A Balanced Approach to Wellness!

Posts tagged ‘Clutter’

Too much stuff

too much stuff

Stuff. Too much stuff. Yes, most of us have too much stuff.

The stuff seems necessary at first, but then it controls. The stuff controls our living because it requires the time spent thinking about each item and storage of each item for use or for keeping out of sight and the time spent deciding whether to keep each item or to dispose of it and cleaning each item and additional evaluation of each item’s stay in our possession.

The more stuff we have, the more space we need to display, organize, store, and control. Or if we can’t add more space, then the stuff fills in more and more of the empty space in our homes til we can no longer control the accumulating forest of stuff.

Emotional and sentimental feelings often cause us to keep things we don’t need or like. Societal pressure often causes us to accumulate things we don’t need or want. Feelings of deservedness often cause us to accumulate without need. Feelings of emptiness push towards buying too much to fill the unfulfilled need to belong. Each of these causes pushes towards a home that is too different from the true essence of each of the residents.

Filling our homes with things we cherish is the way to bring harmony into our living space. Even useful utensils can be cherished for their helpfulness. Keeping stuff that truly entertains or uplifts is the way to infuse our homes with balance and peacefulness. Removing the excess can bring joy!

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Focused living

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Clutter

Clutter

(This blog post was posted over a year ago. I’ve been in some cluttered homes lately [including my own] and I’ve been prompted to remind everyone about the importance of unclutter. Happy decluttering!)

Clutter is an expression of unhappiness. When one’s things are managed in a haphazard way, the first thought should be “What am I unhappy about?” The answers can be surprising.

Causes of clutter

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about one’s choices—mate, work or profession, or simply one’s choices of possessions

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about the amount of stuff-too much stuff!

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about obligations—too many obligations to handle.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about one’s current life presentation (in other words, the form of one’s daily life).

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about having more than one should—guilt over one’s excess gifted existence.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about past choices made or past indecision.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about the way in which spiritual .omnipotence meted out one’s circumstances.

Clutter is much bigger than it seems.

The cure for clutter

Since the causes are multi-layered, then so too is the cure. Choose one of these cures and if it only addresses parts of your issues, then choose another.

Cure #1: Consider your expectations of yourself. Consider your expectations of your past—did you expect too much from your caregivers or from other important people in your life? Forgive the caregivers who were too tired. Forgive yourself for taking on too much. Declutter one significant area, then observe this area and be proud and kind to yourself. Declutter a second significant area, then observe this area and be proud and kind to yourself. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Cure #2: Write a list of all the choices you have made that have affected your clutter. Examine the list to gain insight. Keep the list in a place where you can see it regularly and address each item by decluttering the corresponding stuff. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Cure #3: Join a close friend in a decluttering effort. Each of you discuss the choices that have led to your current state of unhappiness. Agree to a decluttering goal and either write it down and sign it or create a decluttering song that you can sing when you declutter your own stuff. Encourage one another. Feel kindly thoughts for the other when he or she succeeds in decluttering. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Care for one’s possessions

In general, people living in modern open societies buy too many things. If you see that you cannot care for the things you own, consider relinquishing many of them. Also, if you find that you are spending a large percentage of your day caring for your possessions so that you are unable to meet with friends or family or are unable to give of your time for helping others, consider relinquishing the possessions that require too much care.

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Sustaining activities

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Clutter in my head

Clutter-in the head

The last post was about clutter in one’s abode. Today, the clutter is inside one’s head. Cluttered thoughts about weight or appearance or something negative that someone said or something negative that I said or something I should have done better or something someone else should have done differently or …

The clutter in one’s head is more difficult to handle than the clutter in one’s abode. Years of societal criticism (including from one’s parents and friends) clutter the mind and take over space that should be used for creative thought and supportive thinking.

To unclutter the mind, the first step is to take a step—physically! Stand up, say “I am going to clean the clutter in my head”, and then take a step forward. Now, take another step forward, say “I am the person I am because of others, but also because of myself”, and then shake your whole body—head to feet—shake up everything. Next, take five deep breaths and then say “I can release the junk that is old and unhelpful.”  Finally, think about a tree that grows near where you live and resolve that every time you pass this tree, you will throw off some unnecessary thought that belittles you. When you get to the tree, take a deep breath, let the thought move out from the top of your head to one of the higher branches, and then move on.

Cluttered thinking can be tidied. Each time you release a cluttered thought, allow yourself to consider a positive aspect of yourself. Let this positive aspect take your concentration and really focus on it. Be sure to smile while you do this.

Balance comes from balanced thinking and balanced living. The more one’s thoughts are supportive, the more one’s life can be balanced.

Category:

Well-being

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Clutter

Clutter

Clutter is an expression of unhappiness. When one’s things are managed in a haphazard way, the first thought should be “What am I unhappy about?” The answers can be surprising.

Causes of clutter

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about one’s choices—mate, work or profession, or simply one’s choices of possessions

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about the amount of stuff-too much stuff!

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about obligations—too many obligations to handle.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about one’s current life presentation (in other words, the form of one’s daily life).

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about having more than one should—guilt over one’s excess gifted existence.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about past choices made or past indecision.

Perhaps the clutter comes from unhappiness about the way in which spiritual .omnipotence meted out one’s circumstances.

Clutter is much bigger than it seems.

The cure for clutter

Since the causes are multi-layered, then so too is the cure. Choose one of these cures and if it only addresses parts of your issues, then choose another.

Cure #1: Consider your expectations of yourself. Consider your expectations of your past—did you expect too much from your caregivers or from other important people in your life? Forgive the caregivers who were too tired. Forgive yourself for taking on too much. Declutter one significant area, then observe this area and be proud and kind to yourself. Declutter a second significant area, then observe this area and be proud and kind to yourself. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Cure #2: Write a list of all the choices you have made that have affected your clutter. Examine the list to gain insight. Keep the list in a place where you can see it regularly and address each item by decluttering the corresponding stuff. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Cure #3: Join a close friend in a decluttering effort. Each of you discuss the choices that have led to your current state of unhappiness. Agree to a decluttering goal and either write it down and sign it or create a decluttering song that you can sing when you declutter your own stuff. Encourage one another. Feel kindly thoughts for the other when he or she succeeds in decluttering. Continue in this fashion until you have decluttered the areas that deserve to be uplifting.

Care for one’s possessions

In general, people living in modern open societies buy too many things. If you see that you cannot care for the things you own, consider relinquishing many of them. Also, if you find that you are spending a large percentage of your day caring for your possessions so that you are unable to meet with friends or family or are unable to give of your time for helping others, consider relinquishing the possessions that require too much care.

Category:

Focused living

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