As we approach the holiday season and the New Year, it’s important to sit down and take stock. Do some “house cleaning” within yourself and for yourself in order to let go of all the tensions, memories and objects from the past—in short, anything that is holding you back in your desire to move forward. A little introspection of the “me” inside you—and also of your house—to free yourself from what doesn’t serve you well anymore and to clear it out. EDQ explains to you how to start the year on the right foot by practising “detachment”!
Detaching from the toxins in your home
They’ve always been there and are part of the decor… And yes, we’re talking here about all the clutter in your home—considered to be the main toxins in your surroundings. So it’s important to sort them out from time to time. To do so, pay particular attention to:
- dead or diseased plants
- things you no longer use
- clothes you don’t like or haven’t used for a long time
- old underwear
- damaged footwear
- broken objects
- old cards and notes
- old receipts, newspapers and magazines
- all kinds of useless, old-fashioned things that remind you of the past
Avoid needless accumulation
Accumulation happens quickly and without warning. You wake up one morning and find that some rooms in your house have become cluttered with various things, without you really noticing. Aside from that, some rooms are also prone to accumulating clutter. For example, the basement and the attic are places that are more out of sight and out of mind, so accumulating many things there is easier to do. The entrance to your home is also likely to get cluttered, limiting movement and increasing the time it takes to get in and out of your home.
Detach to grow
By detaching ourselves from the clutter in our home, we feel like we can breathe more easily. Sorting or housecleaning that gets done in this way helps us reduce tensions, thereby improving relations and creativity. It also enables us to leave behind bad memories or things that make us feel sad. To help you detach from certain objects, ask yourself: “Why am I keeping this or that? What does this have to do with me today? How will I feel when I don’t have this anymore?” These questions will prompt you to do the introspection you need in order to detach yourself.
Undertake a general cleaning
Start a general cleaning of your home at your own pace. Go meticulously from room to room so as not to forget anything. Separate and classify everything you own and choose to keep. Use bins, boxes and the like for organization. And for things you don’t intend to keep, divide them into 6 categories:
It’s important to know that cleaning the inside is also reflected on the outside. As you clean, take note of what changes in you in order to see if a sense of relief comes over you. Avoid extreme noise, bright lights and saturated colours, chemical smells and sad memories. Make room for positive energy and finish projects that are under way. As you clean your physical home, you also put your mind and heart in order.
Practising detachment from material objects that unnecessarily fill your space also allows you to gradually do the same with more important situations. Cleanse your mind as well by practising detachment from erroneous beliefs, the little hamster that keeps running on that treadmill, negative thoughts, deep-rooted emotional scars, etc. I promise—you will feel much more relaxed.