Take a moment to look around you. Do your surroundings nourish and uplift you, or do they leave you feeling stressed and weighted down?

One of my great realizations is the extent that your outer environment has a dramatic impact on your inner-well-being. 

Yes, I’m talking about all that stuff that may be scattered around your home, office, and car… the little knick knacks that have piled up, the gadgets you’re keeping in case you need them “someday,” the old clothes that don’t fit quite right, the relics from ghosts of boyfriends past, and so on. All this extra stuff is dampening your spirit, whether your realize it or not.

OK, take a deep breath. I’m getting the sense you may be feeling a bit frazzled just thinking about getting rid of clutter and organizing, but have no fear! I have an intuitive technique for clutter-clearing that really works.

A few years ago, I worked with a client who was really depressed and stuck. She didn’t know what to do next and felt like she no longer knew who she was. She called me for guidance on what she could do to move forward. 

As we started talking, I immediately noticed that she was still holding on to her divorce two years earlier. When I mentioned the divorce, she insisted that she was completely over it. Indeed she had consciously moved on. But, I kept feeling that something was keeping her attached to her ex-husband. Then when I saw her place, I noticed that many of the objects around her held her ex’s energy. 

While she’d gotten rid of photos of them together and gifts he gave her, she still used the dishes they got for their wedding and a painting they bought on a trip to Bermuda was still hanging above her couch. She was even still sleeping in the bed they used to share because the mattress still had a few years left of use!

With a little nudging, she agreed to commit to cleaning out everything that made her think of her ex, the divorce, and just left her feeling dis-empowered. After talking a bit about how turning down her logical voice, which told her it was silly to get rid of a mattress that was still in great condition, I asked her allow her intuition to be her guide as she walked through her home. 

Within a few weeks, she had a new mattress that was even more comfy than the other, colorful new dishes that she’d always loved, and had donated three trash bags of clothes! 

When I talked with her a month later, it was like she was a new person! I knew it would work, but was truly shocked at how positive and energetic she was. In the time since the big clean out, she had even signed up for a few night classes in psychology to explore a new career path that had always interested her, but just seemed like too much of a risk.

Here’s an exercise:

This week, walk through your home, allowing your intuition to guide you on what you need to get rid of. Be aware of whatever you feel, see, smell, hear, or taste.

As you survey each object, ask yourself these questions:

1. What is this object saying to me? Note what comes into your consciousness first!

2. Do I feel supported, loved, and inspired around this object? Or, drained and stressed?

3. Do I really, really need this? Your logical mind may say, “That’s not clutter,” or “I might need this someday.” But, remember to trust your intuition first!

If the idea of focusing on your whole home is overwhelming right now, then just focus on one area such as a particular room or even just a closet.

If you start to get frazzled, think about something new you want to bring into your life.

And, remember to donate! By donating your stuff to others, you nurture your connection with community and give yourself a little karmic boost!