COVID Caused Clutter & Hoarding Habits

Leading the news yesterday was a story how clutter & hoarding have increased due to COVID. I was shocked by that statement, especially since most of the people I had talked with during COVID were taking time to go through things while we were in the mist of the pandemic!

The "just incase I need it" pile

The “just incase I need it” pile

But life has changed since we are no longer “sheltered-in-place!” So has our mental outlook on life in many ways.

Underlying thoughts keep creeping in –

What if there is another major outbreak of COVID?

Will there be supply chain shortages?

Will I have to shelter-in-place again?

How will I take care of my family?

Will I have work or be able to work from home?

Can I mentally make it through another round of this?

What might I need to make it through?

These are just a few of the thoughts I’ve heard from participants in my Clutter Buster programs.

Plus, now we are as busy as ever catching up on all the things we couldn’t do for two years, yet wanted to be DOING! (We’ve forgotten we are human “BEINGS” – not human DOINGS!” Hehe!)

I was hoping the awareness we gleaned as to how the Rat Race had changed our perspective on what is important in life would last several years after the pandemic. But, alas, it only lasted a few months.

Cluttered home w/toys by AMBER LEVENTRY

Cluttered home w/toys by AMBER LEVENTRY

 

 

Some Personal Situations that Can Create Clutter

During my life I have had numerous times where the clutter was out of control. It usually has been a major event in my life.

For instance:

  • When I had emergency surgery and couldn’t get out of bed for months
  • Taking care of my mother through her dementia – decisions on her things
  • My son’s brain surgery and ultimate death – emotional attachments to lost dreams
  • Having my home be the storage for personal belongings of friends who lost their homes
  • My husband starting a business with his secretary leaving me in bankruptcy
  • Working 3 part-time jobs while going to school full-time
  • When I was bedridden, unable to walk for almost a year
  • Completely remodeling the home myself while starting and running my business

And then the eternal tech issues when I’d lose emails and then have “recovered” files with thousands of emails including the ones that had been deleted previously.

Maybe you can picture yourself in one of these “life happens” situations.

Clutter Buster

Clutter Buster

Clutter Buster Program

Several of my participants begged me to continue with the Clutter Buster because they were making such great headway. So here it is!

I’ve scheduled something EVERY DAY – for EIGHT DAYS!!!!!

That is going to be too often for most of you. Choose 3-4 dates & times that work for you. Give yourself a break in between.

It really isn’t good for you to work that constantly on decluttering and organizing. I won’t be working on projects each day either. I’m just setting up the Zoom and creating the opportunity for you to find times that work for you.

Here are the days, dates and times. Hands-On Immersions – September 2023

Dates & Times:

  • September 9 (Saturday) @ 12pm to 2pm PDT
  • September 10 (Sunday) @ 12pm to 2pm PDT
  • September 11 (Monday) @ 2pm to 3:30pm PDT
  • September 12 (Tuesday) @ 10am to 11:30am PDT
  • September 13 (Wednesday) @ 10am to 12pm PDT
  • September 14 (Thursday) @ 12pm to 1:30pm PDT
  • September 15 (Friday) @ 10am to 12pm PDT
  • September 16 (Saturday) @ 12pm to 1:30 pm PDT

Here’s the link to purchase: http://linda.mastermind.com/masterminds/46979

Receive a $100 discount when you APPLY this Discount Code: 77CB

Let’s kick clutter to the curb!

 

 

Grey Feng Shui = Bad Feng Shui

For almost a decade grey has been a “go to” color trend creating a host of less than desirable energy – unless you are selling your house.

Charcoal grey kitchen

Charcoal grey kitchen

Then it might be just what you want since a recent Zillow survey states it might actually increase the sale price of your home. Let me explain more why you don’t want to use it.

One of the ways we create grey is by mixing black and white together. In Feng Shui, black equates to water and white equates to metal. Mixed together, they make grey; mixed together the elements of water will rust metal thus reducing the vitality of the space.

Every color has a vibration. Depending on what you want in your life, you may want to either paint specific colors or bring in area rugs or throw pillows with those colors to enhance the energy of your space.

For instance, if you want more energy, red is a great color. If you want more soothing energy, light blues might be a better choice.

Seafood green bedroom

Seafood green bedroom

Need a spark of creativity, yellow and orange are great stimulator colors. Green, especially in the sea foam or light moss range, gives a room the feeling it is connected to nature and is a restful color.

Paint is a rather low cost way to give your home a vibrational lift, yet it can also be more permanent than the addition of a rug or pillows. I’m a DIYer, so I do my own painting, but that’s not for everyone. Furniture needs to be moved; trim needs to be taped; flaws in the walls need to be fixed. Maybe changing out the drapes would be a quicker and easier way to jazz up the place to see if you even like the color long term.

As an additional note, all white rooms are out. The addition of bright colors to a white room is in. Also, adding wood in warm hues brings a nice contrast and earthiness to otherwise bland rooms.

Those are some current thoughts on ousting grey from the color choices and taking a risk on some tried and true design tips with color splashes!

As far as Feng Shui is concerned, most of the common sense parts of Feng Shui relate to the science of Color Psychology. This is a science I have studied for nearly 40 years starting in my early days in design school.