What's Your Excuse? The 8 Lies We Tell Ourselves about Our Junk - Christine Kane

“Perfection is not when there is no more to add, but no more to take away.”

– Antoine de Saint-Exupery

Our lives are meant to be simple.  Our intuition thrives when given freedom and space.  So does our ability to make good decisions.

Clutter – in the form of physical junk, time-wasters, or even draining people – steals our energy, stops our success, and blocks our clarity.

Each moment we ignore our excuses for holding on to things we don’t want, those things rob us of energy, health, and clarity. Yes, clutter is destructive!

If you’re a clutter-clinger, start by admitting why you hold on.  Read this list to see if you can find YOUR excuse – and then take action!

Clutter Excuse #1: “I’d be a mean horrible person if I let this go”¦”

Guilt is heavy gooey energy that convinces us we’re bad people if we make a strong choice – or if we let go of heirlooms, unwanted clothing or gifts.

So we allow this stuff to clutter up our lives and keep us in a comfortable – but draining – place.  Guilt is sometimes an easier path than clarity.  Ask yourself if you’re ready to release the stuff and the guilt – and finally get clear.

Clutter Excuse #2 – “I spent so much on it!”

 

Do you punish yourself for having made a bad choice by keeping the item around?  Or convince yourself that you’re going to get your money’s worth – even if it drains the heck out of you?

You won’t.  And it will.

We’ve all done stupid things. And we’ve all had to let them go. Now it’s your turn.

Clutter Excuse #3 – “I might need this someday.”

 

I often wonder how many idle telephone cords exist in the world.  Crammed in old desk drawers. Stuffed on closet shelves. They can’t be gotten rid of.

Why?

Because we might need them some day.

Evidently, some day – in spite of technological progress – you’re going to need that particular grey phone cord that came in the box with a phone you bought in 1993.

Throw it out. Now.

Same thing goes for:  The broken fax machine, switch plates from your first house, and every glass flower vase that came with deliveries.

Clutter Excuse #4 – “I might do this someday.”

 

I know. I know.

Someday you’ll take those broken pieces of china you’ve collected and create a beautiful mosaic birdbath. And you’ll go through those stacks of magazines and make that collage for your sister’s 30th birthday party. (She’s 51 now.)

Now – I don’t mean to deny you your plans and dreams.  However, I urge you to consider experiencing the infinite relief that appears when you let old project ideas go.

Call your sister and tell her the collage ain’t gonna happen. Buy a mosaic birdbath from an artist who makes her living from creating such treasures.

And then, make space for what you want to do. Don’t fill your space with what you should do.

Clutter Excuse #5 – “I Don’t Know Where It Goes.”

 

When items don’t have a home, it’s hard to determine whether or not they are clutter. Some things may seem like clutter – like the cute card that your daughter made that floats around from drawer to drawer – but they’re not clutter.

They’re homeless.

Once you start defining spaces for items, then it’s easier to see when something doesn’t fit anywhere and should just get tossed.

Clutter Excuse #6 – “My thoughts don’t have any power. Do they?”

Everything has energy.  The thoughts you have about the things in your home CREATE energy. For instance, if you hang on to stuff given to you by your ex, and you still feel bitter – then there’s bitterness in your home.

Get it?

It’s either fueling you or draining you.  If anything triggers you, then that is your barometer. Let it go.

Clutter Excuse #7 – “But I never wore it!”

 

See Clutter Excuse #2.

Clutter Excuse #8 – “There’s too much stuff!”

 

Overwhelm can stop us in our tracks. If this article makes you aware that there are lots of items in your life you don’t like, then go slow.   Schedule small chunks of time each day.  It takes time to be clutter-free! But the newfound clarity and lightness are worth it!

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In our changing world, clarity is EVERYTHING.  If you are settling for anything in your life, then you’re probably settling for LOTS of things.  If you have a hunch that it’s time to attract new outcomes and results -  I URGE you to join me on Thursday, March 1st at 8pm for a free Training Call on creating UNSTOPPABLE SUCCESS in Uncertain Times. Click here now for details!

14 COMMENTS ADD A COMMENT
  • Anne Marie

    Hello Christine;
    two yrs ago we downsized from 2500 sq ft home to 1100 with every intention of expanding our 1 bd rm home to a 2 within the 1st yr. We had found an awesome contractor and wanted to proceed when he was available, turned out he wasn’t til the following spring. With that delay we did our kitchen which looks so great BTW. I recently got a quote per sq ft and WOW, needless to say it’s not happening this year either. Moral I still have 2500 sq ft of stuff in my 1100 sq ft space. Drowing is putting it mildly. My question is what the heck do I do til we can get the addition done. Leaving the house every day to avoid the clutter is not always an option. 1 bd rm and a great rm 25×25 that houses kitchen, dining and tv/living space. Zoning spaces is already in action. Any help would be appeciated.

    • Christine Kane

      Anne Marie – this is the kind of circumstance where there simply is NO stock answer. Nor is there a right or wrong answer. What I try to examine in a customer-built-for-my-personal-growth kind of situation is this:

      what am i learning here? What am i holding on to? If I let go, what are the fears that come up? Is there any truth to them? What is the easiest solution right now? (in this case, that would be “get a storage space fast as possible – and then set a date in a few months to reevaluate if we still want to keep doing this!” What is the result I want most RIGHT NOW? (If it’s “space” – then go with the easiest solution so that you have room to breathe and think. It’s very hard to make a clear decision when you are surrounded by STUFF!) I hope

      I hope this gets you started!

  • TABATA

    THANKS FOR REMINDING ME WHAT A GREAT FEELING COMES WHEN YOU ARE MAKING SPACE FOR NEW AMAZING THINGS IN YOUR PLACE AND IN YOUR LIFE. IT’S ABOUT “LET IT FLOW”
    I ALSO REMEMBER MY MOM, WHO PASSED AWAY TWO WEEKS AGO, ALWAYS SAID “POVERTY ATTRACTS POVERTY”, TRUE!

  • Shannon Jo Arritola

    I have been slowly letting go of “extra” stuff for a few years now and it feels Great!
    I live an interesting life of performing in different time periods, so I actually have quite a collection of clothing (costuming) and “props”. I also plan to have a studio again so have those “projects” packed away. But little by little I whittle away at the things that really don’t seem to fit into my lifestyle anymore. It is an ongoing endeavor 😉
    Thanks Christine for helping me stay with it. 😉

  • Liz Bowell

    I would really, really like to take part in the call tomorrow…but is that possible for me over here in the uk? I’m not sure how it would work, can I set my alarm clock??? I need some of your strategies in place for a huge interview next week. I think your ideas and advice are inspirational. Thank you.

  • Shannon Bednowicz

    thank you thank you thank you. Love this! this weekend will be purge weekend! Thank you for giving me permission to give myself permission to let GO !!

    • Christine Kane

      One of the things I teach about Upleveling, Shannon – is that as you set new bolder bigger intentions, you will always let go of the things not in alignment with this new version of you. So – i dare you to think BIG when you’re letting go!

  • Hellen

    Christine – what an insightful post. As someone who helps people declutter (not just their space but their lives), I have heard these excuses many times. And I’ve also witnessed first-hand how much better life can be once the burden of clutter is removed. I know you have inspired so many to let go of what’s not working and make room for what they truly want. I will be sharing your post with my online community.

  • Andrea

    I am a huge idea person and I have always a project in my mind. Now I feel that there is too much, too much work and not enough time- I am like a bee. My word of the year is focus and I really love the simplicity, the heart, the beeing- so I have to let go some good ideas. But it hurts, because I think that I will miss something out. What does this send to the Universe?
    Christine, thank you!

    • Christine Kane

      Andrea – why don’t you start with just letting go of ONE thing and see if it feels good to do that. Study it. Make it an experiment. Do it consciously. (Instead of listening right now to all the panicked voices that believe this isn’t possible.)

      Just a thought!

      • Andrea

        Thank you! That lights me up! Little step! Hope to see you once in real!

  • Christie Inge

    Love this post, Christine. 2011 was my year of letting my household clutter go and it was a beautiful thing. Now, I am so sensitive to my environment. So much so, that I realized a couple nights ago that I had company coming and was not in a panic about the way my house looked. It was awesome!

    • Christine Kane

      Yup! I love that feeling, Christie. Space is where creativity gets born!