Clearing out and moving on

I’ve been moving house this past week.  Known to be one of the most stressful activities in life[1], it takes a bit of discipline to do this if you are trying to stay as calm as possible within the disruption!  I meditate every morning as it is, but I focused on not missing a day, and sometimes meditating in the evening as well. This helped me keep things in perspective and stay calm most of the time!

The reward of moving was the chance to clear accumulated ‘stuff’.  I’m not a hoarder, but many people have this problem; Karen Kingston in her book Clear your Clutter with Feng Shui[2], links hoarding to not only emotional issues but physical complaints such as IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome).  This little book is highly motivating, especially focusing on how much better life will be once your space is clear.  Karen’s excellent method of using 20 minute ‘time boxes’ is a great way of starting a long journey[3]. 

Try not to leave it until you move to start clearing huge amounts of accumulated possessions – there is enough to do without that holding you back!  I suspect that true clutterbucks avoid moving as much as possible; it would be their nightmare come true.

Moving house, for me, was a cathartic experience.  I’m a busy person in work and social life and yet I find time periodically to clear out drawers and corners; I hate living in a mess.  Yet I still did a lot of runs to the charity shop, because who wants to take stuff they don’t need into a new home? I looked on it as the perfect opportunity to clear the decks.

A fresh, clear start is always a beautiful thing; give yourself the chance to create a clean slate whether you are moving or not.  It clears the mind and this is reflected in your physical health.

[1] The Top 5 Most Stressful Life Events and How to Handle Them | University Hospitals (uhhospitals.org)

[2] Clear Your Clutter With Feng Shui: Kingston, Karen + Free Delivery (amazon.co.uk)

[3] How to clutter clear your home 20 minutes at a time – Karen Kingston