By Kerri Richardson

One unexpected gift that comes from challenging times is greater clarity on what really matters. Maybe you’ve been relieved to have fewer invitations to dodge or happy to spend more time reading or learning new recipes.

It’s this clarity that can be a vital part of redefining your intentions and protecting your sacred space. Keeping as much clutter at bay as possible can afford you more time, energy, and mental capacity to focus on your goals and interests. 

The Surprising Forms of Clutter

When you think of clutter, you likely picture piles of papers, books, and clothes, but there’s much more to it than that. Anything that gets in the way of you living your best life is clutter. Toxic relationships, fear and doubt, and outdated thinking are equally big culprits as a packed garage.

Stubborn physical clutter is often a symptom of a deeper kind calling for your attention. It’s this deeper clutter that, when tended to, can open up your world in a much more powerful way. Investigating the “why” behind not doing something can be very telling about what you’re really scared of, where your old beliefs are playing out, or where you’re operating from outdated instructions.

What is preventing you from filing those papers? Why can’t you seem to keep your dining room table clear? What’s really going on behind your procrastination?

By considering these types of questions and looking at the messages in the mess, you can reveal the secrets your clutter holds and the hidden benefits you may receive by not clearing the clutter at all. 

Does any of this ring true for you?

“If I don’t complete a task or project, then I don’t have to do the next thing. And that’s a good thing because that next move is scary/intimidating/overwhelming.”

“I’m much more comfortable living in pursuit. I like to chase the dream. It’s exciting. After all, what if the finish line isn’t all it’s cracked up to be?”

“Striving to make a change gives me a sense of purpose. Who would I be after making the change? What purpose would I have then?”

“I know who I am when I am trying. I don’t know who I am when I’ve succeeded.”

This reasoning points to the core clutter underneath the surface that really needs your attention.

By keeping too many plates spinning or too many ends untied, you distract yourself from the most important work—the soul work that requires you to finally confront uncomfortable truths or risks.

It’s in that scary stuff that all the juicy goodness lies.

The Secrets in Your Stuff

The type of clutter you struggle to clear or where it tends to accumulate can offer important clues to the real issues underneath. Let’s look at some familiar clutter hot spots and their common core clutter counterparts.

Kitchen (the heart of the home): When stubborn clutter persists here, evaluate your boundaries to be sure you’re clearly communicating your needs and not over-giving to those closest to you. Doing so breeds resentment and creates clutter in your most treasured relationships.

Bedroom (the soul of the home): Clutter here indicates a lack of self-care. Do you struggle with believing in yourself? Do you consider yourself a priority or do you tend to always put others before you? If your bedroom is a problem area for you, take a close look at limiting beliefs around self-confidence, worth, and value. For clues, listen to how you talk to or about yourself.

Office (the money center): If your office or office area tends to be messy, tune into your money mindset to see if there’s a fear of playing bigger. Clutter here relates to a feeling of safety in staying small and of not claiming your space in the world. Work on your beliefs and fears around standing out and criticism and give yourself permission to try and fail.

Garage (the place of possibility): If your garage is a disorganized mess, you might be living with the hope of life magically improving “someday.” Excess items stored here often represent a desire to keep all your options on the table and difficulty with making decisions. If this rings true, pay close attention when making choices in low-risk areas such as what to have for dinner or which route to take home. Listen for old beliefs that might be running the show. 

Basement (clutter’s graveyard): When bins, boxes, and random items accumulate here, look to your ties with the past. Pay attention to any tendency to hold grudges, bite your tongue, or operate from lots of “shoulds.”

Physical and Emotional Clutter

Now let’s take it one step further and look at our physical and emotional clutter.

Relationships: If your circle includes toxic or draining relationships, focus on setting boundaries, strengthening your self-worth, and eliminating beliefs that tell you you’re not lovable. You teach people how to treat you, so treat yourself how you want others to behave toward you.

Mind: Do you feel like your mind is always racing? Keeping a busy mind is a way we keep ourselves “fake busy.” It’s a protective mechanism that prevents us from making bold moves and is actually asking you to slow down and take a breath. Work on emptying your brain so you can hear your soul and connect to yourself more deeply. When the mental chatter gets too much, grab a pen and paper and dump your mind.

Body: Yes, extra pounds on your body are their own form of clutter. Weight clutter speaks to a fear of vulnerability, a fear of standing out, and a suffocation of emotions. When you struggle to shed extra pounds, examine the expectations you set for yourself, your beliefs around showing up for life, and any need for strengthening boundaries with others and yourself.

Examining the reasons behind your struggles to let go of the people, thoughts, and things that no longer serve you invites a loving, compassionate energy into your life that can quiet any self-criticism. Since no long-standing change comes from a self-punitive place, it’s in your best interest—and in the interest of your ultimate goals—to be gentle with yourself. 

Yes, you can be gentle and still make progress. Gentle = small steps.

Brainstorm the small steps you can start taking to make these positive shifts. For example, if you want to improve your financial health, start by setting up a system to simplify bill paying. If that feels too big, start by getting in the habit of sorting your mail as soon as you bring it into the house, recycling what can be discarded, and organizing what needs your attention. 

If you find yourself avoiding the action step you’ve come up with, it’s likely an indication that it’s simply still too big. Sometimes you’ll need to break down the steps to what seems like a ridiculously small move—I call these “super small steps.” Maybe you recycle the junk mail and worry about organizing the rest later. These small steps have a snowball effect. The more small moves you make, the faster the energy will build and the sooner you will get into the flow.  

Need to make a phone call you’re nervous about? Start by writing the number down on a sticky note and putting it on your desk.

Want to improve your diet? Choose just one healthy meal or snack today.

Tired of avoiding that person’s calls? Write down what bothers you about him or her.

Your mind may tell you these moves aren’t big enough, however, the best way to accomplish anything is to use super small steps to get good at getting started. 

You hold the power to make the changes you want, which can be both exciting and scary. Protect your precious resources of time, energy, and space, and be kind and inquisitive as you stumble. See each “failure” as progress. The benchmark of courage and success is showing up as fully in your life as possible. What happens outside of that is gravy.

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Kerri Richardson is a lifestyle designer, trained coach, and the bestselling author of What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You and her new book From Clutter to Clarity. She has helped thousands of people use their blocks as stepping stones to living their best lives. Through her signature clutter readings, she helps you to discover the real reasons behind your physical and emotional clutter. You can learn more at KerriRichardson.com.