Decluttering can be the start to a new beginning. Getting rid of the old energy to allow the new. More space in your physical realm can open up your creative pathways and allow more peace.
What would less clutter offer you?
I’ve always felt the need the purge as I am packing up and moving to a new space. There are practical reasons for this, of course. It doesn’t make sense to spend the time (and money) physically moving things that are either trash or useless to you now.
I realized this on an even deeper scale in 2018, when I had to get rid of everything (yes, everything) I owned after living in toxic mold that contaminated all my belongings.
The hardest to part with was my wardrobe that I had spent years building. However, once the bandaid was ripped off, I felt energetically lighter and over time realized how much “stuff” we don’t actually use or need.
There’s lots of science to back up this sense of feeling better from less clutter, too. A recent study from UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives and Families (CELF) discovered that clutter has a profound effect on our mood and self-worth. Research shows that decluttering can increase productivity, improve sleep, and induce more peace which overall makes our lives better.
Here are some tips I have found helpful to declutter.
MINDSET
Going through your house with the mindset of moving even if you are not is very helpful. If you see an item that you wouldn’t want to go through the hassle of keeping: get rid of it.
WARDROBE
Rule of thumb: if you haven’t worn the item in the last 90 days it is time to say farewell. We tend to hang on to things that we think maybe one day we will want to wear. The truth is we normally rotate our few favorite items over and over.
*Tip: keep a box in your closet. Anytime you put on something you don’t feel good in; toss it in the box. This will make cutting down on your wardrobe easy.
ONE SPACE AT A TIME
Commit to working through one room or closet. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by thinking of decluttering your whole house / garage. Take one room or even one corner at a time. Breaking it into manageable pieces will help you not to feel flooded with overwhelm which can lead to giving up completely. Doesn’t it feel good to look at a clean and newly organized space?! Use that as fuel to keep going.
SUPPORT
Our stuff often carries memories and other emotional attachments. When you are going through the process, ask a trusted friend or anyone who feels supportive to you to join. Including outside help can take some of the pressure off. Make it into a party – that way you can have fun while you honor the memories some items hold, let it go, and move to the future!
GAIN VS LOSS
Getting rid of our possessions can bring up some negative emotions that have you focusing on the loss. Try to shift your focus on what you are gaining by letting go. Every item you let go of that’s “dead weight” will in turn free up space & energy for you to use as you want!