Happy Spring! It may not feel like spring outside where I am in Newfoundland (although there are little signs around) but it definitely is according to the calendar!

And with spring often comes the idea of spring cleaning. And with the idea of spring cleaning comes decluttering… which leads me to what I want to talk about today: our possessions.

I’ll start with a story first…

We are in the middle of renovating my home office and in preparation, took down most of the things I had on my walls.  Within a couple of days, I could not shake the feeling that a conversation I had been wanting to have with my boss for months, maybe over a year, HAD to happen ASAP. I couldn’t wait any longer.

As a result of that conversation I was able to increase my rates, one by 50%!!!

So what did taking down artwork have to do with having a difficult conversation about pay?

You know how sometimes you don’t even see things in your home after awhile? Well that’s what happened to me. As I cleaned out my office, it hit me that I had filled some of the wall space of my home office with things from my childhood: a cross stitch, pictures, etc.

And while it’s not necessarily a bad thing to have items from your past around your home (I have quite a few treasured items in our home) it’s not the best idea to have them in my office space.

Why not?

Children don’t know how to have difficult conversations, set boundaries or stand up for themselves.  

So having those childhood things in my office, and looking at them every day, subconsciously kept me in that childhood state of being. That is why I was having such a hard time initiating that difficult conversation.

When I finally removed the items from my office space, I released those younger-self strings that kept me tied to who I was back then.

What are your possessions saying to you?

I love meaningful items… I am definitely not a minimalist! But as feng shui has taught me… all objects have energy associated with them.

If you’re like me and have a few things in your home, it helps to know where to start looking! Some categories of objects that may have questionable energy include:

Childhood possessions,

Objects from previous relationships, and

Items you were gifted but don’t really like.

Childhood possessions:

My story above illustrated that sometimes, more important than having childhood possessions in your home, is where you keep them.  A couple of spots you may want to avoid are your home office/workspace and your bedroom. Those are two of the most ‘adult’ areas of your home and so you want to ensure that you are not subconsciously being held in that phase of your life.

And location independent, if you have possessions from the past that don’t represent a great time in your life or evoke not great memories… try to let them go. As a first step you can put them away, out of sight, but eventually letting them leave your house is the best thing. Donating is always great as your ‘junk’ may become someone else’s treasure!

Objects from previous relationships:

Honestly, I do have some things from former relationships in our home. It’s all about the energy. As you look at each item, how does it make you feel? Do you feel happy or ambivalent? Well then, it’s okay to keep those things around. Feeling not so great… let them go!

Definitely don’t store any of those items under your bed and if you are still wearing your ex’s clothes… time to stop doing that.  If you need to keep items, find a special place for them.  And if you are holding on to your past through items, letting them go will help you let go of the past too.

Gifted items:

If you love them, great! If you don’t… again: LET THEM GO. This is a big one because keeping items you don’t like in your home out of guilt or fear is a physical manifestation of your inability to set boundaries. Every time you look at that item your subconscious is telling you that someone else’s feelings are more important than your own. So that tea set your mother-in-law gave you, here your permission to let it go. Donate it for someone else to find joy in it.

I realize that if you live with others, you have to compromise, but it’s not about that. It’s about holding on to things (that perhaps no one in your home likes!) because you feel guilty about letting it go.

Letting things go is not always easy… in fact it rarely is. So one thing that has helped me is the idea that when I donate items they have a chance to find a home with someone that enjoys them.  It can turn that not so great energy into uplifting more positive qi. And every possession deserves to be loved.

Start small and see where the momentum takes you. 

Here’s a great place to start… I bet right now, in your cupboard, you have a mug that you don’t like but for some reason are holding on to. If not a mug… what about dishes, cookware or storage containers? I bet you’ll find something there to get the process moving!

And if you have questions or thoughts, I’d love to hear them. Hit reply or comment below.