Minimalism, Decluttering & Freedom.

I moved house recently, and surprisingly, despite arriving in Byron Bay with nothing but a suitcase… I am here now with 2 van-loads full of “stuff”. Me no like.

I’ve been settled in the one spot for just over 18 months now, with no intention of making anywhere else in the world my base - so naturally, I started to accumulate.

I have a wardrobe full of clothes for hot and cold seasons… a surfboard with all the trimmings… a bike… a bed and bed-stuffs… plates and (lovely) teacups, and furniture to turn an empty room into an inspiring workspace. Yet here I am typing to you on a tiny little old timber table on my verandah - because it’s way more inspiring than any room.

This move has brought with it much inspiration to declutter, and remove a lot of things that don’t fit, don’t work, and aren’t invited to come into the next chapter, and on the next adventure with me.

Did you know that your stuff holds energy? We make meaning of the things we own. They carry with them memories, sentiments, promises (kept or broken), and value that only we can understand.

If you have a lot of it, a lot of your energy is leaked out, into your stuff - or your clutter. And your inner world reflects your outer world, as they say! So things can actually cause energy leaks.

Think about it - when you look around a messy room, or a space with a whole lot of “stuff" that makes you feel broke, poor, frustrated, uninspired, or holds memories and attachments to the past… and you feel all those feelings come up - even if just for a moment, it requires energy from you to revert your thoughts back to what you were focusing on when your attention was side-swiped.

When you are surrounded by things that make you feel positive, and where there is plenty of space, and clutter-free cleanliness, you also open up your energy to receive, and you can direct yourself as to which way you’d like to receive - depending on where your focus is.

In this way, decluttering can also make you more money, can help you to welcome in a new lover or partner, bring good energy to business or legal dealings, free your emotional and energetic body up to create new things, like babies, it can make you happier and feel more calm, and give you further energy, and space - mental and physical - to pursue projects that light you up.

Life change is a physical, mental, emotional, energetic, and environmental job.

I have had clients in the past who have wanted to attract a new partner - and I have told them to declutter their bedroom space and wardrobe, to make room for a new love in their life. Declutter their schedule so they are not avoiding anything by having a full calendar and staying busy, but enjoying everything to it’s max, and declutter their emotional state by ensuring they are not bringing any baggage from the past, into the future - and it worked.

When I help people to quit smoking, a significant part of the process is to physically declutter the environment of anything that is linked to smoking and cigarettes. Anything - paraphernalia, favourite T-Shirts from party times, ash trays, favourite sentimental lighters, even hats… and, it works.

Minimalism is Magic.

Being an ex-interior architect I LOVED to declutter - all the time. But I found it really hard to throw/give away things that weren’t completely up the creek. Things that still fit even though I wore them when I was 14… (I stopped growing, ok!), things that I never used but still worked perfectly fine and gathered dust like a champ.

I was chatting to a great friend of mine who is currently on the decluttering bandwagon, and she was expressing to me how hard it can be to declutter when there are a few steps - firstly, deciding to let go of sentimental items you don’t reeeeeally like or use, and then once they’re in the “go” pile, having to go through the process of selling them on eBay.

She’s fighting herself - knowing she can make a bit of money when she sells her things, but at the same time, knowing her energy is far better spent on growing her beautiful business, or, having fun.

I told her if she has;t done it yet, she ain’t gonna sister. So we’ve set the wheels in motion to take that stuff and give it away this weekend.

3 years ago, I took everything I owned and sold it at Glebe Markets in Sydney. I had about $12,000 worth of stuff - I thought I’d make around $4-5000 being everything was sale price. But I was wrong. And on that day, I learned the most valuable lesson on minimalism and freedom, ever.

People were picking up my 300-Euro Jackets from Barcelona, and offering me $10 for them. I was in shock horror - but as the day dragged on, I released the purpose was to get rid of this stuff. I didn’t want come home with it, so with a pain in my chest, I graciously sold things for far, far under their value. But this was simply my perception.

I think the turning point for me though, was when I handed over a duck-egg blue pure silk scarfe that was given to me by my late great grandmother for my 21st birthday, to an old woman, for $2.

I felt horrible.

But then, I realised. Just because I am passing on this gift, does not mean I love my great grandmother any less. It doesn’t mean she loves me any less. Her love, and my love, have absolutely nothing to do with this scarfe. The scarfe is itchy, and I never wore it. I still love her. I just don't have to carry around an itchy scarfe with me, and someone else gets to enjoy it - my love is still in tact.

It was(I’m certain) the same feeling Indiana Jones felt when he stepped off the ledge and the bridge appeared.

It was in this moment, I realised how free I was.

I learned that I was the one who put the value on things. Others don’t value your stuff as much you do. It doesn’t have the sentimental value attached to it - because it was never there in the first place - it’s in your heart. Weather you own the thing or not.

The rest of my stuff flew out the market doors. And I was full of love. I only made a few hundred dollars that day, and I spent it all pretty much that evening on taking my girlfriends out to dinner, to say thanks for helping.

Minimalism - or in other words, conscious purchasing and high-quality living - has truly changed my life. It gives me a sense of freedom and fulfilment (without deprivation) that can only be described by someone who truly doesn’t give a f*ck. (That is a good feeling). It makes life feel real. It makes your feelings important. And it makes your energy soar.

Today, I am not reminded of people or situations by the things around me, (unless I have intentionally made it so), and when I think of someone, it’s because I love them, and they’re in my thoughts. I make the effort now to let them know straight away, and it feels amazing for both of us.

I buy things I absolutely cannot say no to, that I love, and with intention and consciousness. And I let them go in the same way.

Today, I dare you - to pick something. A junk-drawer, your handbag, your car, the fridge or pantry, your desk, or an entire room - and declutter it.

If you accept my dare, let me know if the comments what you’re going to declutter, and how you feel. You can even come back here afterwards and report back! I’d love to know what happens for you afterwards.

Love, Hayley x x

P.S - If decluttering your emotional state is somewhere you know you need to start, I can help - sign up for my 8 month small group coaching program Fierce Salon without hesitation and lets get into it.