What Does Your Clutter 'Hot Spot' Reveal About You?
By Hellen Buttigieg, CPO®
It’s never about the stuff – it’s about what the stuff represents. In my experience, through working with hundreds of clients struggling with chaos and disorganization, there appears to be an emotional connection to the ‘clutter hot spots’ (the rooms where most of the mess accumulates). It’s as if each room in the house holds special significance to an aspect of our lives. Through years of consulting, I’ve witnessed hundreds of clients change their lives for the better after uncovering the emotional link to their clutter. If these symbolic meanings ring true for you, take steps to clear the clutter in the offending room and see if it brings about changes to the corresponding areas in your life. It may increase your organizing success and lead to lasting results.
The front entrance:
Does the entrance of your home say ‘welcome’ or ‘go away’?
Clutter by the front door can indicate difficulty transitioning between who we are at work vs. home; we appear in control and polished at work but feel out of control and frazzled at home. Or, it could reflect a disconnect between our inner and outer selves; perhaps we’re smiling on the outside but crying on the inside. There may be difficulty navigating life’s path. It can reveal a hidden desire to block access to visitors. It may show that our home is not considered a refuge from the outside world. If you want your home to reflect who you are and feel like a sanctuary, clear the clutter in the front hall.
The kitchen:
Clutter here can indicate that our health and wellness is being neglected. There may be a resistance to nourishing our body and nurturing our spirit. It can illustrate a lack of emotional support and self-control. If you are ready to take back your personal power, decluttering the kitchen is a good place to start.
The living room:
Clutter in the living room can reveal an absence of camaraderie and fellowship with others. It is symbolic of burying our true self from others and can be associated with feelings of isolation. If you want to improve your social life, begin by clearing the clutter in your living room.
The dining room:
Clutter in the dining room can illustrate difficulties bonding with family and friends and/or conflict in the family. If you want deeper, more harmonious relationships, create a clutter-free environment in your dining room.
The bedroom:
Probably the most important room in the home to keep clutter-free, excess stuff here can reveal several things; intimacy is not cherished, connections are broken and life force is dim. It can also indicate deprivation of restful sleep, resistance to solitude, and inability to relax. If you want to rekindle the romance, attract a mate, or get a good night’s sleep, make space in the bedroom.
The bathroom:
Clutter in the bathroom can illustrate a lack of reverence for one’s self and feelings of unworthiness. There may be issues with body image or personal presentation. It may also indicate a lack of a sense of safety and a feeling of vulnerability. Increase your self-confidence by tackling the build-up in the bathroom.
The home office:
Clutter in your home office may reveal a lack of personal accountability. It may indicate difficulty managing the business of the family. Creative and self-expression may be blocked. It may be connected to an unhealthy relationship to money, work and priorities. If you want to gain control of your financial health, stimulate your creativity, and achieve more work/life balance, declutter the home office.
The basement:
The basement is the foundation of a house; if stuff is piling up here, it can indicate that life is built on a shaky foundation. It may also reveal an inability to release past baggage in relationships. If you want to move forward and attract new opportunities and experiences, let go of the clutter in the basement.
The closet:
Crammed closets may indicate a tendency to stifle our intuitiveness and insightfulness. Clearing closet clutter may help you make better decisions and act on your hunches.
The garage:
Clutter here may reveal that an individual is hampered or overly cautious moving forward in life. It may block independence. If you want to feel liberated and free, remove the debris from the garage.
Anthony Lawlor, in his book A Home For the Soul, says “If we do not learn how our homes can care for the soul, there will always be a gap between who we are and where we live.”
Are you ready to bring about positive change in your life? I invite you to choose a room that represents the area that is most significant to you and take small but consistent steps to declutter and organize it. (If you need to find a professional organizer to help, please feel free to contact me for a referral).
There appears to be no scientific data on this important topic. To further my research so that I can be of greater service, please send me your thoughts and comments. Let me know if these emotional links resonate with you. (These are often buried deep in the subconscious, so you may need to do some excavating). After you have taken action, let me know what changes you experience in the areas related to the room you’ve organized. Send your feedback to hellen@weorganizeu.com.
