Decluttering has recently become a popular endeavor, and for good reasons.  It can be remarkably satisfying to purge a space of excess stuff. According to an article posted to the Mayo Clinic’s website, women who use words describing clutter and disorganization in their homes tend to show increased levels of the stress hormone cortisol.  The article also noted that a cluttered work environment can lead to difficulty with information processing and frustration. I encourage you to check out the article (linked below) for additional benefits of clearing away the excess. My husband and I have been in this process for over a year now, and in this post you’ll find my answers to a few questions about decluttering!

Why bother decluttering?

Last year I noticed that we were struggling to fit our accumulation of stuff into our house.  Not only that, but also a good portion of it included items that I didn’t even use or like. I had already discovered the Minimalists’ (website linked below) podcast and was considering how living with less might be beneficial to our family.  I really enjoyed the idea of whittling down the amount of stuff at home to only what I could use frequently or enjoy. When I decided to start decluttering my own things while Josh was on deployment, it helped me feel like I finally had control over the items in my home.  Once I got going, I was hooked! 

How did you start the decluttering process?

I started decluttering with the items I felt like I had too many of, specifically makeup and clothing.  I had more makeup than I could ever possibly put on my face, mainly products that had accumulated from monthly subscriptions.  I decided to cancel the subscriptions so that makeup would stop showing up every month in the mailbox, and I got rid of any products that I hadn’t used or didn’t enjoy.  In addition to cosmetics, any articles of clothing that didn’t fit or made me feel uncomfortable while wearing them were among the first items to go. This was such a quick win for me, because when I looked in my closet and vanity I only saw the things that I actually felt good about wearing.  I felt empowered that I started the process and was encouraged to keep the momentum going. Another method that I’ve used a few times is the Minimalists’ 30-Day Minimalism Game, directions for which can be found on their website.

What items were hard to declutter?

I’ve discovered that most of the things that belonged to our kids were the hardest to part with.  Even though we had quite a good amount of toys that weren’t played with, it was difficult to clear the toys that were gifts or were enjoyed when Wyatt and Elyse were babies.  Toys continue to be the hardest thing to declutter in our home, because it seems like we’re always accumulating them for one reason or another. Paperwork is the next major project I foresee being a stumbling block due to its abundance and my fears of getting rid of something imporant.

What did you do with the decluttered items?

Nearly all of the items we decluttered went to our local thrift store, and we have several bags of Josh’s clothes that will be passed on to our local men’s shelter.  I’m hoping that someone out in the world can enjoy our decluttered items much more than we did when they were taking up space in our house. I didn’t feel the need to try to sell anything because I don’t find that the amount of work it takes to sell things to be worth the money that can be made.

Do you miss any of your decluttered items?

The simple answer here is no.  In fact, I don’t really remember any of the things that we’ve let go of–which makes me wonder why I thought I needed them in the first place.

Decluttering hasn’t solved all of my problems, but I will say that it has improved how our home functions.  Our usual weekend-long cleaning marathon decreased significantly and I thoroughly enjoy living in a less-cluttered space.  If you are looking to relieve some stress or find a way to simplify your home, I highly suggest that you give decluttering a try!

Resources Mentioned:

Mayo Clinic article- https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/how-decluttering-your-space-could-make-you-healthier-and-happier/art-20390064

The Minimalists- https://www.theminimalists.com/