How To Declutter Your Life

Are you feeling stuck and overwhelmed? It may be time for you to declutter your life! In this article, “How To Declutter Your Life,” I’ll share my tips on how I purge unnecessary clutter from my home and life.

How Decluttering Can Improve Your Life

I came home the other day and took a look at my room and thought, “What a mess!” I spent three months stuck at home during the Coronavirus quarantine but didn’t take the time to clean up my bedroom or bathroom. My clothes are piling up on a chair, and so have lighting equipment stuffed under my bed. It’s important more than ever to get your house in order so you can create the life that you want. If you feel stuck in your life area (ex. Relationship, career, and spiritual growth), it could be a sign that your holding on to the past. If you’re holding on to the past, how can something new come into your life?

New Beginnings

A two week before New Year, I start a major cleanup. When I was little, my Mom would tell us to clean our rooms and bathrooms before the new year to have a fresh beginning. I would wash my sheets, rearrange my clothes in my dresser and closet, and scrub our bathroom. It always felt good to wake up on New Year’s Day with a clean, organized room. That stuck with me, and I do it every year. Having an annual cleaning (Springtime) on the books is another way to keep clutter to a minimum.

Let It Go

You’re probably singing that catchy song from Frozen by now! It’s time to get to the root of why you have so much stuff. Does have more stuff make you feel important and not alone? Sometimes clutter is a reflection of an emotional need not being met. It’s similar to putting on weight. If you’re a person who doesn’t like attention from men, you might put on weight to keep men away from you. Needless clutter only makes you feel trapped and anxious. Imagine the freedom of being able to find your keys on a clean table instead of buried under a stack of bills.

Release Old Attachments

Clothes, photos, furniture, or toys can easily be attached to a memory or wish for different results. Releasing old attachments can completely change the energy around you. I’m not a scientist or doctor, but I know that humans are energetic beings, and we put our energy into the things that we wear or use. If you end a relationship, I’d suggest getting rid of all objects attached to that relationship. Let me explain why I feel this way. I got rid of everything from my previous relationship except for my bed. My bed used to be my ex-boyfriend’s bed, and he let me have it. Well, after we broke up, I couldn’t afford to buy a new bed. His energy is very much embedded in the mattress I sleep on that it’s blocking new relationship from coming to me. Needless to say, as soon as I have the money, this bed is gone.

Complete Unfinished To-Do’s

Moving on to new things also means making peace with your past. Finishing all your unfinished tasks in your life will give you a sense of accomplishment and closer to completing your projects. Cleaning out your refrigerator, setting up autopay for your bills, and fixing that leaky faucet in the kitchen are some of the tasks that are taking up precious energy and space in your brain. Write down all the tasks you have not completed and set a due date for each of them. Start with the easiest to complete first so you can create momentum.

Decluttering Tips

• Set reasonable expectations for your cleanup. If you’re a hoarder, you won’t be able to clean up your house in one day. It may take weeks to make progress. Start small and work your way up.
• Decluttering Time blocking is setting a small amount of time to focus on decluttering. A while ago, I heard about this challenge to donate or eliminate 27 items a day challenge for a month. I stuck with this challenge and got into a cleaning frenzy. Try it and see if it helps.
• Create a donate, keep, and trash pile. My rule is if I haven’t used it or worn it in three months, it needs to go. 
• Donate clothes that don’t fit. There’s no reason to hold onto clothes that you may or may not get back into in the future. 
• If you buy something new, donate the same number of items to a local charity. 
• If you still don’t feel better after purging, make sure to double-check for items associated with a past relationship. I’m a firm believer in energy being transferred from a person to an object. Pictures, clothing, jewelry, pillows all have to go!
• Books are tricky! I have so many books. I don’t know what to do with it. You can donate books to a local library or used book store. If all else fails, you can recycle them.
• Throw away expired makeup even if it’s unused. 
• Shred letters and old documents that you don’t know. Here is a good rule of thumb for how long to keep records such as tax returns, credit card statements, etc.
• Put on your favorite music and set a timer, and get to work!

Now you have a complete plan on how decluttering can change your life. You may notice a lightening of your mood and a shift in your energy. New opportunities that you never had will start to pop up in your life. You don’t have to be perfect and have a spotless home; that’s not the point. The point is to have a fresh, clean, and open space to restore calm in your life. If you enjoyed this article, check out How To Change Your Life in 2020