Each area of your home has a symbolic meaning with which
you resonate on a subconscious level. Clutter and
untidiness within each of these areas causes constriction
and inertia in the corresponding aspects of your life.
CLUTTER IN THE KITCHEN
The kitchen has been called the "heart of the home," and
with good reason. Here we are nourished and provided for,
even if we are dining on a frozen entree zapped in the
microwave rather than a homemade meal lovingly presented
by Mom. An untidy and disorganized kitchen makes it hard
to nourish yourself and others, on both physical and
metaphysical levels. How you care for your kitchen is a
clue about whether you are giving proper attention to your
own nourishment and sources of abundance. Cleaning up and
de-cluttering your kitchen opens up space for you to
receive the support and comfort that you need in life.
LIVING AND DINING ROOM CLUTTER
These are spaces where you mingle with and honor your
relationships with family and friends. Here you engage
with the world while being at home through watching
television, reading the paper, or arguing politics with
old friends over dinner. Clutter can turn these social
spaces into dens of isolation, especially if the mess is
so bad that it has been years since you've invited people
over. Look around your living and dining rooms to see what
they say about your relationship with the rest of the
world. Are you hiding your true self from others, burying
it in clutter, or putting it on display here?
CLUTTERED HALLWAYS
Hallways are the arteries and highways of your home.
Think of clutter in your hallways as a traffic jam that
prevents important connections between different areas of
your home and your life. Look at your hallways to see how
you feel about your life's path: are they well lit and
easily navigable, or do they trip you up? If you feel a
disconnect between work and family, self and others, what
you need and your obligations, it may be time to give your
hallways a good clearing out.
BATHROOM CLUTTER
Bathing and anointing the body is a preparatory ritual for
many religious rites both ancient and contemporary. On a
daily basis we use this space to prepare ourselves to meet
the world. Clutter in the bathroom can indicate a
devaluation of self-worth, a lack of attention to self
that goes beyond the physical. A clean, well-decorated
bathroom can become a tranquil sanctuary for rejuvenation
and self-care. Scented soaps, attractive accessories, and
fragrant candles have a place here. Beautifying your
bathroom by eliminating clutter and disorder and transforming
it into a place of refuge will bring a sense of the sacred
into your morning and evening personal-care rituals.
CLUTTER IN THE BEDROOM
Adults' bedrooms are for sleeping and intimacy, and they
should function as places of renewal for self and
relationships. Clutter in the bedroom is enervating without
being restful. If you feel "wired and tired," creating order
out of chaos in this most personal space can help you relax
and let go of the stress of the day. Then you can get a good
night's sleep or enjoy some special time with your partner.
CLUTTERED CLOSETS
Closets represent things that are hidden, unknown, or
unrecognized. When we fill our closets with clutter, we
stifle our ability to be intuitive and insightful. Cluttered
closets can indicate problems that you may not be consciously
aware of but which impede your progress through life, work,
and relationships nonetheless. Keeping the closet door closed
is not an effective solution.
ATTIC AND BASEMENT CLUTTER
A cluttered attic creates a feeling of being under pressure.
It's hard to feel optimistic about the future when there's
so much stuff "hanging over your head." Ancestor issues
reside up there, along with all those boxes and chests
holding the detritus of generations. And the basement and
other below-ground storage areas are considered abodes of
the subconscious, so watch your step and get that clutter
cleaned up!
CLUTTER IN YOUR GARAGE
Think of your car as a symbol of your mobility, independence,
and ability to be self-directed in life. If there's so much
stuff piled up in your garage that you can barely fit the
car in there, you may be hampered or overly cautious moving
forward in life as well.
Stop thinking of clutter-clearing as a tremendous chore, and
start thinking of it as one of the most effective self-
improvement tactics available to you. Every magazine and
piece of paper you recycle, every book you give to the
library, every knick-knack and item of clothing you release
to a new owner creates space in your life for new insight,
energy, joy, and experiences to come in!
(c) 2003 Stephanie Roberts
[exerpted from "Clutter-Free Forever!", Lotus Pond
Press, 2003]
About the Author
GOT CLUTTER?!?
Clearing out clutter is the most important and powerful
way to dramatically improve the feng shui of your home.
Stephanie Roberts' "CLUTTER-FREE FOREVER!" Home
Coaching Program provides all the insight, motivation, and
step-by-step guidance you need in an in-depth ebook and
6 weekly lessons. Find out more
at Clutter Free Forever.com.