how to declutter.
Decluttering is the intentional choice to, “remove a mess or clutter and to organize and prioritize your possessions and commitments.”
We love the work of Japanese decluttering expert, Marie Kondo and her KonMari Method. Her guiding principle is decluttering should be about letting go of what is no longer serving you, to make more space for the things that bring you joy.
We take her method a step further, incorporating mindful living insights, so you can live more aligned to your personal values, enjoy the mental, physical, and financial benefits of having less stuff, while experiencing a more satisfying life.
Pro Tip: Be sure not to mistake organizing for decluttering. There’s a big difference between organizing your stuff and letting go of the things that are no longer serving a positive purpose in your life.
How Decluttering Can Help.
Letting go of the things you no longer use or enjoy, doesn’t just feel good, it’s actually good for your mental and physical health. It frees up energy reserves you may not have even realized were being zapped. It helps you focus your attention on the things that researchers show increase your life satisfaction and long-term happiness — like experiences and relationships.
DECLUTTERING REDUCES DECISION FATIGUE.
All those little choices you have to make throughout the day add up. Decision like: what to wear, eat, when to get the card for your friend’s birthday party, which road to take on the way to work, how long to exercise, when to unload the dishwasher, and finally paint those walls may not seem like they take up a lot of energy, but they do. Even the one’s you’re not consciously aware of.
They’re called micro-decisions. Micro-decisions weaken your willpower and your ability to make the best decision on important matters. Clutter not only contributes to increased choices, but also creates a sort of ongoing static — aka stress — within your environment. It can also contribute to feelings of guilt about not using or caring for your items in the way you feel those items should be used, which can increase your stress and serve as a tap on your energy levels.
2. DECLUTTERING RELIeVES STRESS.
Research out of UCLA shows that decluttering relieves stress, increases your willpower, gives you more energy, and ultimately makes you happier. By taking the time to 'confront yourself' by removing clutter in your life, you’re forced to evaluate why you may have been mindlessly consuming things you don't actually need or want. It helps you shift out of auto-pilot.
Becoming aware of what you consume — and what you don't — allows you to become more intentional about what is important to you and helps you live more aligned to your values, which makes you happier! Learn more about clutter culture in America.
3. DECLUTTERING MAKES US HAPPIER.
Research shows that having to make too many decisions can even put you in a bad mood, which isn’t good for you, your coworkers, or your families. Removing clutter from your life and cutting out unnecessary decisions throughout our day gives us more mental energy, helps us make better decisions on important matters and leaves us happier.
4. DECLUTTERING MAKES US Healthier.
Simplifying our lives gives us more willpower to avoid instant gratification decisions like eating unhealthily or stress shopping and focus more on longterm goals. Decluttering may also improve your sleep habits, which is frequently linked to better health outcomes.
Simplifying our lives and decluttering our homes gives us the mental space to be present with the people around us, and may even give us more time to spend doing the things we love, because there is less stuff to manage.
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Decluttering: Where To Start.
Life is full of transitions. Your interests change. Your fashion changes. Your body changes. Your priorities change. The space you live in changes. Everything changes. Yet, most of us are resistant to change — even if we don’t want to be.
Decluttering forces you to look at your own resistance to change and challenges the way you’ve always done things. It makes you more aware of the reasons behind your consumptions habits, what you’ve accumulated and how that plays into an attachment to the past or a fear of the future.
Decluttering also give you the space to grow into new chapters of your life. It helps you live more mindfully, learn how have more and desire less by focusing your time, money, and energy on the things that will help you lead a happy, healthy, and satisfying life.
Yet, with all the methods of accumulation we have in society: birthdays, weddings, showers, holidays, we really have no specific events, or social cues about when to let go of the things we no longer need — even when we know we want to. So, stuff piles up. And it sits. And it waits. Until all of a sudden you decide to make a change.
Deciding to make that change is a big decision, but getting it done takes a lot more effort.
practical tips to FOR DECLUTTERING.
COMMIT TO DECLUTTERING.
IMAGINE YOUR IDEAL LIFESTYLE.
HONE YOUR ABILITY TO DISCERN WHAT YOU LOVE.
LET GO OF THE THINGS THAT DON’T SERVE YOU.
WORK BY CATEGORY, NOT LOCATION. (WORK THROUGH SENTIMENTAL ITEMS LAST!)
GIVE EVERYTHING A PROPER HOME.
33 Things I learned from a week-long decluttering session with my mother.
Declutter Your Home.
Our homes are supposed to be places of relaxation and rejuvenation. Often though, they end up being expensive storage spaces for things we don't use or we even forgot we owned! That’s why we support introducing an annual fall decluttering session. It’s a great way to clear mental and physical space before we spend the long winter indoors and it book-ends an annual spring cleaning.
American culture is based on hyper-consumption, so the first time you go through the decluttering process will take a notable amount of time and effort, because you’re having to do a lot of mental work in accessing who you are and what you want. You also own a lot more stuff that you realize.
Don’t throw your stuff away! Instead, make an effort to sell or donate these items. It feels good knowing that other people can use the things that no longer serve you — and it saves our landfills from filling up with unnecessary waste and encourages a culture of the 5-R’s: Reduce, Reuse, Repurpose, Repair, Recycle, which is better for you and our planet.
It can also be helpful to declutter based on the beginning or ending of seasons or holidays. For example, every spring letting go of anything you didn’t use over the winter. Every New Year decluttering your desk, or every birthday making a point to let go of the same amount of new things that come into your home, or declutter by seasonal items, like your Christmas decorations, gardening tools, yard games or sports activities.
Later, when you’re in the habit of decluttering on a monthly or annual basis it will be much easier to declutter your home quickly.
Declutter Your Clothes: Capsule Wardrobe
Clearing your closet and creating a capsule wardrobe is an excellent place to start decluttering your home. Research shows that if you’re like the vast majority of American’s you’re wearing only 20% of the clothing you own. When you let go of the 80% of things you aren’t using or no longer love, you not only save time — usually about 15+ minutes each day — in getting ready, but you reduce decisions and stress.
Clothing is the skin you choose to wear, how you choose to express yourself and how you want others to see you. Wearing clothing you love makes you feel good and gives you confidence in other areas of your life too.
Create a capsule wardrobe that is specific to your lifestyle — not what you “think” should be included in your capsule. If your work requires specific attire that you won’t enjoy wearing otherwise, it can be a good idea to create a capsule office wardrobe too. Need more inspiration? Check out these 9 real capsule wardrobe examples.
Declutter Your Mind.
Meditation also helps you clear out the negative chatter, reconnect with your values, and literally re-wire your brain so you can choose to respond instead of react. This can be immensely helpful in learning how to have more by desiring less and increasing your productivity and focus. Certain types of meditation practices can also help you be more present, kind, and thoughtful to the people around you — a big win for everyone!
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Become A Decluttering ExperT.
Ready to declutter your home like a pro? Check out Seek United’s free online courses to help you learn how to declutter your home and clear your closet quickly so you can invest more of your time and energy on the things and people you love.
MINDFUL LIVING RESOURCES.
Learn more about decluttering and mindful living by attending a wellness workshop or hiring Seek United founder, Bri Harrington, as your personal wellness coach.