How to Use the Energy of Summer to Declutter
“Your home… should be a reference place that you look forward to returning to, an anchoring point which you venture into the world, and a place where you know that your heart resides.” – Denise Linn, Feng Shui For The Soul
It’s been years since my son (or I!) were in school, but the coming of summer still feels special like it did when it meant summer vacation. There’s warmth and sunshine which puts you in a good mood, plus cookouts and swimming outside and watermelon and vacations and more!
Going away from home – to visit family, go on retreat, or take a vacation – is an opportunity to look at your home or workplace with new eyes. After a break from your routine and space, you’ll find new clarity on what’s possible for your home, and what changes you may wish to make.
As wonderful as vacations are, it feels good to come home. Let yourself enjoy that! Let yourself revel in the things you love, the familiarity, the ease and the relaxation.
However, you might notice that you feel antsy or uncomfortable once you’ve settled back at home. Maybe you miss the beautifully decorated AirBnb where you vacationed. Perhaps you enjoyed the spare furnishings at the mindfulness retreat center. A client recently shared that going on a girl scout trip with her daughter and having only what they really needed made her long to feel the same in every room in her home!
What you are experiencing when you get home after being in a less cluttered environment is a greater awareness of the Energetic Effects Of Clutter. Clutter can weigh you down and hold you back. Places where you feel comfort and flow will support you in meeting your goals with ease.
If your trip gave you new perspective or insights on how your surroundings make you feel, take time to consider how your permanent space (your home and office) can support your dreams and visions. What can you let go that isn’t serving you? When you do, you will make energetic and physical space for new energy to flourish.
Change your environment
To prevent your space from “pulling you back” into old habits or patterns, consider making physical changes to support your renewed spirit. (The turning of the seasons is a great time to do this. You could celebrate the Summer Solstice by decluttering or reorganizing!) It could be a simple change, such as clearing clutter from your desk or countertop and making sure everything has a place to live.
Or it could be a more bold change, like rearranging furniture or switching out the art on display. A change in environment sends a powerful signal to your mind, reminding you that you have the wisdom and the power to do things differently.
There is a Chinese saying: “If you want change in your life, move twenty-seven things in your house.” Twenty-seven things is not really that many, is it?
What have you outgrown?
Is there something in your home that you’ve outgrown? A summer vacation might give you the distance and clarity you needed to recognize that you’re tired of that couch or rug, or that you’re weary of having so much clutter that you can’t find what you need!
If there are items in your home that don’t bring you joy, consider passing them on to someone else. How do you know if you’ve outgrown the item? Mindfully consider how you feel when you look at or touch an object.
Does it make you feel light and buoyant? Does it trigger happy memories? Does it make you feel frustrated or sad? Does it give you an itchy feeling, like you don’t know where to put it? Your inner guidance in the form of emotions will guide you as you make decisions about what to keep in this phase of your life.
Do you have new treasures?
Did you bring home any new treasures from your summer trip?
If so, look for something that you no longer love or use and consider “trading” it for your new item. This is a great way to keep clutter at a minimum while making sure that your space is full of fresh, beloved belongings.
And make sure to give your treasures – whether new or old – a place of honor, where they can remind you of the joy of your trip, your love for family and friends, or your plans and goals. Treasures that are stuffed away in a dusty box in the attic or basement deserve better, and so do you!
Summer decluttering
Summer is a wonderful project time. Since many people travel or take time off, your workload may be lighter than usual. Consider using the energy of summer to do some decluttering and organizing. Here are a few tips to make your summer decluttering project go smoothly:
- Be comfortable! While it’s hot outside work in spaces that are sometimes too cool to be comfortable in, like your basement. Bring the boxes down from the hot attic and work with them one at a time. Wear comfy clothing (put on your soft clothes!).
- Give yourself supportive boundaries: set your timer for a length of time that is comfortable for you, then STOP. Or, commit to decluttering and organizing only one small space at a time. This will keep you from getting overwhelmed!
- Meet your body’s needs. Make sure you have plenty of water to stay hydrated, and have healthy snacks (like dark chocolate!) on hand.
- Give yourself a reward to look forward to: a tall glass of lemonade, happy hour at your favorite restaurant, or a dip in the pool.
- Bring in a professional organizer to help you. Decluttering and organizing is hard work, and it will go quickly and companionably with a professional by your side.
We hope you have a restful and joyful summer! We leave you with this beautiful poem:
The Summer Day ~ by Mary Oliver
Who made the world?
Who made the swan, and the black bear?
Who made the grasshopper?
This grasshopper, I mean-
the one who has flung herself out of the grass,
the one who is eating sugar out of my hand,
who is moving her jaws back and forth instead of up and down-
who is gazing around with her enormous and complicated eyes.
Now she lifts her pale forearms and thoroughly washes her face.
Now she snaps her wings open, and floats away.
I don’t know exactly what a prayer is.
I do know how to pay attention, how to fall down
into the grass, how to kneel down in the grass,
how to be idle and blessed, how to stroll through the fields,
which is what I have been doing all day.
Tell me, what else should I have done?
Doesn’t everything die at last, and too soon?
Tell me, what is it you plan to do
with your one wild and precious life?
Reflection question: How can my home support me as I explore what to do “with my one wild and precious life?”
Discover more ways to mindfully declutter your home or office here >>
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