Decluttering

We are in a relationship with everything and everyone around us even if we are conscious of that or not. This relationship is the interaction we have with them- be it animals, other people, food, or even the objects that we have. Yes, we have a relationship even with the objects we have in our home, in our office,  our room, or in any other space we spend time.

The question is: Has this object passed its expiration date in my life? Is it supporting me, is it compatible with me or is it creating stuckness and holding me back?

Decluttering our home or in general spaces from objects is the process of clearing out the old to make more space for the new and what resonates more with who we are now or who we want to become. It also helps us to welcome new energy in our space such as a new community member, a baby, a new partner, or other things that resonate more with us and help us with our expansion.

But what happens when we hit that layer of sentimental items like gifts, souvenirs, our child’s drawings, and books or items from significant times in our lives? The truth is that some objects are easier to release. But some don't. Some of them can activate an emotional memory and awaken unpleasant emotions and sometimes we prefer to avoid them and let them exist hidden in our space.

When it comes to unpleasant emotions we usually ignore them, suppress them, try to control them, minimize them, distract from them, and act in a not-so-nice way because of them. Unfortunately, if we choose to do the above, we do not deal properly with emotions when they come to the surface and we do not receive the valuable information contained in them. They are also stored and get stuck inside us, they become like a poison in our bodies and this can be harmful to us. It can affect our health, relationships and what we attract into our lives. We can think of it metaphorically like this, when we don't fully feel our emotions and don't let them flow through us, they're stored in packets in our bodies until we release them. Our wounds are trapped within us in this way.

Let’s say that Liza got married to Jack and shortly after their marriage, they got divorced. Liza went through a lot and it is difficult to form a relationship after this experience. Liza now found a wedding gift in her house that she had forgotten about.

This gift trigger an emotional memory in her. Even if she tries to avoid and not think of her past, she feels the heat of the anger within her, she feels rejected and betrayed. She feels ashamed of not meeting the societal standards of success and happiness. This example shows how our stuff can represent emotional energy within us that is awaiting completion and integration.

That’s why decluttering can be a serious energy and shadow work.  It's a process of shedding not just physical possessions but also emotional baggage. It can feel as if we visit parts of ourselves that got frozen in those difficult times. The truth is that when we encounter a traumatic event, that particular event can cause a part of us to stay frozen in time because it is unresolved and is not coming with us in the present. Decluttering our space from items can help us revisit these parts of ourselves and look deep into what happened to us, and what we felt. See clearly how these experiences led us to adopt potentially negative beliefs and behaviors and take specific actions that affect our lives negatively in the present.

The process of letting go of important items can help us understand what is unresolved within us and bringing it into the light we have the power to resolve it. Resolution is essential, otherwise, we remain stuck in the past, and our past will simply repeat itself until we resolve it. In other words, decluttering is more than just an organizational task; it can be a profound inner journey. We can either keep things and be in denial about our past or open Pandora’s box and liberate our home and ourselves from things that no longer serve us.

But to transform anything, we have to bring it into the light, into our consciousness awareness. We need to see it, acknowledge it, and accept it. And if we want to get there, we need to work on any resistance we have.

A very good question we can also ask ourselves is: Why am I keeping this object?

And this is where we need to be very honest with ourselves. We often avoid facing the WHY behind what we are doing because of shame. To become aware of the why we have to be brave enough and see the things that we may not want to see about ourselves. We may need to admit to things that we or others might judge as bad or wrong. Again we bring into the light what we have suppressed and denied for a long time. So decluttering our space can help us face some deep fears and truths about ourselves. 

Our personal belongings can remind us of stories, memories, traumas, emotions and all this can be stored in our body. We have the power to access and feel these stories, memories, and associations and transform, transmute, release, and make different choices. The reality is that we do not need to force this process nor do we have to give, throw, or burn everything from our past. We need to be soft and compassionate with ourselves during this process. However, processing the emotional package that our staff can reflect can give us the answer to what we need to do with each item. Sometimes releasing or transforming the energy, the emotional burden within us goes hand in hand with releasing it from our space or changing completely our relationship with it and finding a way to honor it.

If we apply animistic philosophy to this discussion, we understand that decluttering is not just throwing old things out. All indigenous cultures believe that everything has spirit. That includes not only things in nature like trees, rocks, rivers, and animals but also things that are human-created such as decoration objects, cars, phones, and so on. They are all made of consciousness and even if it is different from human consciousness, they still have their unique mission, role, and autonomy.

Our goal is to attune and understand where these objects belong and where they need to be. Sometimes, we may need to find the right owner for it. Sometimes, we need to place them somewhere in nature or in another room in our home or office. Sometimes, we may need to throw them away. Sometimes, we may feel called to give it to someone who sees the value of it, use it in a craft, or give it to second-hand shops. The sky's the limit.

So the question is:

What things from your past do you want to take forward?

 What things are compatible with you now and where you want to go?

What things from your past do you need to grieve and let go?

This symbol helps us clear and release objects that we no longer need in our space. For example, in the office, at home, on our mobile, or our laptop. It helps us release anything that is not compatible with us now. It does not delete the memories we may have with that object. However, it helps us feel and release any emotional charge and limiting beliefs associated with this object/s. It also helps us see the value of objects and do our best for them. For example, instead of throwing away an object, we may need to give it away or recycle it or use it in a craft.

Other topics that might interest you:

The art of Decluttering through the lens of Animism

Organisation