| One of the highlights of my summer 'vacation' was | | | | 6 - Does it need to be fixed or repaired, and am I |
| to downsize!!! Many of my real estate clients are | | | | willing to do so now? |
| downsizing in order to, for example: 1) hang up the | | | | 7 - If it's time to let it go, am I going to sell, lend, or |
| lawnmower and spend less time on yard | | | | give it away, and when? |
| maintenance, 2) move into a smaller home, town | | | | The reality of the situation was that I had to be |
| home, or condo with a master bedroom on the main | | | | moved in by August 1st - so I had a specific deadline |
| level - for stair-free living, or 3) move to some type | | | | I had to meet. This was a good thing, of course - |
| of assisted care facility - for an easier, less-stressed | | | | because now I was forced to face all of that stuff - |
| lifestyle. | | | | in my closets, drawers, attic, and, garage.... boxes of |
| For a number of different reasons, I decided to | | | | paper, items of clothing I had not worn in years, |
| move from my approx. 1650 sq. ft. home into a | | | | multiple sets of dishes, old pieces of furniture that I |
| 1-BDR apartment! Wow - for sure, this would be an | | | | will paint "someday," etc. |
| "extreme makeover" - not to mention an "extreme | | | | My good friend and professional organizer, Katrina |
| exercise" in downsizing and de-cluttering! However, | | | | Solomon, has a favorite definition of clutter that I |
| moving into a new space became a perfect | | | | have adopted: clutter is postponed decisions and |
| opportunity for me to employ Feng Shui guidelines | | | | delayed action. And all of the clutter that I had |
| for de-cluttering. | | | | accumulated over the years had become invisible - |
| Here are 7 questions I asked myself - to help | | | | until now! |
| de-clutter and downsize in to my new, much smaller | | | | One of the reasons I embraced the challenge of |
| digs! And to acknowledge the source of these 'Seven | | | | moving to a much smaller space was because - like |
| "Clear the Way" Questions,' they are listed on p. 21 in | | | | so many of us today - I had begun to feel very |
| the book written by Terah Kathryn Collins, The | | | | overwhelmed and stressed with trying to keep up |
| Western Guide to Feng Shui - Room by Room. For all | | | | with a variety of personal and professional obligations |
| the items that I was about to move (or get rid of), I | | | | and commitments. And I knew intuitively that when I |
| asked: | | | | began the process of simplifying and organizing that |
| 1 - Do I love it? | | | | the net effect would be a feeling of being more in |
| 2 - Do I need it? | | | | control, less stressed, more inspired - and there |
| 3 - Does it reflect who I am and who I'm becoming? | | | | would be more time and energy for new projects |
| 4 - Does it act as an energy-boosting affirmation for | | | | and creative initiatives. Well, it has all worked out |
| me? | | | | beautifully! I have new-found energy, excitement - |
| 5 - What positive and/or negative thoughts, | | | | and truly feel re-energized and rejuvenated. |
| memories, or emotions do I associate with it? | | | | |