Clearing Space
VOLUME TWO 2023
CREATE ROOM FOR MORE
Clutter appears in many forms, that one drawer in your kitchen that house all of the takeout menus and instruction manual for the Dyson vacuum. The layered pile of clothes in the corner of your bedroom that reveals everything you have worn for the week or the other junk drawer in your bathroom that is littered with unopened packs of travel-sized tissues, hairpins and old nail polish. However clutter manifest itself, it’s an interpretation of how you think.
I can easily define myself as a person on the verge of having a cleaning disorder, but I still had pockets in my space that were representations of my thoughts (complete shit shows). It started on my workspace table reserved for blocking my knitting projects and tunneled it’s way onto my closet floor. I had the intention of donating old clothes and it somehow morphed into a swap meet grab pile for when I had nothing else to wear for the one time I decided to be social.
As I took steps to clear my thoughts, the next organic action was to clear my space. It was a slow burn of shredding old paperwork, tossing out those “spices don’t really have an expiration date” spices and editing all of my hair care products. Over a period of time, the donation heap in the corner of my closet was donated and the old bath towels were replaced with new plush ones.
My process didn’t go room by room and I didn’t Marie Kondo my life, I worked at my own pace and as I became clear, so did my space. I didn’t adopt a minimalist mindset but I did get rid of a lot of things that I was holding on to for no reason. I was in a space both internally and externally, that led me to believe to hold onto crumbs instead of letting go to receive the full meal. I’m now at the stage of receiving – receiving information, inspiration and flow. My goal isn’t to have a perfectly curated environment, ok maybe that use to be my goal - I’m a recovering perfectionist. My newly revised goal is to have a space that allows comfort, with hints of reality and beauty. Clearing space for your desired reality can be whatever you want it to be, the trick is to get clear in your mind and the manifestation comes with ease. Here are tips to get you started!
Authentic Code
Presenting your true-self is always a non-negotiable. Knowing what you stand for and how you want to live your life is the most important step. Once you have deciphered your why, everything else falls into place. Ask yourself, what do look forward to doing? What do I spend most of my money on? What sparks your inner peace? My authentic code is: - Freedom - Wellness/Spirituality - Legacy - Nomadic Travel
Define Your Intentions
Taking action with intention is powerful. Always know your "why" so you can proceed with clarity. You can take your time with defining your end result. Always remember, that you are the creator of your reality and you get to decide how your story is going to play out. Be the narrator and feel the emotions of what you seek and the desired outcome will always follow.
Sort Through Your Things
This step is the most time consuming. Going through all of our belongings can be a process but it's necessary to take detailed inventory of what's in your space, so you can have the power to let it go. There's no cutting corners on this one - sort through everything! How do you know what to keep? This is when you refer back to your authentic code. Does the item resonate with your values? Is it a good representation of you?
Schedule a Purge Day
Setting a day to purge can be liberating. This can coincide with a ritual bath, journaling or reflection. You have figured out what you value the most through your authentic code, you have set your intentions for this process and have sorted through your belongings. Today is the day to release the things that no longer serves you in the physical. Old paperwork, random mugs, worn out shoes or expired products should be tossed, along with any other items that don't align with your new purpose. You're purging out the old to make room for the new and purposeful items to enter your life. Take your time, a purge day can last for weeks. Don't pressure yourself to complete everything all at once. Set the intention to start on your purge day but give yourself grace to complete the process over time.
Have No Regrets
Forgiving yourself is the next important step. You are who you are and you know what you know, from your past self. Every experience you've had, defined as "good" or "bad" (spoiler alert, there's no good or bad - it just is) was necessary. Acknowledge and accept this as truth. This awareness will give you the insight to achieve the next level of yourself and to began to be comfortable in your skin.
Reflect
Impulse shopping will only welcome you back to the clutter. Taking inventory of your needs after you have purged will allow you to replace items intentionally and not based on your desires. We tend to want things today and forget about them tomorrow Honoring who you are and purchasing from that place will ensure that you will rebuild your space with only the things you love.
Proceed With Ease
You don't have to fill up your space immediately. Sit with the emptiness and truly access what you need. Give yourself time and be gentle in this process.