It’s that time of the year when your bins of holiday decorations explode all over your family room floor, your “to do” lists cover your desk for days and days, and your family calendar hanging on the fridge has no more room to schedule another thing!!
Don’t get me wrong, the lit trees, glowing menorahs, fun advent calendars and cookie exchanges are festive and joyful, yet it can also feel crowded, cluttered and overwhelming in your home and within YOU . . . and there is nothing festive or joyful about that!
It’s time to do some clearing and decluttering . . . inside and out!
“Clearing Out” is my 5th Bliss Element.
For those of you that are paying attention . . . I jumped ahead, skipping Bliss Element #3 and #4 for now. I’ve jumped ahead because I had a “moment” yesterday and I bet some of you are going through the exact same thing!!
With the addition of two Christmas trees, 3 menorahs and several decorations . . . I just felt completely overwhelmed and irritated with all the SHIT in my house.
So I began asking myself what “shit” brought me joy and peace and what “shit” was I just hanging onto because I got a good deal at Homegood’s or my mom gave it to me a decade ago, and I felt guilty about getting rid of it!
I focused on one area of my home, a bookshelf that divides my kitchen from my family room. I spent less than an hour clearing, reorganizing and even pulling out the spray paint to change the color scheme . . . and it felt amazingly BLISSFUL!
I want you to feel blissful this holiday season too! So I am sharing a blog I wrote a few years ago about clearing and surrounding yourself with joy (and that DOESN’T mean buying more stuff)!
I hope my musing helps to bring joy, calm and peace into your home and within YOU during this busy and blissful holiday season . . .
I actually get butterflies in my stomach when I think about cleaning out a drawer, or organizing my files.
I look forward to clearing out a closet . . . and LOVE dumping the bulging bag into the back of my car and whisking it away to donate.
It actually gives me goosebumps to open up that closet after it’s been cleared, and admire the kick ass job I did! Job well done, thank you very much!
I can feel myself exhale and my heart rate slow when my paperwork is organized, files are put away, and my “get to do” list is created and ready to go.
Clearing is my superpower . . . and I’m not ashamed to admit that.
In fact . . . I am damn proud of it.
When I clean up and clear out I feel . . .
relaxed
alive
healthy
free
bright
calm
joyful
blissful
I am a better mom, wife, friend, coach and human being when I am surrounded by clear spaces, clean rooms, organized lists and only those things that bring me joy {yes, my lists even bring me joy because I have this really cute “to do” book I get to use}. See how that works . . . even my “to do” book is joyful!
Marie Kondo would agree. In her new book The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up she writes, “Being surrounded by things that spark joy makes you happy. Once you have experienced what it’s like to have a truly ordered house, you’ll feel your whole world brighten.”
I know clearing out isn’t for everyone, and striving for a “truly ordered house” may make you want you to vomit. (Hire me as your clearing coach and I can help with that!!)
But I also know that a lot of you get frustrated with your cluttered drawers, piles of papers that just won’t go away, closets that are bulging with clothes that don’t fit anymore and just general shit everywhere.
It’s hard to relax and enjoy life when crap surrounds you and threatens to take over!
I also know that it can be truly paralyzing to even think about cleaning up and clearing out . . . so where do you start?
Start with joy.
Go to one area in your home and pick up one item . . . and then ask yourself . . .
“Does this spark joy for me?”
If the answer is NO . . . then just begin clearing.
Don’t worry about “going big” right now, just begin with this one simple question:
“Does this bring me joy?”
See what happens.
Pay attention to how you feel afterwards.
And then make sure you ENJOY your life as you begin to surround yourself with things that spark joy for you!
Who knows . . . you may end up looking forward to cleaning out a drawer and getting goosebumps from a cleared closet . . . welcome to the club!!!
xo,
amy
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