Portion of share session transcription:

Abby: I really like how it turned out. When I got rid of that big credenza, I felt like I was pushing it off my chest. Just opening up the white space, I don’t know, it’s calming.

Lyndsay: Anything going through this process you process that you kind of picked up or learned or felt.

Abby: “I didn’t realize that I was kind of a clutter bug. I didn’t realize that about myself. I thought I was super practical, and I just wanted my living space to work like a machine. I wanted everything to be where I needed it but that was making my brain kind of cluttered. And it was like the space was – it was like it was reflecting my mood. It was a contagious thing.

Lyndsay: Well two weeks. I know you’ve been really busy and you said there’s been a lot going on at work. Do you feel different? Do you have an itch for more stuff?

 Abby: Yeah, I mean I do feel different. I recently decided to take a higher paying job, well at least to apply for a higher paying job. I know that doesn’t have anything to do with this necessarily, but I feel like it’s all kind of connected. I’ve restarted my meditation practice. I restarted reading poetry. I started reading the I Ching, which is like an ancient Chinese religious text. And for whatever reason I wasn’t interested in sitting still in the space and doing those things. But now I am and it really helps my concentration and rest of my life.

Recap email below:

 Hi Lyndsay,

 I want to start off by thanking you for investing your time to guide me through this process. It has reignited my sense of creativity, and our results are so fulfilling. You have educated me in a way that, when I find a more ideal space, will continue to enhance my mental health and my ability to create a beautiful, peaceful ambience. 

I remember starting this project with you, initially feeling a sense of defeat in this tiny, one-bedroom apartment of mine. I was not aware that the clutter in my space was wafting an air of stress. I told myself the clutter was "functional," when it actually made me dread entering the kitchen where I need to work the most. I dreaded the dining room too, which is where I wanted to work on multiple creative projects but just couldn't bring myself to spend time in the room. The reality is, it was a dysfunctional space. I was resigned to the idea that this is the nature of small apartments: Essence of claustrophobia. You showed me I was wrong. 

In the beginning, thinking about all the things I would need to change according to biophilic design and feng shui was a little overwhelming. I knew there was a lot of work ahead of me, but was hopeful that the end result would be worth it. The task requiring the most manpower was removing the large credenza against my dining room wall. Once that was gone I could breathe a little easier, and the process flowed more freely. I spent time sorting through belongings, deciding which things I needed, which things I wanted, and which things were just weighing me down. I procrastinated about this task for awhile- I told myself it was going to be tedious, but it ended up being cathartic. I made several trips to Goodwill and each time came home feeling a bit lighter. It occurred to me that the workload would be lighter when I finally move out of this apartment, again decreasing my sense of stress. 

Something that held me back from completely eliminating the clutter was that I plan to move soon. This prevented me from fully throwing myself into my current living space. So I kept lots of kitchen supplies and gadgets that I knew I would be using in the future and they remain on a cluttered shelf in the dining room. I do not like borrowing things from people or asking for favors if I can help it, so I keep things around that I only need every couple of years, like a heavy duty hand truck and a dolly. I value as much independence as possible. I found it difficult to eliminate a lot of my clothes, even if I haven't worn them in years, because my goal is to change jobs soon. So perhaps I'll be wearing business casual instead of scrubs in my work life. This is an aspect that needs more effort on my part though. I definitely have more clothes than I will ever need. It's a work-in-progress. If my plan was to live in my current residence and stay in my current job long term I might rent a storage space, or donate more things to Goodwill. There are just some big moving pieces at this stage. 

Simply taking a calendar off of the wall and putting it in a more hidden place gave me such a sense of relief. It opened up the space in a way I did not expect. It was like a weight was lifted. I never knew how important it was to show the blank space on my walls. That feeling motivated me throughout this process. Then I moved my mirror to a wall that would reflect some natural light, and give a view of the entrance to the apartment. That opened up the space further and provided a sense of security. It hadn't occurred to me that not being able to visualize the entrance to the living space can create anxiety, but it makes perfect sense. Seeing the locked door is a reassurance. 

The fun part for me was rearranging my decorations. I should give myself credit- I have a great sense of beauty, but just didn't know how to arrange it optimally. Your knowledge has turned my dining room into a space where I love to sit. I have started working on creative projects again since I followed your suggestions. I have a greater sense of calm in my apartment now and have started a meditation practice along with reading poetry and religious texts. Before engaging in this process with you, I had too much anxiety to sit still and spend time with the things that ultimately feed my soul. For me that was an unexpected result, but now I see how the space I create is sort of a representation of my psyche. It's all connected. So it's cool to see the inside manifesting on the outside. It kind of volleys back and forth in a cycle that is continuously evolving and improving. 

Anyway, thanks again,

Abby