My Messy Journey to Decluttering (It’s Not Pretty)
Why Decluttering Felt Impossible (At First)
Okay, so, decluttering. Everyone’s doing it, right? Or at least *talking* about doing it. You see those perfectly curated minimalist homes on Instagram and think, “Yeah, I can do that!” Then you look around your own place and, well, maybe not so much. My house? It’s more like a museum of half-finished projects, impulse buys, and sentimental objects I can’t bear to part with. It’s less KonMari and more…chaos. Honestly, it felt utterly overwhelming. Where do you even *begin*?
I think part of the problem was the pressure. All the “get rid of everything that doesn’t spark joy!” talk made me feel like a failure for actually, you know, *liking* some of my stuff. And let’s be real, sometimes you need things that aren’t exactly joyful but are, like, essential for existing. Like, my ancient vacuum cleaner doesn’t spark joy, but it does suck up the alarming amount of cat hair my feline overlord sheds daily. The guilt of potentially tossing something I might desperately need later also loomed large. Maybe that old bread maker from 2010?
My Decluttering Disaster (And What I Learned)
So, I tried. I watched a bunch of YouTube videos, bought some fancy organizing bins, and psyched myself up. I decided to tackle the dreaded closet. Ugh. What a mess! Three hours later, I’d made minimal progress, mainly because I got distracted trying on old outfits and reminiscing about where I wore them. Funny thing is, a lot of those clothes are still great – they just don’t fit anymore. I ended up with a pile of “maybe I’ll fit into these again someday” clothes that, let’s be honest, will probably end up being donated untouched in about five years.
And the shoes! Oh, the shoes. I had shoes I hadn’t worn in a decade but couldn’t part with because, well, they were *shoes*. I ended up keeping most of them, rationalizing that “they might come back in style.” (Spoiler alert: they won’t.) I even downloaded an app called “Stylebook” to catalogue everything and plan outfits. It was supposed to help me see what I *actually* wear, but mostly I just got stressed out trying to photograph everything perfectly. I mean who has time for that? The whole thing was a disaster, honestly. I felt more overwhelmed than when I started.
Small Victories in the Great Decluttering War
After the closet debacle, I almost gave up. But then I realized that maybe I was going about it all wrong. Maybe I needed to ditch the all-or-nothing approach and focus on small, manageable tasks. So, I started with my desk. I spent 15 minutes just tossing out old papers, organizing pens, and wiping down the surface. It wasn’t a dramatic transformation, but it felt good. Like, a tiny, manageable win. I also unsubscribed from a bunch of email lists. Honestly, that alone made me feel lighter.
Then I moved on to the kitchen. Instead of trying to reorganize the entire pantry (a truly terrifying prospect), I just focused on the spice rack. I threw out expired spices (some of which were, embarrassingly, years past their prime) and reorganized the remaining ones. Again, not a huge deal, but progress is progress, right? I even started using the Notes app on my phone to jot down things I needed to buy *before* I went to the store, which helped me avoid impulse purchases (mostly).
Finding My Own Decluttering Rhythm (It’s Okay to Keep Stuff!)
The biggest shift for me was letting go of the idea that I had to become a minimalist overnight. It’s okay to keep things that bring me joy, even if they aren’t “essential.” It’s also okay to have a “maybe” pile that I revisit later. The key, I think, is to be intentional about what I keep and why. And to accept that it’s a process. It’s not about perfection; it’s about progress.
I still have a long way to go. My basement is still a dumping ground for forgotten treasures (or, more accurately, junk). And I still occasionally buy things I don’t need (I’m looking at you, slightly used ukulele I found at a garage sale). But I’m learning to be more mindful of my consumption habits and more ruthless about getting rid of things I no longer use or need. And that, for me, is a victory. If you’re as curious as I was about starting small, there are tons of YouTube videos and articles that suggest starting with just one drawer.
What’s Next? The Ongoing Decluttering Saga
Who even knows what’s next? Probably more decluttering, more organizing, and more wrestling with my sentimental attachments to stuff. But I’m okay with that. It’s a journey, not a destination, right? I think the important thing is to find a system that works for you, one that doesn’t feel overwhelming or stressful. And to remember that it’s okay to keep the things you love, even if they don’t fit into some pre-defined notion of “minimalism.” My goal isn’t to live in a sterile, empty space. It’s to create a home that feels comfortable, functional, and, well, *me*. Maybe one day I’ll tackle the basement. Maybe not. We’ll see.
