Love It or Leave It? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself While Editing Your Space

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(Photo Credit – Studio Choo Florists)

Ready to roll up your sleeves and practice a whole new way to de-clutter?

We’ve done a lot of prep work in this series to make sure your Spring Clean goes deep — and sticks. We’ve discovered your Big Why’s, identified some clutter (both obvious and not-so-obvious), and ditched the “de-cluttering” mindset for the far more empowering and exciting “editing” process.

Today, it’s time to get in there and get practical!

So … how do we actually DO this “Editing” thing?

Many of us get stuck before we even begin. We start sifting through all of our “stuff” and the overwhelm sets in. Every object holds the possibility for paralyzing indecision: how do we know if it’s truly serving us — or holding us back?

How can we make the best decisions about…

what needs to stay,

what needs to shift,

and what needs to go?

To support you through this tricky but oh-so-rewarding phase of your Spring Clean, here’s a handy set of questions. It’s a condensed and simplified version of the exact editing process I use with myself — and with my clients.

My Elegant Editing Process

 When faced with any “it” you’re not sure how to deal with, (a knickknack, a piece of furniture, artwork, clothing — or even an activity, relationship, or belief) ask yourself these 4 questions:

1. Does it function?

Functionality is beautiful, my friend! So … does it work? Do you use it? Is it broken, trash, or an unnecessary duplicate? Does it fit in your  home? If it’s a piece of clothing, does it fit on your body?

2. Do you love it?

Life is just too short to surround yourself with things you don’t love. Ask yourself: when I interact with this, does it feel blah, dead, and boring — or vibrant, beautiful, and alive? Does it make me feel better or worse when I see/touch it? Is it serving me, or blocking me? Remember: only you get to decide what’s beautiful to you!

 3. Does it represent who you are and where you are going?

Maybe you loved playing the flute in your high school jazz band, but now it’s collecting dust in your closet. Perhaps you’ve kept some mementos from “the one that got away,” and you breathe a heavy sigh every time you see that shoebox. Or, let’s say you’ve committed to a new, healthy eating regimen, and that ice cream maker just tempts and mocks you each time you see it.

Everything in your home reflects an image of who you are back to yourself. Click to tweet.

Old, blah, and outdated stuff turns your home into the unhappiest house of mirrors. Over time it can become a scary “fun” house that we can’t seem to make our way out of. It’s so hard to change and grow when we are surrounded by old, blah, and outdated versions of ourselves. Let these things go — make room for who you are and who you’re growing into. Trust me… it’s going to feel amazing!

4. What does your body say?

Our minds might get tangled up, and our emotions can pull us in opposing directions, but our bodies are often the clearest source for a “yes” or “no” in this process. If you’re stuck debating “pitch it or keep it,” hold the object in your hands (or gaze). Clear your mind. Tune into your body. Do you feel more or less alive? There’s your answer!

Emotions will arise as you edit. Sometimes tough ones.

This is perfectly normal … and you will get through it! I promise. If you encounter big emotions, take it from me: you are not alone or crazy — you are, in fact, incredibly brave.

Remember: your space is intimately connected to who you are, who you’ve been, and all the stories that make up your sense of self. It’s absolutely understandable for big emotions to come up as you edit your space. They might be connected to a specific event or phase of your life … a dream you outgrew … an image that’s shifting.

It’s common to feel guilt, grief, fear, scarcity, money issues, and much more as you work through the deeper aspects of Editing.

This is big stuff. Your emotions are a huge part of this process. So pay attention to them. Honor them. Feel your feelings.

A few suggestions for working with your emotions:

  • Take a deep breath. Practice positive self-talk: “I am ok. I can get through it. This is a normal part of the process, and it shows that I’m being oh-so-brave. Rebecca is proud of me!” (I am! Truly!)
  • Feel your feelings, fully. Cry, if you need to. If you’re angry, stomp around or punch a pillow. Allow yourself to be as scared/disappointed/grief-stricken as you truly are.
  • Write in a journal. (Treat yourself to a gorgeous new one, if you want!)
  • Reach out for support. This is huge. Talking with a friend, trusted mentor, therapist or me can make the difference between staying stuck or moving forward.

Often, it’s in this final stage of releasing that big emotions get stirred up. Many people choose to hold onto clutter rather than deal with the waves of intense emotion that come throughout any process of letting go.

So be gentle with yourself… remember how brave you are and always come back to editing your space as an act of self-love and an opportunity to grow and evolve.

Now I would love to hear from you!

In the comments below…. tell me, what holds YOU back from letting go of the things you know are no longer serving you? Which of the 4 questions do you struggle and/or resonate most with?

Ready for more?
The next post in the Make Room to Bloom Series is right HERE.

Stay tuned for next weeks final post in the Making Room to Bloom Series!  I am sharing my top 11 super practical tips for a powerful, productive and headache-free Spring Cleaning.

And if you found this useful please share it with your family and friends! Lets spread the love!

With Love,

Rebecca

P.S Are we friends yet? Facebook, Twitter, PinterestInstagram? I would love to be connected!

6 Comments on “Love It or Leave It? 4 Questions to Ask Yourself While Editing Your Space

  1.  by  Mallory

    I LOVE these questions…especially #4…does it make my body feel more alive or less? That is so awesome! Thank you!

    •  by  rebecca@rebeccamcloughlin.com

      So glad it was helpful Mallory! Thanks for stopping by! :-)

  2.  by  Laura Wooten

    Wow! This was so helpful to me I both printed it out, and bookmarked it on my computer! :) I have been working a lot with #3, but hadn’t thought much about #4 before… Do you feel more or less alive? What a great question to ask while editing!! I live so much in my head and can intellectualize, debate, rationalize with myself forever, worrying about being wasteful or ungrateful (if it was a gift or hand-me-down) when getting rid of stuff. Tuning into my body and doing a “gut check” is a great exercise. I am now glancing around my home asking myself, “What makes me feel MOST ALIVE?” I’m keeping that stuff around! The other stuff now feels easier to let go of. And I feel less guilty about getting rid of things, because I deserve to feel ALIVE in my space!

    •  by  rebecca@rebeccamcloughlin.com

      Yay Laura! So amazing! You most definitely deserve to feel alive in your space and I love that listening to your body has made it easier to let things go. Keep up the great work!

  3.  by  Karen Foxgrover

    Hey Becca
    I really appreciate these questions and you digging deeper explanation. I will be teaching my Success Series in June and plan to put you and your website on the Resource list. Just cannot wait for your visit to WI.

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