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I Letting go of clutter is the biggest lesson of my life. If you have more books on your shelf than you could ever read in a lifetime, it is probably one of the lessons you need to learn too!

When I go on a trip, I pack everything! God forbid I should be without something that a whim might suggest I need. Sound familiar?

My closets are filled with clothes I’ll never wear unless it starts snowing in L.A. or I lose 40 pounds and the style regresses 30 years.

I have everything I need, but I can never find it when I need it. So I wind up buying another one!

Since the visible is merely a manifestation of the invisible, the mind clutter is just as boggling. And it doesn’t stop there—what we do anywhere is what we do everywhere! So, I could look at any part of my life—relationships, projects, eating habits, grievances, responsibilities, pets, etc. and I’d see clutter—if I were truly and brutally honest.

It almost feels like there is a love affair going on with "stuff". This includes food. Overeating, in my opinion, is a form of clutter. I always eat more than I need. It gives me the illusion of "having" since I feel full for a moment.

Ram Dass, the author of Be Here Now, said he saved things because he was afraid of not having a "now" at some time in the future. I have begun to realize that I will always have a "now" and am beginning, finally, to let go.

While I have no quick and easy answers to this clutter problem, I can say that getting free of it requires a willingness to change, a willingness to let in the truth. Hoarding needs to be looked at squarely in the face for what it is—a sham. It is a replacement for trust. I don’t trust that I have the love I need. I don’t really believe that there is a God. If I did, I wouldn’t idolize my "stuff" and use it for "just in case".

What is the cost of holding on to unneeded things-tangible and intangible? It is a drain on one’s energy and often of one’s finances. Many people pay to store things they eventually throw out! The space taken up by clutter cuts down the usable space in one’s home, office, car, or life. It uses up valuable time dealing with it. Hoarding keeps one very preoccupied. It is a distraction. In the body it is stagnation-and can manifest as constipation, excess weight, and circulation problems.

But more importantly, by saying, "Yes" to clutter, what are you saying, "No" to? For every "yes" in life there is always a "no" and vice versa.

Through clutter I am saying, "Yes to fear and small-minded thinking" and saying, "No to true abundance." Giving up one’s baggage is a way of saying, "uncle". It requires enormous trust that whatever you truly need will be provided for you.

Basically, clutter is a lack of movement. It is a resistance to the movement of God. It is a digging in of the heels. On the other hand, trust, at first, feels like flying without a net.

Sound scary? Well, begin by just noticing the fear and lack of trust. Becoming conscious of where you are is the first step in any change. Once you begin to see how much fear you have, start looking at how it is robbing you of your life-because it truly is.

When you really get that, you will begin to be more willing to change. As your willingness gets stronger, so too will your trust grow. Vigilance for only trust in your life will eventually become your new habit. What a relief to finally discover that less is more. Happy allowing!

Certified Personal & Professional Life Coach Pauline Thom has taught Anger Management in prisons and taught meditation to prisoners on how to see themselves and their world differently. A Course in Miracles coach & member of the International Coaches Federation, Pauline can be reached at (714) 751-HOPE (4673) or emailed at coachpal@flash.net