally for decluttering homes in order to start opening the way for a change in focus both physically and mentally. I have helped organise and carry out a few such projects, gradually working through the entire house to initially start a period of intense emptying out and seeing what really works in the space. ‘Miss Minimalist’, ‘The Minimalist’ podcasts and programmes such as those including Marie Kondo and Upper Fixer have all proved useful sources of inspiration with practical tips and ways of making the most of both your home and your life.

When the quantity of possessions has got to a manageable level and the items that remain will really be enjoyed and appreciated, there is often a dramatic shift in the way the individual or those concerned employ their new-found time and freedom. 

A newly decorated and organised room or a clean house, emptied of unnecessary clutter that cause stress and waste an incredible amount of valuable time, can shift attention to outside of the building and towards a life that has maybe been put on hold for various reasons. Once the clearing out phase is close to completion, and I get into the reorganising and helping with decorating and focusing on the things that people are passionate about, things become more interesting. Just like a new haircut on the same person, the new surroundings with the same base become a source of transformation. 

The decluttering and reorganising can also include your computer, emails, correspondence, digital and mass storage of photographs and extend to so many other aspects of your life. This can also extend to toxic relationships and suddenly gaining a sense of worth can lead to an awareness of being used or kept as an acquaintance or contact of convenience. New, healthier boundaries are then established. The newly created space can at first cause a sense of apprehension as the person tries to adapt to the possibilities available and can no longer hide behind the constant emptying out and sorting as a way of avoiding the important choices and decisions. 

 

I have seen first-hand the momentum with which people can change in a short space of time, be it losing a significant amount of weight, having the courage to invite friends and family back to the house, how they create a new look, a different style in the house or they take up a sport or find their passion in life. The cleaning routine and maintenance becomes far more manageable, and the excess stuff is no longer imposing itself on your precious time. There is less tolerance for people that are not genuinely interested in your well-being, but rather keep ties and strategically manipulate situations to get what they need rather than what is actually in your best interests and caring for you as a human being, not a thing. 

Decluttering when undertaken with the right attitude, reaps long-term results with such undeniably clear outcomes that it is impossible for others to ignore the significant shift in the individual’s character and life. The wasted hours hidden under mounds of items are now employed in living and doing something of value for that person’s life. They are no longer prisoners to items, hemmed in by storage containers or weary of opening drawers only to find yet more documents and pieces of straggly, random notes of paper. 

So, what are you waiting for...finish shredding or scanning the last of the paperwork, get your boxes of things ready to go into the car for the local charity, the rest for the dump. Look around you at the peaceful, space that you now see and all those beautiful items of yours, all those clear thoughts that are now suddenly in view and ready to be put into action. Go out of the door, into the sunshine of your life and keep going forward in the knowledge that being present in your thoughts, things and life is the best gift that you can give yourself and those around you. 

“I intend to live life, not just exist.” George Takei (actor, author, and activist)