Have you ever felt overwhelmed by the clutter around you? Often, our light is dimmed by that clutter.
There is so much around us that we cannot see the most important things.
The more we hold on to, the less satisfied we become.
When we sort through our things and get rid of items that no longer serve a purpose in our lives, we open up space that allows the universe to gift us with new and more satisfying things.
Follow these how-to steps to simplify your life and let your light shine through.
1.
Get ready!

• Define the area you are going to clear (drawer, file cabinet, closet, attic, garage, etc).
  
• Play some fun mood music and get yourself a bottle of water.
  Dance, stay hydrated, and get started!
• Set out 6 boxes (cardboard boxes work great).
  
• Label each of the boxes as: Trash, Recycle, Goodwill, Sentimental, Undecided, and Elsewhere.
  

2.
Sort!

• Put items to be thrown out in the Trash box.
  
• Put items to be taken to the recycle center in the Recycle box.
  
• Put items to be given away in the Goodwill box.
  
• Put items that you wish to keep for sentimental reasons in the Sentimental box to be sorted through during another session.
  This step eliminates time wasted sentimentalizing over objects.
  Be strong, stay focused, even as you see your old high school year book!
• Put items that you feel no longer serve you but are reluctant to release because you feel you may need them later in the Undecided box (also known as the As-soon-as-I-throw-it-out-I-will-need-it box).
  
• Put misplaced items that belong in other areas of your home in the Elsewhere box, to be returned later.
  Returning them in the midst of your clutter clearing session will only distract you (as if you have never experienced that before!)

3.
Take care of each box

• Take the Trash, Recycle and Goodwill boxes to their designated locations within 2 days.
  This is an important step to follow!
• Set the Sentimental box aside as a new defined area to go through at a later date.
  
• Divide Undecided box items into 3 boxes labeled with reasonable toss-out dates (ie.
  3months, 6 months, 1year).
  No toss-out date should be longer than 3 years.
  Allow yourself to retrieve items as needed.
  When the toss-out dates come up, get rid of the remaining articles.
  
• Return the items in the Elsewhere box to their rightful locations.
  

4.
Mark a new date in your calendar for your next De-clutter Session.
5.
CELEBRATE!!!! YOU DID IT!!!! Every item from your defined area has now either been returned to the defined area in an organized fashion as a keeper or placed in one of your six de-cluttering boxes.
Your defined area is a space of order.
Sit back, relax, and enjoy your new found serenity.
As you master this technique, you will create more space for more goodness everywhere in your life.