Decluttering isn’t just about what you’re willing to let go of.
When decluttering and minimizing become a priority, you might feel overwhelmed—or simply confused about where to start. To make getting started more appealing, I always suggest doing what I call a quick declutter: tackle the obvious first.
Knick-knacks, duplicates, clothes you don’t wear, books you’ve already read (or will never read)—these are the things that usually fall into that category. I don’t typically suggest starting with things that carry a lot of emotional weight because they require more thinking, deciding, and processing.
Sometimes—often times—you need a boost of motivation and a little instant gratification to get you in the groove. And that’s exactly what starting with the obvious clutter can do.
When you start there, you literally and figuratively make more room—in your space and in your head. That space can help you tackle the things that are harder to let go of because they pull on your heartstrings or feel more complicated.
That load-lightening pays huge dividends.
Of course, you’ll always run into things you’re unsure about. You might even find yourself thinking, I should probably keep this just in case. That’s normal. Part of decluttering is learning to pause, question those decisions, and come back to the things you’re not ready to decide about yet.
But there are four things I highly recommend you do not let go of when you’re decluttering—especially if you’re doing this work on your own.
In fact, letting go of these things may leave you more stressed, not less.
Decluttering? Don’t let go of these four things.
1. Your sense of humor
Humor has a way of putting everything back into perspective.
My mother, a humorist and national speaker, teaches people how to find the funny in things. And there’s wisdom in that. When something feels daunting or stressful, finding the humor can make it feel a little more doable simply because it brings some joy into the process.
Whether you’re remembering something funny about an item you’re considering letting go of or simply making light of the situation you’re in, keep your sense of humor close.
Joy makes the process lighter. And lightness begets lightness.
2. Your vision for how you want to feel
You may never completely purge your vision, but you can certainly lose sight of it.
When you’re deep in the throes of letting go, remember your why.
Why do you want to be free of clutter? What would you be able to do with more if you had less? How do you want your home—and your life—to feel?
Your vision is more than a nice idea. It’s a source of motivation when you hit an obstacle, second-guess yourself, or start feeling overwhelmed.
Keep returning to it.
3. Your willingness to create change in your life
You may have gotten yourself into a bit of a mess in the clutter department, but that doesn’t have to define who you are—or what you’re capable of.
If you’re willing to change, you can learn what you need to know to make that change a reality.
You can lighten the load. You can let go of the mess. And you can create systems that make your life easier and more streamlined.
But change requires willingness. It requires time, energy, and a willingness to do things differently than you have before.
Don’t purge your belief that change is possible.
4. Rest
Never—ever—sacrifice rest in the name of doing more.
You didn’t get into your stuffed situation overnight, and you’re not going to get out of it overnight either.
Decluttering is often more like a marathon than a sprint. A steady pace, with enough rest along the way, will get you to the same finish line—without unnecessary intensity and stress.
Take breaks. Walk away when you need to. Come back tomorrow.
Rest isn’t getting in the way of your progress.
Rest is part of the process.
Don’t purge what you need to make the process work.
As you declutter, remember what you’re actually trying to create.
Don’t let go of your sense of humor. Keep your vision clear. Stay open to change. And give yourself permission to rest.
The goal isn’t simply to have less.
The goal is to create the space, freedom, and lightness that allow you to create a life you love.
And that’s something worth keeping.
