Decluttering: More Than Just Cleaning Out Your Closet
When I moved from a 3-bedroom condo with two FULL storage units to a 2-room apartment with NO extra storage, I had to do a huge cull of my possessions. It was a task I don’t want to ever do again. It was exhausting. But I learned a lot about me, what I considered important, and what really was important.
Five years later, I’m thinking I have had a bit of a backslide and need to do another declutter. The difference, this time, is that I don’t feel I’m punishing myself. I feel like I’m rewarding myself for recognizing the ‘excess is OK’ thoughts, and stopping them in their tracks. ( I’m also a huge believer in Resistance, as in the Stephen Pressfield War of Art kind of Resistance, so I’m not beating myself up.)
I know, now, that true decluttering is more about the life I want to live and less about the things I will get rid of. For me, I want to be in control of my possessions, not have them control me. If I have to stop and think, ‘If I buy that, where is the space to store it?’, I need to rethink how much I really need that item. I think the ultimate success of getting rid of excess isn’t measured by empty closets or drawers, but by how I get along with my stuff, how much time it takes me to live with it, and how much that time takes away from things I’d like to be doing.
The True Markers of Decluttering Success
At its core, successful decluttering is about the realization that our living space no longer controls us, but it serves us.
My decluttering guru, Mia Danielle, says that a good marker is you should be able to not do any cleaning, putting away, ‘clearing up’ or tidying up your house for at least five or six days of everyday living without any noticeable change in the tidiness or cleanliness of the home. That’s a tall order, but it’s a great benchmark. She does it with a family of 5, so it’s doable.
I know that when get rid of the excess I see around me now, I will feel a transformation in my mental happiness, too. It’s all tied together.
Imagine a morning where you’re not frantically searching for keys, matching socks, or fighting through a cluttered workspace, or baking a cake and not having things fall out of cupboards. Or trying to find a working pen in those five coffee cup ‘pencil holders’ or that over-flowing drawer.
Most people don’t realize how much time they waste managing unnecessary possessions. Those moments spent shuffling unused items, cleaning around unnecessary clutter, or searching through disorganized spaces are reclaimed for what truly matters .
Decluttering forces us to confront our purchasing habits. We find ourselves making more mindful purchasing decisions. It’s want vs need every time.
The most profound marker of decluttering success is emotional. It’s when we realize that our worth isn’t determined by the things we own.
A Simple Mantra
The ultimate success marker can be distilled to one simple statement: “I own my possessions, they don’t own me.”
This isn’t about living with nothing, but about living with intention. It’s about creating space – both physical and mental – for what truly matters.
Decluttering is a journey of self-discovery, a process of understanding our true needs, and a path to greater personal freedom. I remind myself that intentional living is a continual practice of mindfulness, and each item I release is a step towards a clearer, more purposeful life. Who doesn’t want that?
