Here’s a rule I’ve found to be a universal truth: Your energy has a perfect inverse relationship to the accumulation of stuff you don’t need. The more unwanted, unused, unneeded stuff you have cluttering up your life, the less energy you have.
Let me explain. Although there are no actual scientific studies on this, there’s also no shortage of examples that illustrate how uncluttering your space can refocus, sharpen, and increase your energy. One women, for instance, spent three grand to hire three women to come and clean out her entire home because she literally could not get from room to room, and energy-drainer if ever there was one.
In the two cities in which I have lived for any length of time – New York and Los Angeles – professional organizers are a huge cottage industry, and those I’ve spoken to invariably mention increased energy in their lists of client benefits. Boostie Grakal, owner of Organize by Boo in Beverly Hills says, “I’ve consistently noticed that when my clients have clutter in their life, their energy is drained. Once we get them organized and clutter-free, we can literally ‘see’ and ‘feel’ the increase in their energy”.
And on a personal note, I can tell you that when my space is cluttered (which is more often than I’d like), I walk from room to room constantly distracted by things that clutter can almost seem like it’s mocking you or daring you to do something about it. You wind up doing nothing, surrounded by an increasing mound of unattended-to tasks, projects, or just outright junk, until ultimately you simply collapse in a sigh, turn on the TV, and give up.
Okay, maybe I’m exaggerating just a little. But not by much. Clutter can not only drag down your energy, but it can also divert important psychic resources that could be better used elsewhere. It’s like filling up the buffer zone of your computer, or having a thousand programs open on your desktop. Everything winds up moving slower. Your computer has less “energy” when this is the case – and when it’s the case in real life, so do you.
WASTED TIME AND ENERGY IN SEARCH OF A STAPLER
When I lived in Manhattan, I would often see a billboard that read “Mini-storage can change you life”. The folks who wrote that were on to something. Now maybe that particular saying has more meaning to those who reside in apartments the size of walk-in closets than it does to people who live outside of Manhattan, but I think it holds a universal truth. No matter where we live, most of us have too much stuff. Way too much.
In fact, the amount of stuff we accumulate only grows as we increase the square footage of our living spaces. So this advice holds for all: Clear the clutter. In your closets, you drawers, you desk, your bedroom. Whether it’s hidden away or in full view, clutter takes up energetic space.
And time. How many hours a week do you spend looking for a stapler, or a pair of scissors, your keys, that book you were reading, your favorite earrings – because there isn’t a place for everything, so everything can never be in its place? And how much money do you waste buying items that you know you already have – somewhere? It’s stressful, frustrating, expensive, and exhausting.
REDUCE STRESS, FREE UP ENERGY
It’s time to edit out the extraneous, the irreparable, the unused, and the unsightly; it’s time to get down to basics. If you have difficulty letting go of things, you might want to enlist a friend to lend support during the de-cluttering process. (“No, I don’t think you’ll ever wear that muumuu again; toss it, Will”). And although I usually advocate tackling the job you most want to avoid first, this may be a case where you need to condition yourself into de-cluttering shape by starting with the area that has the fewest emotional strings attached.
As you weed through clothing, accessories, books, paperwork, products, utensils, tools, and knickknacks, be brutal – when was the last time you wore, used or needed the item in question? Do you have another? Is it out of date or in need of repair? Dose it make you happy or your life simpler? Do you have room for it? If in doubt, throw it out (or give it away). What’s left gets categorized, then organized. Put like items with like items, then determine whether it belongs in a closet, drawer, or file cabinet – each item has to have a home.
If your closets are a jumble of different types and colors of hangers, invest in new ones – all the same shape and color. Arrange your closet by items (pants, shirts, skirts), then colors. It will make the morning rush to get dressed so much easier.
Also, determine where incoming mail, keys, umbrellas, important papers, and the kids’ artwork will go. Once you develop a system, stick to it. The goal is to keep the place clutter-free in a way that will save you time and energy.
By investing some time and energy in creating and maintaining a clutter-free home, you’ll be taking steps toward reducing stress and freeing up energy for the important things in life.
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