Declutter Your Life: The Path To Clarity And Peace
Learn the art of decluttering and declutter your life with ease with this simple, yet productive, decluttering guide helping you to create more clarity, focus and balance in your life. Get the ultimate decluttering checklist and embrace a new beginning today.
>>> Check out my favourite Amazon home storage and organization ideas <<<
Table of Contents
Key takeouts
- Decluttering is more than just cleaning up or organizing your home, it is a holistic approach to creating a more intentional and peaceful life.
- Physical clutter vs mental clutter: Physical clutter refers to items such as furniture, clothes, gadgets, etc. that you have in your home, but don’t use any more. Mental clutter refers to your thoughts, worries, and any distractions that overwhelm your mind and hinder your ability to focus and think clearly.
- The benefits of decluttering are reduced stress, increased productivity, enhanced creativity, enhanced emotional well-being, being more present, etc.
- Declutter your life with me as I walk you through my decluttering checklist and give you all my decluttering hacks, tips and tricks to help you declutter your life physically and mentally.
- Begin anew and start a clutter-free life today.
Disclosure: Please note that some of the links in this blog post are affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, meaning that if you click through & make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for your support.
Decluttering is more than just cleaning up or organizing your home, decluttering is a holistic approach to creating a more intentional and peaceful life; making space for the things that bring more joy and fulfilment into your life.
I 🖤 decluttering and today I will walk you through my decluttering checklist and give you all my decluttering hacks, tips and tricks to help you declutter your life physically and mentally, both go hand in hand if you ask me.
So, if you currently feel overwhelmed with all the things in your life and like the sound of a fresh start, this is your sign to make it happen. Let me show you how to organize and reset your life in 5 simple yet effective steps.
Physical and mental clutter
Ok, first things first, what is physical clutter and what is mental clutter?
Physical clutter refers to items such as furniture, clothes, gadgets, etc. that you have in your home, but don’t use any more. In some cases, these items can create a bit of chaos in your home making it difficult to relax, focus and find what you are looking for.
Mental clutter refers to your thoughts, worries, and any distractions that overwhelm your mind and hinder your ability to focus and think clearly. The idea of mental decluttering is rooted in mindfulness.
Both go hand in hand, as a cluttered home for example can contribute to a cluttered mind, leading to feelings of stress, anxiety, and even depression. On the other hand, a clean, organized space can help promote a sense of calm and order.
Benefits of a clutter-free life
The benefits of decluttering your life go way beyond just having a tidy and organized home or a clear and calm mind, decluttering can enhance the quality of life on many different levels.
- Reduced stress – a tidy and organized space can lower stress levels
- Increased productivity – living in an uncluttered environment helps to focus and will boost productivity
- Enhanced creativity – clearing items away can boost creativity as it creates space for new ideas to flourish
- Enhanced emotional well-being – letting go of negative thoughts and worries leads to a more positive and peaceful state of mind
- Better sleep quality – a calm mind will help improve your sleeping patterns
- Reduced anxiety – by addressing and releasing mental clutter you can reduce feelings of anxiety and overwhelm
- Be more present – mental decluttering allows you to be more present and enjoy life to the fullest
- …
The list continues, but I guess you get the idea of how decluttering can benefit your life on so many levels.
To declutter your life is pretty much like a cleanse. By embracing the benefits of a clutter-free life, you open yourself up to greater clarity, and creativity, as well as physical and mental well-being overall.
5 Effective decluttering hacks for quick and lasting results
Below is my decluttering checklist to help you bring more clarity, focus and balance into your life.
By following these 5 effective decluttering hacks you will see quick results, no fuss, trust me, with your commitment and my decluttering checklist we will get the job done!
1. Declutter and simplify your home
Get a couple of cardboard boxes (you might need more if you have a bigger decluttering job to do) and label them ‘toss’ and ‘charity’.
Systematically go from room to room and get rid of the items that you no longer need or use.
Start with the big, obvious items first, once these are out of the way look at smaller items. As you go from room to room, also check your cupboards, drawers etc.
Questions to help you let go of items:
- Is this item functional?
- Have I used this item in the last year?
- Do I use this item regularly?
If you answer one of these questions with ‘no’, toss the item or put it into the charity box.
Approach the step to declutter and simplify your home with a vision in mind for example:
- Living room – your vision could be to create a space in which you can relax and unwind after a long day
- Bedroom – your vision could be to create a sanctuary, a space that promotes restful sleep and relaxation
- Kitchen – your vision could be to simplify things for the most efficiency
- Bathroom – your vision could be to create a Spa feeling and keep the space functional at the same time
This is the first step of how to declutter your life. Take your time as you declutter your home and stay focused on your vision. You got this.
My favourite home storage and organization ideas from Amazon
When it comes to decluttering, there are a lot of different storage and organization ideas that can help you reduce the chaos and keep a nice, clean, and tidy living environment moving forward.
Below are some of my favourite storage and organization ideas. As always, with 🖤 from me to you.
Keep all your cleaning products organized and in one place with this multi-purpose under-sink organizer. Ideal for sinks, kitchens and bathrooms.
Keep your refrigerator, kitchen cabinets, pantry, etc. clean and neatly organized with these space-saving clear storage bins.
This kitchen and pantry organizer and storage set comes with 24 containers. Perfect for storing flour, sugar, spaghetti, rice, nuts, cereal, snacks, pasta, etc.
Perfect for keeping your make-up and other beauty products organized. With a stackable design, this makeup organizer helps to maximize space on shelves, under the sink, and on bathroom counters.
Everything you need is beautifully held together with this minimalistic yet stylish bathroom organizer.
Commit to a clutter-free bathroom with these waterproof storage baskets. A set of three, available in different colours.
This stylish cable management box comes with an artistic vertical texture design to beautify your home or office helping you to keep your cables neat and in one place.
This hanging closet organizer has it all: convenient design, premium material, large capacity, space-saving and versatile storage options. Perfect to maximize space in small closets.
This set comes with 16 dresser organizers in different sizes of boxes to match various sizes of drawers; helping you to make life neater and save more space.
All right my friends, the next point, digital decluttering, sits a bit in between physical and mental decluttering I would say, however, definitely a point to be considered as it brings so much mental freedom.
2. Digital decluttering
From overflowing inboxes to chaotic file systems, digital clutter can create additional stress and hinder your productivity.
Organize your files, do your backups, delete what you no longer need, manage your notifications, manage your emails, etc.
To help you go through this process of digital decluttering, simply follow the digital decluttering checklist below:
Digital decluttering checklist:
- Delete all the files that you do not need anymore on your hard drive and desktop
- Organise files and folders
- Back up your files
- Unsubscribe to all newsletters that you don’t open
- Delete the Apps that you no longer use from all your devices
- Clean up your contact list
- Uninstall software that you no longer need
- Organize your email inbox
- Manage your photos
- Unfollow and unsubscribe social media accounts that no longer interest you or positively contribute to your life
If there is anything else you would like to add to this digital decluttering checklist, go ahead.
By implementing these strategies, you will create a more organized and less stressful digital environment, leading to increased productivity and a greater sense of control over your digital life.
As of now, we have moved into the space of mental decluttering and the following points will help you to decrease mental clutter, live a more intentional life and thus increase your well-being and bring more inner freedom and balance into your life.
3. Reconsider your routines
Take a moment to reflect on your current routines and evaluate what is working in your life and what might need a little bit of adjustment.
Ask yourself:
- What current habits or routines make me feel energized and fulfilled, and how can I incorporate more of these into my daily life?
- Which parts of my daily routine feel draining or unproductive, and what changes can I make to improve my routines?
- How do my current routines support or hinder my physical and mental health? What changes can I make to improve my physical and mental well-being?
- Are there any habits that I have outgrown or no longer align with my personal growth and life goals? What changes do I need to make moving forward?
By thoughtfully revisiting and refining your daily routines, you can create a more balanced and purposeful life that supports your physical and mental well-being.
4. Reduce your commitments
Reducing your commitments can help you regain control of your time and energy, reduce stress levels, and help you keep the focus on the things that matter to you.
Below are a few tips to help you reduce your commitments:
- Define your values – get clear about your values and the things that matter most to you
- Review your current commitments – evaluate your current commitments and check how these commitments align with your values and life goals
- Learn to say ‘no’ – protect your time and energy and learn to say ‘no’ to the things that are not aligned with your values, goals and the life that you are looking to create for yourself
5. Set healthy boundaries in your relationships
Setting healthy boundaries in your relationships is crucial for maintaining your well-being and achieving a healthy and balanced lifestyle.
Boundaries help you define your limits and protect your personal space, ensuring that your relationships remain positive and respectful.
Below are a few tips to help you establish healthy boundaries in your relationships:
- Define your core values
- Understand what is important to you in a friendship/relationship
- Express your boundaries in a clear and respectful manner
- Once you have established your boundaries, stick with them and follow through
- Respect other’s boundaries as you respect your boundaries
- Regularly reassess your boundaries and adjust where needed
By setting and maintaining healthy boundaries, you create a foundation for more fulfilling and respectful relationships.
In addition, these relationships come with potential for growth on both sides, foster trust and create a sense of safety.
How often should you declutter your life?
I go through my decluttering checklist once a year. Spring is always a great time to declutter your life as Spring is the beginning of a new season and brings an energetic fresh start.
Leverage the energy of Spring and combine your decluttering with your Spring cleaning to reorganize your home, give your living space a refresh and create space for more joy and happiness in your life.
Tip: I recommend physical decluttering before every move. A move is the perfect excuse to declutter your home. Check out these simple and cheap moving tips.
I 🖤 decluttering and right now, my life fits in 4 suitcases and 1 large DHL box. I have moved countries a lot over the past years, so in a way, I was pushed to declutter my life regularly.
Do I have some ‘Schnick Schnack’ items? Of course, I do. To declutter your life doesn’t mean to get rid of everything, I would never get rid of my mini mouse ears even though I don’t wear them every day 🖤.
However, if you decide to declutter your life, I promise you that you will feel a huge difference. Always start with the physical decluttering first as this will give you a great basis for the mental decluttering.
As always, thank you for your time and space, my friends! By the way, have you signed up for my newsletter yet? If not, make sure to sign up for my newsletter before you go. This way you will always stay up to date with all my latest blog posts, well-being tips, yoga offerings and much more. I look forward to connecting with you!
Stay wild,
Nicolle
Featured Image by Paige Cody on Unsplash
Hi, I am Nicolle, a Senior Marketing professional, certified Yoga Teacher and Wellness Blogger. I am the founder of Let Your Shadow Shine Yoga and this blog. I am here to support you along your self-discovery journey, offering empowering tools like yoga, holistic well-being tips and transformative personal growth strategies.
Such brilliant tips!! I’m so happy to see you’ve included mental decluttering here, its a concept many people overlook but I think its just as important as decluttering everyday objects
I’ve spent the last 6mo slowly reducing what I own, drawer, cabinet, and closet alike. I aspire to own so little and blow with the wind. 🙂
…blow with the wind….I like that! Thanks for stopping by Bobby and leaving a comment, much appreciated!
Thanks so much for your comment, Leena! I couldn’t agree more with what you said about mental decluttering, so important and makes such a huge difference.
I LOVE de-cluttering. My boyfriend calls me the Queen of trash because I love getting rid of things! But one thing I need to do this spring is go through my clothes. Thank you for the motivation!
I really like that title 😉
Thanks so much for your comment, Kristin! Have a nice day!
So great and wonderful tips, thanks for sharing all this info 🙂
Thanks, Ramy! Good luck with your decluttering 😉
Great tips and so important for mental health. We can easily get stuck into the go go go mentally and forget to care for our well-being. Really resonated when you said, “decluttering is all about reducing chaos in your life”.
Yes, the ‘go, go, go’ mode is such a trap!!! Thank you so much for leaving a comment, Charlie-Elizabeth 😉
Mental decluttering is something I’ve been working on for a while. It’s so important!!
I couldn’t agree more! It made such a difference in my life! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment, Aubrey!