5 Ways to Create Space and Feel Clutter-Free ~ By Tangee Veloso

Sometimes as a busy, conscious mom (and an entrepreneur at that), I tend to get so caught up in the moment that I let other areas in my life stack up (literally, as in paperwork, for instance).  You know, there are some things that people are good at and there are some things that it would be best to hire someone else to help you to continue staying good in the other areas of your life that you are more passionate about creating.  

Yes, I am one of those that prefers staying focused on the things that I am good at (which does not include filing and getting rid of stuff that do indeed need letting go of).  And unfortunately most of the time, I would rather use the money for other necessary things, such as paying for rent, bills and groceries than hiring someone to help me clear the muddles of “stuff”.  

But due to certain circumstances that have been happening in my life, I have been faced with confronting my “demons” with clearing space and not just with the bags of paperwork that have been collecting cobwebs but the places in my personal life that too have also been needing a facelift.  

And I have to admit there is something to be said when one actually takes the leap into de-cluttering their space themselves.  A feeling of accomplishment tends to usually follow after recycling, donating and throwing things away.  Recently, this has been my world.  De-cluttering and going through my clothes, my son's clothes and letting go of "things" that I had been holding onto - perhaps reminiscent of memories that I so desperately wanted to hold onto that I now no longer have a desire to.

A very gratifying yet surreal feeling has been washing over me within the past few weeks.  Indeed it has been cleansing for me.  And with most cleanses, there usually tends to be symptoms that follow.  Have you ever done a cleanse where during the process, certain areas of your body start to feel more achy or parts of your skin start to break out due to your body detoxing?  Well this is what has been occurring for me but in a more spiritual and emotional sense.  

And just like doing a cleanse, there are areas in my life that I have been experiencing aches, pains and break outs - or shall I say more like breakthroughs.  Throughout these growing pains, I have become very present to the space that is clearing and not just with my physical things, either.  The clarity that has been arising through the once foggy brain is now transparent to what has been there all along yet was being avoided - like the heaps of papers hidden in brown paper bags.  Like I said, I’m passionate about organizing conscious events and gatherings that I believe in.  Paperwork, eh...not so much!

Yet something has started to come over me lately.  I’m actually doing a complete make-over of my home and I’ve gotta say, it feels really good inside and out!  Throughout this exterior overhaul within these walls, there is definitely a wonderful thing that is happening: the interior of my soul is finally settling into a place I can now call home.  

As I write a new chapter in my life, I have come to fully embrace the fact that in order to create more space, I have to clear the space first.  

So with that said, I wanted to share 5 ways that I have found has helped to create more space in my life that could possibly be helpful whenever you want to make room for more space in yours.   They are:

1. Paint a room - painting a room can be very therapeutic.  It was for me.  This allowed me to slow down from my busy hummingbird energy so that I could really be present to my feelings.  Instead of just always keeping myself busy (which was a tactic to avoidance in one form or another), painting my bedroom became a form of meditation for me.

1. Rearrange furniture - changing up the furniture in a room can really shift the perspective and ambience within the room.  This too has been shared with Feng Shui masters.  Although I didn’t follow any particular protocol, I basically went with what felt light and good to me.  I went with my intuition.

1. Donate - going through your things and donating clothes (especially those that no longer fit), shoes, books, and toys to the homeless is another way to cleanse the home and soul while feeling good about helping others.  

1. Create a rhythm - whether it is meditating in the morning, doing yoga or doing a mind map or vision board of what you want to create in your life - just do it.  And do it consistently.  When you create a rhythm, it allows for more creativity to flow in. 

1. Include your children - allow your children to participate in the space clearing (of course where it is safe to).  Get no VOC paint so they can paint the room with you.  Ask them what they would like to add in the vision board.  And if the furniture is too heavy for them to help rearrange, include them in talking about where things will be moved to so that they feel they are a vital part of the family decisions.  The more you invite them in the process, the more it models to them how they too can clear space for themselves, on the physical level and emotionally, as well. 

De-cluttering the physical “stuff” in my home has been such an important reflection for me with needing to let go of things personally in order for new space to be born.  This had been something I had been working on all year long but I had barely touched the surface until now.  I am finding such a comforting warmth coming to life within my home and more importantly within me.  And I have found, when you begin to peel the layers of the areas needing to be emptied, you will soon find that all areas of your life (physically, emotionally, spiritually, and financially) can now become more full of the good "stuff" that you are wanting to manifest.

Tangee Veloso is the founder of Family Love Village (FLV),  the world’s leading conscious community, website and iMagazine called the FLVillage Crier for families passionate about parenting through connection and eco-holistic living.   She is also the author of a conscious parenting book called “Taming Your Wild Child: 7 Proven Principles for Raising Connected and Confident Children!” 

Her commitment in creating a supportive forum and a conscious parenting movement where families can be educated on parenting through connection from the many legendary trailblazers before her, as well as learn about becoming eco-friendly advocates and supporting a more natural, holistic lifestyle is the main focus for FLV.  Tangee is an eco-mamapreneur, a performer, and a loving mama to her 5 year old son.