A Fresh Start: Declutter Your Life To Find More Clarity And Harmony

Time for a fresh start? Learn the art of decluttering and get ready to declutter your life with ease with this simple, yet productive, decluttering guide helping you to overcome the overwhelm, declutter your life, and create more clarity and harmony for yourself.

>>> Bonus: List of home storage and organization ideas <<<

Does your life feel packed, heavy, and overloaded with all the wrong things?

Do you feel a desire for change?

…what if I told you that decluttering can help you create more space for the things that truly matter to you in life?

Just imagine…

Less clutter, instead, more organization and structure.

Fewer commitments, instead, more time for yourself.

Less distraction, instead, more intention and awareness.

Less anxiety, instead more clarity and harmony.

Join me and get ready to declutter your life and live the change that you desire.

---

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.

---

Declutter your life meaning

In short, decluttering your life is all about reducing chaos in your life. And once the chaos is gone you see more clearly (literally!!!) and that allows you to focus more on the things that actually matter to you.

Decluttering includes going through your stuff/belongings and deciding what to keep, what to get rid of, what to donate, recycle, etc., and then it is all about reorganizing the remaining items in a way that creates a more comfortable and inviting living space for yourself.

This is also called physical decluttering. Next to the physical decluttering, there is the mental decluttering.

Mental decluttering refers to the process of organizing your thoughts and clearing your mind from worries, emotional baggage, distractions, etc. in order to achieve more clarity and focus overall. The idea of mental decluttering is rooted in mindfulness.

If you ask me, physical decluttering and mental decluttering go hand in hand and if you are looking to declutter your life you need to consider both.

Declutter your life – benefits

Below are the top three benefits of decluttering your life.

• Easier Maintenance – Now this is an obvious one, but once you have completed your decluttering process, the general maintenance of your living space will be so much easier and require less time.
• Ease Stress and Anxiety – Living in a cluttered space can create a sense of overwhelm and stress. Decluttering can help to create a more peaceful and calming atmosphere which will help to ease stress and anxiety.
• Improved Time Management And Focus – No need to search for things anymore as you know where everything is and having an organized schedule will help you to remember appointments and deadlines. And all this will help you to focus on the things that really matter to you in life.

Decluttering feels pretty much like a cleanse and can have a huge impact on your physical and mental well-being.

But most importantly, when you declutter your life you will see more clearly, take back control over your life, and focus on creating a life that matters to you, a life with deep purpose and meaning.

---

Apart from the benefits of decluttering listed above, decluttering can be a great preparation when you are about to move house/flat, etc. Decluttering will help you to get rid of any old baggage/items that you simply don’t need/use anymore, allowing you a completely fresh start in your new home.

If you are about to move house, make sure to check out these simple and cheap moving tips.

---

How to start decluttering when overwhelmed?

I know, a rain check feels so tempting when thinking about decluttering, right?

But, remind yourself of all the benefits that decluttering will bring into your life. See above. And then imagine how good it will feel once the job is done.

To help you tackle the overwhelm, stick to these suggestions below:

• Don’t overthink it, get started
• Start small and set realistic goals
• Create a plan and stay focused
• If you cannot let go, don’t force it
• Appreciate the outcome

Most importantly, enjoy the process and declutter your life in style. Create a declutter your life playlist, get yourself some treats and snacks to keep you going, treat yourself to your favorite takeaway, and enjoy some self-care activities in the comfort of your own clutter-free home once the job is completed.

Declutter your life – Let’s get started

As mentioned previously, we will look at physical decluttering as well as mental decluttering. In the first step, we will look at physical decluttering.

Declutter your life – physical decluttering

Declutter your home

Consider the size of your home. Then, do a top-line check around all the rooms that you are about to declutter.

Once you have done your top-line check, define how much time you will need to declutter your home.

Be realistic. If you need to spread your decluttering over a couple of weekends, so be it. Don’t rush the process.

Block the time for decluttering your home in your diary and develop a game plan before you get started, this will help you to stay focused.

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’. Fill your cardboard boxes as you go from room to room.

Before you start, get your decluttering playlist going. Let’s have some fun and dance through this together.

Get rid of the big items first. Once the big items are out of the way, give the room(s) a good clean. While cleaning look at the smaller items that come your way and decide whether to keep them, toss them, or give them to charity.

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?
• Do I really need this item?

If you answer one of these questions with no: toss the item or put it into the charity box.

Don’t forget about the drawers and cupboards. Fun times…I know!

Be patient with yourself. Allow yourself breaks in between. Have a nice fluffy coffee or a cup of tea in between rooms and acknowledge your success so far.

Tip: The complete opposite of decluttering is hoarding. Should you have any issues with letting go of items, have a look at the ‘Emotional Reasons for Hoarding’ here. This article includes some really interesting insights.

Declutter your wardrobe

Remember the scene in the ‘Sex and the City’ movie when Carrie empties her fashion closet and the ladies come together pop some bubbly and do a fashion show? Probably the best decluttering party ever. If that is your style, go for it.

Go through your wardrobe in sections e.g. trousers & leggings, skirts, dresses, tops & t-shirts, jackets & coats, accessories, etc., and declutter.

Questions to help you let go of items:

• Have I worn this item in the past 6 months?
• Is this item comfortable?
• Does this item match the imagination of my future self? Would my future self still wear this item?

If you come across an item that still has a price tag,…. clearly toss it if you ask me.

Items that you no longer need, give them to a friend, make some extra cash and sell them on eBay, or bring them to the charity shop.

Alternatively, arrange a clothes-swapping party. Invite a few friends over, everyone brings one or two items he/she does not wear anymore, swap, and let the fashion show begin.

Digital Declutter

Enhance your productivity in the digital realm and do a digital declutter.

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, I put together a digital declutter checklist for you, see below.

Digital declutter checklist:

• Delete all the files that you do not need anymore on your hard drive and desktop
• Back up (you never know!)
• Unsubscribe to all newsletters that you don’t even open
• Delete the Apps that you no longer use
• Clean up your contact list
• Uninstall software that you no longer need
• Organize your email inbox
• Manage your Cloud storage
• Clear browser history, cookies, and cached data
• Clean up your social media accounts
• etc.

Take your time for this and feel free to add to the digital declutter checklist above.

Declutter your life – mental decluttering

Reduce your commitments

Reducing your commitments can help you regain control of your time, reduce stress, and keep the focus on the things that matter to you.

Below are a few tips to help you reduce your commitments:

• Prioritize your values – Get clear about your personal core values and allow your personal core values to guide your decision-making process.
• Review your current commitments – Evaluate all current commitments. How does this commitment align with your personal core values? Is that commitment healthy for your well-being?
• Learn to say ‘No’ – Saying ‘No’ is not easy for most of us, but if you keep saying ‘Yes’ you end up with a completely overfilled schedule leaving no time nor space for yourself.
• Set healthy boundaries – Establish clear and healthy boundaries with family, friends, work colleagues, etc. helping you to prevent yourself from overcommitting

Keep in mind that reducing your commitments is an ongoing process that requires constant self-awareness and courage to stand up for yourself and to make choices that are in alignment with your core values as well as your physical and mental well-being.

Reconsider your routines

We, humans, are creatures of habit. Take a closer look at your daily routines and see if there is a way to optimize your routines so that you can be more efficient and productive at the same time.

Tips to reconsider your routines:

• Remind yourself of your personal core values
• Identify your priorities
• Set smart and measurable goals
• Assess your current routines and rework them in line with your priorities and goals

Keep in mind that routines are meant to serve you and lead you to your goals. Change and amend your routines where needed.

Tip: If you would like to dive deeper into routines and get some more tips and tricks on how to make your routine more efficient make sure to check out my morning routine checklist, how to create an evening routine, and the ultimate Sunday routine for a more successful and productive week ahead.

Remove toxic people from your life

Now this one is definitely not an easy one, but it is an important step towards a happier and healthier lifestyle.

Toxic people are energy vampires, create additional stress, and hold you back from your personal growth and development.

Below are a few tips to help you remove toxic people from your life:

• Identify toxic relationships
• Set healthy boundaries
• Distance yourself
• Practice self-care and cultivate self-love
• Cut ties if needed

As mentioned earlier, removing toxic people from your life can be challenging, but long term, it will lead you to more happiness, inner peace, and personal growth.

Declutter your life – home storage and organization ideas

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 a few of my favourite storage and organization ideas. Enjoy!

Glass kitchen storage containers

These glass storage jars set of 5 from YUNCANG are super stylish and a must-have for any kitchen. The glass jars are strong and sturdy, dishwasher safe, microwave safe, refrigerator safe, and stackable.

They are perfect for storing pasta, rice, tea bags, sweets, etc.

Closet Drawer Organizer

I absolutely LOVE these closet organizers. Make sure that the sizes fit in your drawer, but they are super practical and really help to keep everything organized.

Should you not need all of them for your drawers, they are also great organizers in the bathroom e.g. to hold your hairbrush, make-up, styling products, etc.

Under bed storage containers

I use these storage containers for my clothes. They have a really good size, 90l, and you can easily slip them under the bed or place them on top of your wardrobe, on shelves, etc.

They look super neat and are perfect if you need additional storage space in your room.

Storage basket set

These baskets are super versatile. They come in different sizes and colours and can easily store your make-up, perfumes, hair products, accessories, etc.

Perfect little helpers around the house.

Makeup organizer

This make-up and cosmetic organizer can store eye shadow, lipstick, concealer, nail polish, lotion, perfume, brushes and so much more. Give all your items a dedicated place so you can find them at a glance.

Perfect for bedroom and bathroom countertops and it really doesn’t take up a lot of space either.

---

I LOVE 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, meaning that I am pretty used to decluttering my life regularly and I usually do two big decluttering sessions per year.

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.

But now, over to you, do you feel ready to declutter your life? If this blog post inspired you to declutter your life, please keep me posted, I would love to hear from you. Should you have any tips and tricks about how to declutter your life, share them in the comments below.

Enjoy decluttering your life.

Stay wild,

Nicolle

Featured Image by Paige Cody on Unsplash