Free yourself from a lifetime of clutter by Feng Shui decluttering with a compelling twist.
Feng Shui decluttering with a compelling twist is what the Scandi lifestyle trend, Swedish Death Cleaning, is all about.
It may sound rather grim but for anyone inclined to hoard, it’s worth doing. Whether to benefit you directly, or to help your parents or grandparents lighten up, Swedish Death Cleaning offers many benefits. In Part 1 we explored what Swedish Death Cleaning is. In Part 2 we take a look at how to go about it.
seasonal approach to Feng Shui decluttering
The majority of homes contain too much ‘stuff’. Occupiers are storing more stuff than there is space for and it’s restricting the flow of Ch’i and stifling their life.
Few people get the balance right. Over-filled cupboards and tightly-packed drawers, even with clothes perfectly folded, provide storage solutions but nothing can breathe and flow. The Swedish approach with Swedish Death Cleaning (SDC) is to stay on top of all their ‘stuff’ by trimming back several times a year. There are three opportune moments for SDC.
Spring awakening. As the days become lighter and warmer, we are more inclined to throw open the windows and let new life breeze in. It is also a popular season to move house – and better to declutter before moving than drag it all with you, unevaluated. This is particularly important when a couple are getting together for the first time. You want to leave space to create a new life together and not cramp it with relics from the past.
Summer blitz. When there is a lot of furniture to sort through and contents to be cleared, summer is an ideal time. In finer weather, you can easily spill over outdoors, fill a skip, and be more inclined to make numerous trips to charity shops and the recycle depot.
Autumnal pruning. When the days are shorter we turn our attention inwards and are more inclined to do things indoors. Autumnal pruning is a good moment to go through your hoard and make space for the new influx Christmas brings.
Refreshed, renewed and restored. Whatever the season, the payoffs from decluttering are many.
Swedish death cleaning in 4 easy steps
1. Handle different categories of belongings, one at a time
Start by gathering together in one place all the things from the same category. For instance kitchenware, food items, garden utensils, outdoor activities, clothes, books and papers. Only this way can you fully appreciate the extent of what you own in any one category. Otherwise you can delude yourself in thinking you have less when there are stockpiles stored in the attic and in the garage – or even at a friend or parent’s house.
2. Get everything out at the same time
It may feel overwhelming to start with but it’s the only way you can get to grips with how much you possess of any one thing. Empty the drawers, cupboards and files . Don’t worry about creating a mountain as you begin. Shut the door on it or sleep in another room if you have to while the process is underway. This is still the more efficient and effective way to declutter.
3. Begin with those belongings that relate to shared living
Someone (‘someone’ means one person and not a committee) must take responsibility for the well-being of the whole and be empowered to act on everyone’s behalf. Start with communal items (like kitchenware) because everyone will have less attachment to those and you are freer to make impartial judgements easier without fear of a riot. This is a good warm up for death cleaning proper.
4. Finish with more personal belongings
As you begin to experience how good the space looks and feels with less, you’ll be even more motivated to continue – and feel confident you are doing the right thing. Eventually you’ll be able to handle personal effects like clothes, mementos and papers with less hesitation. These items are more challenging to let go of since they have sentimental value and more of your identity is wrapped up in them. This is still not a reason to hold onto them for the sake of it.
As parents we must take responsibility for our children who are simply too young to make conscious decisions. By observing how we take stock regularly, they will learn vicariously how to live and replicate good SDC practice when they are old enough to do so.
I coached a teenager once who was dyslexic. Her room was continually messy, which was making it difficult for her to concentrate on studying. I allowed her to decide what to keep and what to shed, while making her aware of the consequences of her choices. Not only did she grasp the principles quickly, she is now the greatest advocate for the entire household.
“Feng Shui decluttering is risky.” Is this a myth?
Let us dispel the myth that decluttering is risky and dangerous. There is a fear that as soon as you let go of something, you will have recourse to need it again.
It’s true this can happen but it shouldn’t stop you. This is simply the mind playing tricks, tantalising you with regrets and making you feel guilty about letting go. In the grand scheme of SDC, what if you give away a few belongings and later discover they are needed. You may have to purchase, hire or borrow them again that’s all. It still means you’ll have let go of hundreds of other things in the process or decluttering.
Should a piece of paper be shredded and then required, it’s easy enough to obtain a replacement online. Moreover, in the process of shedding you may stumble upon some information of value, which might have been buried under paperwork. When this last happened to me I ended up submitting a claim I’d forgotten about, which resulted in a 4-figure refund.
Turning of the tide
Once we’ve reached our middle years, there is a natural turning of the out-bound tide. The drive to accumulate is no longer the over-arching objective. This moment may coincide with decreasing responsibilities to provide for the family and a drive for more quality of life versus quantity.
This is an ideal moment to undertake SDC in earnest if you haven’t done so already. No that years of accumulation will take months of effort before your outer footprint mirrors the shift taking place inside you.
Bagua map
An important Feng Shui tool called the Bagua comes into its own with SDC.
The Bagua map, whose wisdom comes from the I Ching Book of Changes, lists eight key life areas – eight good fortunes. By bringing our attention to all eight (not necessarily all at the same time), we can create balance and contentment.
When we overlay the Bagua on the floor plan of the home, you can observe which areas of your life are being neglected and should be prioritised first.
For example, if the ‘wealth and abundance’ area of your life is not flourishing locate this sector on your floor plan and inspect what is occurring there. If you discover this room or space is a muddle of objects, bookshelves filled to bursting or cramped with furniture, start purging here to encourage more money and abundance to flow.
If you discover the ‘love and marriage’ area of the home is neglected and contains things broken and yet to be discarded, you may be shocked to observe the correspondence with your love life. This section is the place to start decluttering in the spirit of improving your loving relationships.
The Bagua identifies which areas of our life are most at risk and threatened by the densest clutter and unattended stuff. Knowing what’s at stake if you allow it to continue can motivate you to get down to it.
True story
As a single person I rented a ground floor flat that had a ‘missing corner’ , in Feng Shui terms. This section corresponded to ‘love and marriage’ and lay outside the footprint of the building. It was a mass of broken slabs, overgrown weeds and surrounded by an overpowering hedge that blocked the light to my bedroom, making it feel damp and dingy.
Even though I was short of funds, I recognised that fixing it had to be a priority. My intention was not so much to attract a partner but to show respect for myself by attending to an area that was seriously bothering me.
I split the cost of reclaiming this corner with my landlord, although I was prepared to stump it alone if he didn’t come on board. I persuaded him to chop down the overpowering hedge, remove the slabs, and lay new gravel into which I embedded two hearts in the stonework.
Within a week a five-figure sum appeared in my bank account. I was so taken aback it brought me to tears. It was the consequence of an action I’d initiated a year previous but there was no guarantee I’d receive a refund and, it was so long ago, I’d forgotten about it. The synchronicity was awesome.
Decluttering Sabbatical
When there is a lot of death cleaning to catch up on, the idea of taking a sabbatical to deal with it is very sensible. Taking a month off to focus on getting your house in order can reap rich rewards and set you up for the next stage of your life.
Do not underestimate how enormously time-consuming it can be to work through every inch of your space. This can be super challenging to do while holding down a full-time job or raising a family.
By allowing our belongings to move on, enables us to complete with the past and prepare for a bright future. When there is a desire for change – in your work or personal life – and you are unclear what form this should take, try this.
Go through a room – or even a drawer.
Let go of anything you no longer need and/or is broken or outgrown.
Reposition what remains in a fresher, more uplifting arrangement.
Don’t stop until this is complete.
Observe what happens.
Gratitude
The act of death cleaning is also an expression of gratitude – a way of saying ‘thank you’ to your home for providing you with shelter and comfort. It’s all too easy to take our homes for granted. The Ancient Greeks understood this and why they paid homage to the goddess of the hearth called Hestia.
Whatever you release through SDC will come back to you in the form of the very thing – or opportunity – you need the most. Look after Hestia and she’ll look after you.
Next steps
If you have any questions please email me or give me a call on 0782 7017188.
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About me
I am an Intuitive Feng Shui practitioner, creating conscious living and working environments. Trained in the Western School of Feng Shui and with Denise Linn, USA, I’ve been working in homes and offices since 1995.