What is your clutter protecting you from?

If you find it challenging coming up with an answer, then imagine yourself charging into that space and dealing with it. What emotions come up? What’s holding you back? What do these objects represent in your life? Is there an event, or person, or fear that you’ve attached to those objects?

My client is in a transition period in her life. While historically she’s kept her spare bedroom very neat, during the past few months it had become a disaster area. In talking it through with her, she realized that she associated the clothes filling up her spare bedroom with a past long-term relationship. She didn’t want many of the clothes anymore, but they reminded her of the lovely vacations she had had with her ex, and she just hadn’t been able to tackle the space. By identifying first the items that were challenging, and then the emotional association, she realized that she wasn’t yet fully letting go of that relationship. While it may be an emotional process, cleaning that space will help her move on from that relationship. Then, who knows what new opportunities await?

Your home can be a useful tool to diagnose what’s really happening in your life. What is your home saying about you?

Ok, live big.  Dream big.  Embrace life and all that.

But live in a small space.  Or smaller space.  Or maybe with just a bit less stuff. 

That’s the idea behind the small living movement.  One that I inadvertently embraced by moving to London. 

Getting rid of 90% of our stuff was very liberating, but it didn’t come naturally.  Being a pack-rat from birth, it took me years to discover the benefit of decluttering (which was thanks to a long road trip and Karen Kingston’s book “Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui”).  Even then I still had to get rid of tons to move internationally.  I am pleased to say that I don’t miss a thing – well, almost.  Ok, there was this fab little black skirt that went with everything…and also this spatula that was perfect for getting pizza out of the oven…and… two other things but I can’t remember what they are anymore.

More and more magazines are featuring small spaces. I love these spreads for how they model living with less and the creative use of space (e.g., storage drawers under stairs and in raised floors, murphy bed hidden behind a curtain, and dining/work tables that creatively tuck away when not in use).

The advantages of small living are many:

• spend less money on stuff to fill the space
• spend less money on housing
• more environmentally friendly:  less stuff saves resources, less space to heat and light, and easier to invest in quality, eco-friendly materials
• save time and money by having less to maintain
• greater flexibility (not burdened by stuff)
• avoid the materialistic pull of consumerism

For more ideas on small homes and living small, check out:

• ThisTinyHouse
• Small Living Journal
• Small House Society

I tried to find references specifically for the UK, but there’s barely anything.  Then again, the average UK home is something like 900 square feet (84 sq metres).  That’s compared to around 2300 square feet (214 sq metres) in the USA…so maybe this post if more for my American compatriots?

Photo by Tet_Sy.