Kerri L. Richardson - What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You: Uncover the Message in the Mess and Reclaim Your Life

Praise for
WHAT YOUR Clutter IS TRYING TO TELL YOU

Still beating yourself up about the jam-packed garage, the boxes still in the basement, or the overflowing closets and cabinets? Well, its time to stop and read this book.What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You is not your typical clear your clutter and be happy story. It spills the beans on why you havent been motivated to handle the mess, and it shows you how to use your clutter as a catalyst for growth so you can create more space, prosperity, and peace in your life. Clutter isnt your enemy, its your ticket to freedom, and Kerri Richardson will show you how!

Cheryl Richardson, New York Times best-selling author of The Art of Extreme Self-Care

Clutter is modern-day alchemy! In Kerris gem of a book, she explains step-by-step the value of clearing out what isnt needed in your life, as well as some time-honored ways to do it. This book is instantly accessible. Anyones life will improve by following the simple, yet profound, steps available in What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You. Highly recommended!

Denise Linn, best-selling author of Sacred Space and Feng Shui for the Soul

Kerri Richardson helps you clear the clutter in your life by figuring out why its in your life to begin with. It not only helps you eliminate physical clutter, but emotional and mental blockages too, creating space for your soul to be energized! This is a must-read for everyone!

John Holland, psychic medium, spiritual teacher, and best-selling author of Born Knowing

I absolutely love Kerri Richardsons no-nonsense, practical, and action-oriented approach to clearing space and cultivating energy by first putting attention on the obstacles blocking our abundance. What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell is an easy-to-follow guide that will support you in finally clearing the clutter that collects in countless ways, leaving you unencumbered on your path to liberation and abundance.

Nancy Levin, author of Worthy

Kerri Richardson brilliantly bridges the gap between physical clutter and the flow of energy in our lives. With quick, easy, and approachable exercises, one begins to understand that our soul truly needs clarity to live the fullest life. What Your Clutter Is Trying to Tell You is a gentle reminder to be conscious of choices and mindful of our surroundings.

Dougall Fraser, author of Your Life in Color

Copyright 2017 by Kerri L. Richardson

Published and distributed in the United States by: Hay House, Inc.: www.hayhouse.com Published and distributed in Australia by: Hay House Australia Pty. Ltd.:www.hayhouse.com.au Published and distributed in the United Kingdom by: Hay House UK, Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.uk Published and distributed in the Republic of South Africa by: Hay House SA (Pty), Ltd.: www.hayhouse.co.za Distributed in Canada by: Raincoast Books: www.raincoast.com Published in India by: Hay House Publishers India: www.hayhouse.co.in

Cover design: Scott Breidenthal Interior design: Bryn Starr Best
Interior illustrations: Shutterstock.com

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced by any mechanical, photographic, or electronic process, or in the form of a phonographic recording; nor may it be stored in a retrieval system, transmitted, or otherwise be copied for public or private useother than for fair use as brief quotations embodied in articles and reviewswithout prior written permission of the publisher.

The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data on file

Tradepaper ISBN: 978-1-4019-5301-0

10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
1st edition, August 2017

Printed in the United States of America

Contents

Over the past couple of years, Ive downsized like a champ. Ive gone from 2,000 square feet to 700 square feet to 500 square feet, all the while planning to live in a 230-square-foot tiny house (yes, like the ones you see on those TV shows). Ive done the sorting and purging. Ive faced the difficult decisions. Ive processed the guilt from giving away gifts and heirlooms. Ive set challenging boundaries. Ive said good-bye to draining friendships. And Ive worked hard to excavate the stories in the stuff to understand what my clutter was trying to tell me. Doing so has not only helped me create space in my life, but also allowed me to learn about myself in ways I never had before.

Ive never been a pack rat, but Ive been known to get my fix from retail therapy now and then. And Ive fallen victim to the idea of have space, must fill.

This latter trait became especially apparent back when my wife, Melissa, and I made the move from a small apartment to a 2,000-square-foot house. My in-laws had come over to help us set up and make the place feel like home. My father-in-law, a genius at decorating, puts together magazine-worthy rooms.

Before you go to bed, he said, leave out all of your home-decor items. Ill be awake before you, so Ill get going on decorating.

Great! We were excited to see what magic he would work.

When we woke up the next morning, one room was beautifully set up. The others? Barren.

Wheres the rest of your stuff? he asked. I used everything you had in that one room.

Well, we had come from a small apartment.

That was everything, I said, as I shrugged.

Guess wed better go shopping, he said.

And so it began. We had rooms to fill, walls to adorn, and windows to dress. With it being just the two of us, we certainly didnt need a house with a living room and a family room, an eat-in kitchen and a dining room, or three bedrooms and two full bathrooms. But thats what the world tells us success is: more and bigger.

After a handful of years living in the house, I began to tire of the upkeep. A full cleaning took hours. Yard work was eating up weekends. This was not how we wanted to spend our time. Deep down I knew this white-picket-fence lifestyle wasnt for me, but I had gotten caught up in keeping up with the Joneses.

For some, a large house or many belongings may truly bring joy, but I realized in these moments that thats just one template for life. I had long subscribed to the belief that it was the only template. I loved my house and neighborhood, but felt my property and its contents owned me instead of me owning them. Many of the items no longer brought me joy. Often, I felt weighed down by my stuff instead of uplifted by it. Thats when I knew I was surrounded by clutter: physical, financial, and emotional. If this was success, I wasnt interested.

One day, for shits and giggles, I said to Melissa, Do you ever think about cashing it all in and taking off?

You mean, sell the house? she asked.

My question had been rhetorical, but I figured Id play along. I hadnt thought that far, but sure, yeah, sell the house.

I have thought of it, she said. You know, we could move to a different country. Belize is nice and warm. They speak English. They use U.S. currency, and theres a huge expat community. And its not too far, so if we needed to come home, the travel would be easy.