Don't let clutter hold you back, designer says

Clutter.

It's in your basement, closet, garage, spare bedroom and possibly all over your home.

Those old posters carried over from your college days, clothes you haven't worn in years, magazines and other items you think you need and just can't seem to toss.

But junk could be holding you back from moving on with your life, warns Joyce Kocinski, owner of Design in Balance, the interior design business she operates out of her Elgin home.

Parting with old objects can be like breaking up with someone, Kocinski said.

And like kicking that main squeeze to the curb, dumping old trinkets is sometimes necessary to open yourself up to new possibilities, she said.

"How are you going to move on to the next relationship if you've still got objects and photos hanging around from your last relationship?" Kocinski asked.

Kocinski has owned her company for five years, opening it after having spent years helping friends and family redecorate.

The Chicago native works with homeowners and businesses all over the Fox Valley. Kocinski deals in traditional design properties, such as remodeling rooms and color consultations.

Kocinski also teaches a trio of noncredit design courses at Elgin Community College: "Residential Interior Decorator," "Interior Design with Feng Shui" and "Clearing Clutter with Feng Shui."

Feng Shui consultations make up another portion of Design in Balance's activities.

Feng Shui, which means "wind water" is the ancient Chinese philosophy of organizing your space in a way that balances energy and promotes harmony with nature.

One of the lessons involves moving your bed or sofa to the "command position," a place where you get a clear view of the door to see who's coming in and out, thus allowing energy to circulate.

Feng Shui teachings incorporate five elements into your space: wood, water, metal, fire and earth.

As an example, you could illustrate them by having a wooden coffee table, a metal sculpture, candles, a plant and, to represent water, a mirror.

Colors play a roll in Feng Shui as well, through the Bagua, a diagram featuring nine life areas matched with a corresponding color.

For example, according to Feng Shui, yellow symbolizes health and blue is thought to foster knowledge.

The problem with clutter is that it's counterproductive to Feng Shui's goals, Kocinski said.

When there's junk all over the place, there's an imbalance in one of those life areas, according to the teachings. Cluttered surroundings lead to disorganization, postponed home projects and could affect your safety, she said.

If you can't sleep at night, it could have as much to do with red sheets -- red is a color, she said that doesn't encourage relaxation -- as it does with a cluttered bedroom.

"There's different objects that could be causing negative energy," she said. "All these things could be disturbing your sleep."

Holding onto certain items a beloved relative passed on to you but that don't reflect your personal taste -- a moose head for example -- doesn't do much for your chi, or energy, either.

"Every time you keep something you don't like, it's negative energy," Kocinski said "It's going to build on you and bring you down."

Your best bet is to live with the things you love and donate or sell the rest, she said.

Clutter Patrol

How do you know when it's time to rid your life of those pesky items taking up too much space? This checklist that Joyce Kocinski, owner of Design in Balance, gives her clients can help.

1. Do I need or use it on a regular basis?

2. Is it broken, damaged and has it been in the house for more than a year?

3. Have I moved it more than five times around the house in the last year?

4. Does it bring negative thoughts or memories when I see it?

5. Do I have clothes I haven't worn or magazines I haven't read in more than a year?

• If you answered yes to at least three of these questions, it's time to donate, recycle or sell your old items to make room for new ones.

• Kocinski suggests you divide your items into three piles -- sell, donate and recycle. Start small with clearing out a drawer before moving onto larger projects, like a closet or garage.

Source: Joyce Kocinski, owner of Design in Balance, an Elgin-based interior design company.