8 Financial Benefits of Decluttering

Too Much Stuff = Less Prosperity

Living on this Earth plane can be tricky! There are so many temptations (ooh, shiny!!), not to mention all the stuff we need for our comfort, safety, survival, activities, and ambitions.

Then there’s all the media programming, in-your-face promotions, beliefs and habits that we picked up from our parents and wherever else…

And, some of us have gone a little too far with things, accumulating way more stuff than we need to live well.

According to feng shui, that excess stuff can actually block your energy, negatively impact your finances, and prevent you from experiencing true abundance and well-being. The good news is that you have the power to turn things around, by decluttering your space(s) and your mind.

I’m going to share eight ways that decluttering could improve your finances. Here goes:

Think of your house as a container, because that’s essentially what it is. The more stuff you have, the bigger of a container you need to house your stuff. The less stuff you have, the smaller of a container you need.

Most people don’t take the time to really assess their needs and cull out the excess. Instead, we’re trained to think in terms of bigger and better. More activities, more ambitions, more stuff, more of everything. So, that usually means supersizing to a bigger house, a better paying job, cleaning and other staff that you have to pay to take care of your stuff and your home, etc.

I know. That’s the American Dream, right? But, it’s also a very high-maintenance way of living, which can seriously weigh you down, as well as take a huge toll on your finances.

Alternately, you can choose to simplify your life, really become conscious of what’s important and what’s not, declutter your stuff, and downsize into a smaller, less expensive space. That could potentially relieve a lot of pressure from your shoulders, enhance your well-being, and free up money to use for other things.

This is one that really lit a fire under my butt to start purging and continue doing so, even when it was really hard. 

The idea is that, by letting go of the excess and things that we don’t use, love, or that no longer serve us, we can increase our ability to receive what is really supportive of our well-being. This comes from a feng shui principal called “cultivating receptivity”. 

When you’re letting go of your clutter, some things to focus on (in terms of finances) could be having bills paid with ease and grace, more money to play with, freedom to travel, the ability to create a nest egg, that kind of thing.

You can either be really conscious about choosing exactly what you want to call in, financially, or you can ask the Universe for the highest possible outcome. Given that we can only see so much from our limited human perspective, sometimes that’s the better option. 

Pro tip: if you’re really caught up in doubt and fear and you can’t imagine anything good coming into your life, there’s a workaround. I’ve used this many times. It’s to say “Okay, Universe. Given that I’m caught up in stinking thinking, please give me much better than I can imagine, in terms of my finances (in this instance). I gratefully receive your blessings. Thank you in advance.” 

Decluttering could lead to a reduction of expenses. I alluded to this in the downsizing section, but let’s look at it from a different angle. 

What are some expenses that can be occurred, as a result of having an excess amount of material possessions? Some that come to mind are:

• hefty rent or mortgage payments
• monthly storage payments
• costly organizing supplies to manage your stuff
• staff to clean and manage your stuff
• therapy to help you deal with the stress of having too much stuff
• pricey vacations to get a break from your stuff

Alright, the last two may seem a little extreme, but then again, maybe not. Can you think of any expenses your clutter is incurring, that are not listed?

By decluttering your home, office, storage space, and essentially your life, you could reduce or eliminate some of these expenses. That can free up money, as well as relieve some of that financial pressure from your shoulders. Wouldn’t that be great?

Unfortunately, clutter can suck up a lot of time and energy. It can also be very distracting and overwhelming, which can keep us from even knowing what to do or being able to move forward. In my experience, that works on both a practical level and an energetic level. 

The good news is that by decluttering, you can not only free up your physical space, but you can free up your head space and your energy. All of that can lead to greater clarity and productivity. And productivity can lead to prosperity.

So, if you’re struggling with clutter, do yourself a favor and invest some time and energy into purging the excess and getting organized, so that you can be more productive and potentially more prosperous, as well. 

Maybe you’re the exception to this, I don’t know. But, most people who have gotten into a pattern of cluttering their spaces or just accumulating excess have a lack of clarity with their finances. I’ve experienced that, myself, and I’ve also seen this pattern with clients. 

When you declutter your life, it can clear your mind, making it easier to track your finances. Make sure that you address your digital financial files, as well as the physical ones.

Create systems to make things easier, for the future. Consider using a spreadsheet, to contain specific information, as well as bookmarking any web pages that you use to pay bills or check your financial balances. There are any number of ways to organize your financial information. You may have to do some research to find and create a system that works best for you. 

However you choose to go about it, make keeping really good track of your finances a priority, if you want to improve them. 

When we prove to the Universe that we can handle more, we’re more likely to get it. The opposite is true, as well. 

People who have their act together are generally seen as being more trustworthy. Having an organized and streamlined office, for example, might give clients, coworkers, and bosses the idea that you are on-top of things.

If you have a relaxed, confident, and pleasant demeanor to go with it, that could lead to you being offered gigs, promotions, and other opportunities. 

Now, don’t just do a surface decluttering of your office, for the sake of appearances. Those overstuffed drawers that you can barely close and all the stuff shoved into your closet or under tables still holds stuck energy. 

Instead, commit to really decluttering and organizing your life, by addressing everything…even what’s behind-the-scenes and off-site.

Then, you’ll be in a much better space to be able to receive and manage those opportunities well. 

Hopefully the act of decluttering (as long as you really embrace it), will curb you of the desire to shop till you drop. 

Also, shifting to what things you want to experience or what qualities you want to bring into your life can help you to release your hold on the physical stuff, so much. 

When you have the right amount of stuff for your home and it’s well-sorted, you know where everything is. That means less trips to the store to find the thing that you know you have somewhere, but just can’t seem to find. 

So, if wasting money on shopping is something you’re struggling with, cull the excess. Make sure every item has a home that it gets returned to, regularly.

Also, when you’re out shopping, ask yourself the following questions:

1) Do I really need this?

2) Can I afford to buy it?

3) Where would it live?

4) Is it possible to borrow it?

I never go to the store without a list. I occasionally buy something that’s not on the list, but asking those questions really helps. And I always do a mental check-in on what’s it my cart, before I check out.

I have overcome my shopping addiction, so I know it’s possible for you, too, if that’s something that you really want. 

Overcoming any kind of addiction can be made easier with counseling or being part of a recovery group. So, if you need support, make sure you go out and get it, one way or another. 

Feng shui is all about connecting with Spirit and enhancing the chi (life force energy) of our spaces, which then enhances our personal chi. 

So, when your space is clean, uncluttered, organized, beautiful, harmonious and well-maintained (without being TOO perfect), you’re more likely to be in the flow of that Universal energy. That can lead to all kinds of good things, as we’ve been talking about.

So, if you are currently dealing with clutter and chaos, recognize that it could be disrupting your flow. If you’re not cool with that, it’s up to you to turn things around. Don’t be afraid to ask Spirit for guidance with the process.

Actually, there’s a really good book that I recommend for that specific purpose. It’s called It’s Not Your Money, by Tosha Silver. While the focus is on money, the author talks quite a lot about decluttering, as a means of cultivating receptivity. Sound familiar? I hope so! 

For the best results, make sure to address ALL of your spaces, including your home, your office, your car, your storage space(s), and any other space holding your physical belongings.

Make sure that you address your digital stuff, like your cell phone, your computer, your ereader, and any other device that has gotten cluttered up with things that you don’t love, use, or need.

Take a look at unnecessary marketing stuff that has junked up your digital space, as well, and consider creating some filters, unsubscribing from lists you’re just not into, turning off unnecessary phone notifications, that sort of thing. Yes, all of that matters, too.

When you’re done reading this post, you might want to check out another one that I wrote, called “Declutter Your Smart Phone, Declutter Your Brain.”

It can be really easy to get caught up in the stuff and our attachments to it. That’s human, right? And some of us get more attached, than others. 

So, I invite you to focus on what you might be gaining, as a result of letting go. I hope that this post gave you some clear direction, for what that could look like, financially. This list is not exhaustive, BTW. These are just eight ways that I came up with. And I used the number 8 intentionally, because it represents abundance. 

I invite you to get a journal and do some reflecting. Did any of these points really speak to you? Are there others financial benefits of decluttering that you can think of? 

Whenever I need to let go of something, I lean into Spirit for support. Honestly, a stronger spiritual connection is the best thing that I have gotten, as a result of decluttering. I highly recommend it. 

Best wishes on your decluttering journey! It’s hard, but you can do it. Remember to be gentle with yourself and take it one step at a time.