Hi

I love cleaning clutter, but it always comes back!

Once I get rid of things (I donate them) and clean house, I like to "smudge" the air in every room, opening windows and lighting some sage (or incense if you prefer) and mentally or out loud voicing my intention to keep my home and mind clutter free.

It seems to work!

Am I the only one that gets insanely irritated when reading about "releasing" weight? Its like my fat are a bunch of caged birds wanting to fly free. ;)

I wish! My fat is the relative who came to visit and then refuses to leave! LOL!

Invisible threads of energy, really? I'd like to see the science behind that. How about just good old-fashioned self control.

Well, how about reading up on Quantum Physics and String Theory? That IS the science behind it.

You make alot of sense!

When I look around my home I realize that not only do I eat to excess, but I have to have more of everything, Pantry is overstocked, all freezers are full to the brim.

My closet is stuffed with so much clothing and I have bins  of off season clothes.

 I even have probably 15 - 20 reusable shopping bags.

mmmmmm. I wonder what this is telling me?

no irritation here

this makes perfect sense

Wow this article couldn't have come at a better time! Yesterday I decided to clean out my bedroom/closet and went to target to stock up on organizational storage bins. Reading this today renews my motivation to get organized once and for all. When my house is clean I feel like I can breathe. When clothes/mail/clutter builds up I feel strangled, it's as simple as that. Everything around us contributes to an energy that is either negative or positive. Anyone who thinks that weight loss has nothing to do with the cleanliness of your living space should try this. You'll be amazed how good it feels and if you don't lose any weight as a result then at the very least you'll have a clean house and you've helped charity by donating old items.

Remember what George Carlin said? "I've got too much stuff, and no matter how many times I get rid of it-I just get more stuff!"

I keep "purging" stuff everytime I clean my closet for the change of season clothes. I get rid of the things that have "shrunk" or don't flatter me. I get rid of shoes that proved to be uncomfortable. I see a sweater that itches me, or a pair of pants that is tight in the thigh, and heave ho!

Of course when I see a sale with a nother pair that seem better, I buy them LOL....

When I clean my cabinets in the bathroom, I throw out a lot of cosmetics that are old, or just not "me"/I use less and less now I am older...I Chop up old towels for rags to clean with. Pour shampoo from the bottom of a bottle into another with ammonia for cleaning with.

There are numerous ways to de-clutter.

And once a week I clean the stored food that no one will eat from my fridge.

With only 2 people in the house there are always leftovers, and we each eat a different diet also so that makes more messy stuff too.

Perfect timing for this article...spring cleaning here I come! :)

As a Christian, I come at this with a little different perspective, but still arrive at the same conclusion.  God is a God of order.  Confusion, disruption, and disorder came into the world when the enemy brought sin to us.

In my life, when I walk into my pantry to find disarray, it's distressing.  When my closet is shoved full and messy, it's depressing and overwhelming.  When someone comes in my door and my house is cluttered and messy, it shames me.  Those are not feelings that God wants me to have. 

When things around me are neat and orderly; when my to-do list looks possible rather than impossible; when I am not facing an overwhelming task, I find myself eating normally and losing weight.  It's only when I'm confronted with something I don't feel like I can control or feel overwhelmed that I begin to eat for comfort.  That's when the whole thing started...

So, girlfriends, it's SPRING!  A time of new life and new beginnings!  Let's get rid of that stuff that drags us down and brings us low.  My fat wants to be free.  (And I want to be free of it worse than it wants to be free of me!)

Can I interest anyone in a little "positive" insight? This is what I do and yes, energy workers have issues sometimes too. The weight I carry is around my mid section and it's been proven (scientifically and spiritually) that this is a sign that the body is trying to protect you from something. You see, your mind believes anything you tell it. If it thinks your in danger (real or not real) it starts to surround you with protection. The hard part is figuring out what, in your unconscious, you trying to protect yourself from. I also agree that it's up to you what healthy foods go in your mouth but why do we take comfort in the foods that are what make us bigger?

Now on a brighter note, the clutter clearing really does work. Clean out a junk drawer and see how it feels. When you've cleaned a room, put some fresh flowers out. They give off great energy as well.

Louise L. Hays says,"I know that old, negative patterns no longer limit me. I let them go with ease."

Yes...I totally agree with this article and with the previous posting by the Christian.  When your home and surroundings are in order and neat and clean, then you feel more in control and able to make better choices.  Even when you eat and you make good choices, you feel better, which again allows you to continue those good choices.  What is that called -- the law of momentum?  Things keep moving -- either in a good direction or a bad direction.  But the the world and life are never still.

 

Original Post by: kathee55

You make alot of sense!

When I look around my home I realize that not only do I eat to excess, but I have to have more of everything, Pantry is overstocked, all freezers are full to the brim.

My closet is stuffed with so much clothing and I have bins  of off season clothes.

 I even have probably 15 - 20 reusable shopping bags.

mmmmmm. I wonder what this is telling me?

Wow; it's like I already posted because everything here is true of my house as well. 

I'm a huge food hoarder (I think I even have some canned goods that are more than ten years old!), and I hoard goods too.  Periodically I try to clear things out by boxing up stuff and donating it to friends or local resale stores, but I don't keep it going in the right direction--next trip to the stores I'm bringing back more great bargains!  The worst is that I often don't try stuff on, just eyeball it so I end up with stuff that doesn't fit well, doesn't look right, or has some damage to it so I can't wear it.

I'm determined to keep trying, though.  My sister has jokingly threatened me that she's going to come over with her daughters and they are going forcibly "organize" my basement for me--I think I'm going to turn the tables on her and the next time they're up, I'll accept her offer!

"You can't organize clutter, you have to get rid of it."(from 'FlyLady')

Wise advice I think, but still difficult to get done. Then again, if you manage to get rid of it, you'll never have to *re*organize it :-)

As a complete hoarder (no where near as bad as the TV programme! btw) struggling with the last 25 pounds. And frankly a lot of the time I live like a student because I have far more 'stuff' than storage space. This inspires me to have a clear out.

Original Post by: Wvon

Can I interest anyone in a little "positive" insight? This is what I do and yes, energy workers have issues sometimes too. The weight I carry is around my mid section and it's been proven (scientifically and spiritually) that this is a sign that the body is trying to protect you from something. You see, your mind believes anything you tell it. If it thinks your in danger (real or not real) it starts to surround you with protection. The hard part is figuring out what, in your unconscious, you trying to protect yourself from. I also agree that it's up to you what healthy foods go in your mouth but why do we take comfort in the foods that are what make us bigger?

Now on a brighter note, the clutter clearing really does work. Clean out a junk drawer and see how it feels. When you've cleaned a room, put some fresh flowers out. They give off great energy as well.

Louise L. Hays says,"I know that old, negative patterns no longer limit me. I let them go with ease."

WVON- love this post :D I have also used my spirituality as the PRIME motivation for health, viewing my body as a temple- and keeping both my enviornment, mind and life free from chaos, negativity and unnecessary things not applicable to serenity, longevity and peace- inner and outer- life is much more bright, manageable and sucessful.

Thank you everyone for your comments! I hope this article inspires you to clear clutter from your life and experience the powerful results of this simple process. I've been following this practice for years and it has transformed my life in so many ways.

Here's a favorite quote that speaks to the essence of this practice:

"The ability to simplify means to eliminate the unnecessary so that the necessary may speak." ` Hans Hofmann

 

To your health and happiness,
Diane

Another article I read talked about "releasing" weight instead of "losing" it.  After all, if you lose something you generally try to find it.  If I lose weight it can STAY gone.   

 

Like someone else mentioned FLYlady is an awesome resource to get organized.  She even wrote about to help with weight loss for the same reasons in this article.  

Diane, Am interested in this topic. Would like to know if any scientific studies have been done on this subject. Thanks

Original Post by: miss_peach

Diane, Am interested in this topic. Would like to know if any scientific studies have been done on this subject. Thanks

Hi miss-peach,

Thanks for your question. I am not aware of any scientific studies  specifically on this subject. For more information, however, I recommend  Karen Kingston's work, the author of Clear Your Clutter with Feng Shui  as mentioned above. She is an internationally renowned expert on space  clearing and clutter clearing. Her website is http://www.spaceclearing.com/html/

Here are some researchers you may be interested in whose work bridge science with spirituality:  Greg Braden, Bruce Lipton, and Candace Pert.

In my personal and professional experience, clutter clearing is a  very powerful, life transforming process. As far as I know it is not a  typical focus for mainstream scientific research. I hope those reading  this do not let that get in the way of using such approaches. We already  know enough research exists showing that reducing calories and  exercising more results in weight loss. Yet people continue to struggle  with it. Why? In my opinion the missing link is dealing with the deeper,  underlying emotional and spiritual issues.

If you have further questions, miss-peach, please feel free to contact me directly: http://dianepetrella.com/

Warm regards,
Diane

good article. glad ppl are recommending DONATING the old stuff (not just throwing away). Thought i'd add though:

Spring cleaning is good, but even more important is getting in the habit of not buying the stuff in the first place. We've become way too accustomed to "buying new", rather than repairing or improving that which we already have, or at the very least buying used. As a result we have way too much stuff (lots of which is piling up at the dump). It's not good for the environment, nor for our psychological state (acquiring more stuff, beyond bare necessities, never makes us happy... we only think it does).

Think of the saying Reduce, Reuse, Recycle - IN THAT ORDER. Throwing that plastic bottle in the recycle been is better than throwing it in thhe trash, but it's still not ideal... it still has an impact [RECYCLE]. you can improve by reusing it and filling it up at a fountain again [REUSE]. Better yet , you wouldve never bought it, and you would just be using your year-old canteen to quench your thirst (REDUCE).

Not trying to preach, just some suggestions..

I totally agree with you, akeigwin! Thanks for adding this. Our beautiful planet Earth depends on what you are saying.

I thought I was doing better when I decided not to bring anything new in my house unless something went.  It did help but I see after reading this article that the need of constantly bringing something new in my living space is probably unnecessary.  I love rumage sales and love kitchen gadgets and as I like making cakes and decorating them I am constantly on the lookout for kitchen items I don't have to spend top dollar for.  but even that gets out of control. I have developed the habit of putting a box with a 'free' sign full of unwanted stuff on my curb and it is usually gone in a few hours. As a Christian I am not sure of the energy concept but, I know my Lord, didn't even have a steady place to lay His head, something to keep me in check. We come in this world with nothing and leave the same way, it keeps things in perspective.

I do understand the frustration of some of you ... but you don't need to take it so hard. We all understand that loosing weight is a serious and difficult matter, and that getting in shape won't happen simply because take out your garbage more often! But after all, that's not what the article said ....

I truly believe that some of you are missing the point! Weight lost has a major psychological component that some call self confidence, motivation or self control. So even though cleaning up your apartment may not, by itself, transform you into a catwalk model, it may be a integral part of a more balanced and fulfilling lifestyle ... after all what's the harm in trying ?

I have Karen Kingston’s CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER WITH FENG SHUI on cassette (it’s that old!). I only have to listen to 5minutes to be inspired to start clearing things out.