Everything in our lives has an energy- also called chi– that affects us.   The clothes we wear, the knick-knacks around our house and the objects we use every day all possess it. We need to be mindful of this energy around us and its impact on our home.

Do you have a favorite sweater, one that makes you feel good every time you wear it?  Maybe it’s the color, the way it fits, or that someone special gave it to you.  Whatever “it” is – you recognize that it feels right when you put it on. You are, in fact, aware on some level of the sweater’s energy.  When we surrounded ourselves with items that bring us joy, we are feeling that good, positive energy.  But the opposite is true, too; if the stuff in our lives makes us feel bad, we can sense the negative energy in those objects.

Too often we hold on to items that contain that negative energy.

I see this frequently, but a particularly poignant experience with a client occurred while helping him purge a storage area a few years after he’d been divorced. Partway through a long day of organizing we came across some beautiful artwork, boxed up and buried in the corner. These were gorgeous prints but he seemed to be agitated by them. When I asked, he told me they were from his honeymoon; but when pressed, he went a little further – the artist had been a friend of his wife’s, they had fought over this art in the divorce and he had “won.”

When I asked the obvious question: did he see this as negative energy?  He just sighed and said he had known they were there for the past few years, he thought about them every time he entered the space and it made him feel horrible.  Before I could suggest anything, he grabbed them and said, “I will give them to her this weekend! I don’t need this in my life – I need to move on.”.The rest of our session went quickly and the feeling that the energy had shifted was palpable. I often observe this altering of energy in my clients and their homes.

Stagnate energy is harmful too.

Similar to dust, clutter creeps in and slowly settles everywhere.  Oftentimes we don’t even notice it until we’re inundated. The stacks of old books in the corner or piles of paperwork on the counters, closets stuffed with clothes that you don’t wear, this accumulation slows down positive energy. Basements and garages packed with old, broken or unwanted items also add to the stagnate energy that can overwhelm a home over time. All this unconscious clutter interferes with the flow of good chi in your home, creating a stale environment that drains your energy and can leave you feeling fatigued.

Is there a room in your home that you don’t feel good in? You avoid using it or fill it with stuff. Start to pay attention to the spaces you are uncomfortable occupying, look around and take note of what is in there.  You might notice a lot of clutter has landed there, filling up the closets and drawers.  Or perhaps you will start to identify some things you have been avoiding.

Start to improve the energy in your home now!

Purging the clutter in your home will remove that negative or stagnant energy, starting the good chi flowing again. This is why my clients find the process of organizing to be addictive – it really feels good! I love witnessing when they first realize this. Sometimes it happens while we are still working, they start to notice a lightness – as they release and let go. Or, I’ll hear from them later about the vibrant energy their space has now, inspiring them to entertain or start a project. Their homes feel better when we work on de-cluttering, and it makes them want to do more.

Are you motivated to change how you feel about your home? Do you want to simplify and embark on a fresh start? There is no time like the present. Let’s get organized!