Decluttering seems at first glance to be such a logical process doesn’t it? You have too much stuff in your storage cupboard, junk room or kitchen. It’s kind of an ugly, overwhelming mess, so you’re going to chuck some things out. Then make it look like an organised dream. You start by chucking out stuff that makes your eyes roll – ugh, broken, mouldy, will-fix-one-day 5 years ago kind of stuff.
You feel great! It’s easy. You glance at it – grab it – yup – don’t need it – declutter it. You make progress, fast. You’re really happy, feeling like you’re in flow. You know what you want. That simple, organised gorgeousness in your mind.
You hear the little voice of your intuition (don’t need that thing, toss it!) and you are rocking it!
Eventually though, you’ll come across Perfectly Good Stuff. Or something that you’ve never used. But you might. One day. Your decluttering screeches to a halt. Then your mind kicks in with a lifetime of habitual over-thinking.
Your mind thinks What if I need it? – or – It cost good money! – maybe – I know someone will want it one day. This is a sign your mind just started to get uncomfortable. Its job is to keep you safe and safe means keeping things the same. It thinks fearfully. It just overrode your intuition. Squashed it.
So what is intuition? Have you ever had a tiny little thought, so quick, so light that it whispered through your mind like a little breeze. And then the thing you thought actually happened? Or maybe your intuition is like a storm of feelings in your body, no doubt about it. It’s telling you something you need to know.
It’s the voice of your wisdom. It’s all of your experience, your subconscious, your sensitivity to others feelings. It’s the product of your understanding of subtle signals from the people and environment around you. It’s the result of your understanding of yourself and your needs. It’s higher form of instinct, a sophisticated guide based on all the knowledge you have gathered over your life.
It’s not scared. It’s not based in fear, but sometimes it pops up when we are the most afraid. It’s clarity, for just a moment. It’s your truth. It’s your own personal guide to big and small decisions. It’s usually the very first thought or feeling that pops up. It’s often so quick that we dismiss it or barely notice it.
If you’re a bit of an over-thinker or very logic driven you might be saying What is this magical thing you’re speaking of Liz? Too often we ignore it, suppress it or don’t even realise we have our own form of intuition.
Start Easy.
Practice using your decluttering intuition with simple easy things. Develop your decluttering intuition muscles. There’s a simple way to start becoming more aware of your intuition. It’s all about mindfulness. It might be when you’re getting dressed in the morning, or for a night out. You’re wondering which piece of jewellery to wear. Go with the first thing that pops into your head. Not the necklace that you feel bad about not wearing. Not the earrings that your partner likes. The very first item that popped into your mind.
Start an intuitive decluttering session with the first space or bunch of things that pops into your mind. Not the things or space that you think you should work on. If you can’t make a decision choose something small and easy like old takeaway containers with no lids. Make fast decisions, based on your initial instinct. Pay close attention. If it feels hard, stop. Try something else, or try it again another time. Practice.
Don’t Declutter Angry.
Or sad, anxious or any other overwhelming feeling. Declutter when conditions are right for your intuition to be heard. Set up your declutter intuition mission to succeed. Make sure your decluttering session is supported by the best possible conditions. You are calm, or excited, you’ve eaten, you have water. You might have music playing, an essential oil burning or all the windows and doors open, fresh air and sunshine filling your space.
If you start to feel negative feelings arising during an intuitive decluttering session, take a break. Avoid being in a reactive state when you’re making decluttering decisions. Your intuition is easily crushed, squashed and overwhelmed by your emotions. We react to thoughts that our fearful mind scratches up and presents to us as fact. It’ll keep doing this until you teach it that you’re not going to pay attention anymore.
Check Before You Wreck.
If your intuition is a bit wobbly around a thing you’re thinking of decluttering, and the thought of getting rid of it, or even making a decision about it is causing you a lot of discomfort, get one or two second opinions. It’s important that you check your emotional reactions against reality. Guilt, fear and anxiety do not serve your true self. Doing anything you can to avoid these feelings results in actions that do not serve you. They do not serve the dream that you are working towards.
You have good intentions, you know your family best, you know what is most valued. Your intuition is telling you something you might not want to hear. Say you want to declutter something because it no longer fits with your dream of a gorgeously organised home. But your intuition said someone will VERY strongly object to that happening. Instead of squashing that intuitive thought because you don’t like it, check with that other person first. Compromise.
What’s The Worst That Could Happen.
And the best that could happen if you decluttered this thing? Think about the ramifications of your actions. Most intuitive decluttering is simple. But sometimes it can be more complicated. So you keep the ugly old blanket that your child still asks for once in a blue moon. You will find a space for it that works. You ask family before donating old family stuff. If they want it to be kept, they can keep it. Once you know what your intuition is telling you, you can then think calmly and carefully about the hard decisions.
Accusations, resentment, regret. These are all possible, if you declutter important things without truly hearing your intuition. They might happen if your intuition raises many aspects to consider and you can’t hear each one because your mind is not paying attention. Remember what is truly important to you. Consider every aspect of complex or big decluttering decisions. Fight fearful thoughts with self-love and understanding.
How does your intuition appear? Is it a sound? Words or a full sentence? Or simply a feeling? Knowing this is crucial to paying attention to it. Our clever minds can disguise fearful, negative thinking as “Intuition” to serve its own purposes. Especially if it makes an uncomfortable feeling go away.
Listen. Practice. Learn. Your intuition is there to guide you to your best life.
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Liz The Tidy Lady.
Declutter Coach & Tidyness Expert.
