The ancient art and science of feng shui gives you the tools to create balance and harmony in your surroundings, which helps you to move forward with ease and inspiration. One of the basic tenets of feng shui is that you are influenced by everything in your outer environment. So, if you arrange your environment in a way that properly circulates life-force energy, you will flourish. Like yoga, feng shui can be a lifestyle—a new way of living in the world that continually moves towards positive flow and inner peace.

From a feng shui standpoint, clutter stops the flow of positive energy in your space and ultimately in your life. It creates depression, confusion, fear, frustration and distraction from your goals. As you know, everything is energy—and clutter happens to be "stuck" energy. You must clear it now so you can easily implement feng shui enhancements, such as plants, light and moving water into your environment. If your space is full of clutter and you add energy to it, guess what? You are energizing the clutter and that is not good feng shui. Honestly, ask yourself, "Is my environment supporting me on my life path?

Look around your home. Is it filled with your cherished mementos and favorite furniture? Is it the home you imagined for yourself or have you allowed it to become overrun with clutter? If your space has magazines and newspapers in piles on the floor, rickety furniture in need of repair, inherited gifts you don't like and closets overflowing with stuff you're sure you'll need one day, you may be suffering from "clutter-itis." It's a serious condition that drains your energy, clogs your emotions, confuses your mind and stops you from putting one foot in front of the other. Literally, if you can't walk through your space without getting tangled in the cobwebs of clutter, then life force energy can't either.

Breaking free from the constraints of clutter allows you and your space to take a deep, expansive breath of life. You must open up your lungs, heart and mind to a breath of possibility and opportunity. A wellspring of imagination and creativity is patiently waiting at your doorstep, wondering when you will clear the way and invite it inside. The sky is truly the limit, but when you are surrounded by clutter, you panic and stop breathing, burdened by all the "things" you have accumulated. However, when you clear the clutter, your creative juices are given free reign.

In Chapter Three of “Feng Shui Your Life”, I list the four kinds of clutter that keep you from moving forward in your personal and professional life.

Common Clutter
You have too much unused, unloved, unnecessary, and messy stuff littering your space. Examples include junk mail, broken objects, old newspapers, and magazines.

Symbolic Clutter
You have objects that consciously or unconsciously affect your emotions and thoughts in a negative way. Examples include unsuccessful projects, gloomy artwork, and disheartening books.

Energy Clutter
All items are attached to you by an invisible cord. Some instantaneously deplete your energy. Examples include photos of people who disapprove of you, gifts from a past relationship, and inherited furniture you’ve kept out of guilt.

Mental and Emotional Clutter
These are unresolved emotional issues, tasks you’ve avoided handling, and draining relationships. Examples are friends you need to confront, doctor’s appointments to be scheduled, and people you need to clear from your life.

These four types of clutter affect your whole life. Start by clearing the physical clutter. In my book, I recommend four questions to ask when examining each object. 1) Do I love it? 2) Do I use it? 3) Do I need it? 4) Does it evoke a positive feeling and make me smile?

Jayme Barrett is the Los Angeles Best-Selling author of “Feng Shui Your Life” and has appeared on The Today Show, NBC, HGTV, STYLE, and E! ENTERTAINMENT. Jayme consults on residential and commercial properties, offers workshops and lives in Los Angeles. She can be reached at (310) 452-9737 or at jayme@jaymebarrett.com. For more information, visit www.jaymebarrett.com