Declutter and Organize for a Minimalist Mindset

When I was younger, my mom had a school of thought insisting that whenever I wanted to buy something new I would first have to purge something that I no longer needed. I used to think that she was over sensitive. Now, as I am apartment hunting I am feeling extremely overwhelmed with the amount of junk that I have managed to accumulate in just a few years. I can only imagine how daunting “spring cleaning” must have been to my parents who have lived in the same house since they moved in together.

While curating new pieces I try to be very intentional about what I commit to bringing into my home. I hate nothing more than a flashy addition to a trinket shelf that was used once and takes up space for the remainder of its life. When on the hunt for something new, I do a lot of research to make sure that it I will get a lot of use and will last through wear and tear.

Unfortunately, I was not always so intentional with my spending and there are even times now when I have bought something that I expected to get use but in practice came to realize that it was not compatible with my lifestyle.

So, I, like most people, have accumulated unintentional decorations and have no intention of renting a concrete box near my local highway for extra elbow room.

This has lead me to stand before my closet in the spirit of liberation, spring cleaning and inspired by minimalists to let go of the things that are not positively contributing to my life.

Where to Start Decluttering:

Clothes that I have not worn in a year
Anything that does not fit properly and I have not altered
Trendy costume Jewelry
Anything that’s worn out past repair
Expired personal care products, makeup, medicine, and food
Loose papers
Trinkets
Books I have no intention of reading again
Well-intentioned gifts collecting dust
Furniture that I can’t envision in my next home

If there is something that I am having trouble decluttering, even if I know I will never use it again, I take a picture keep it in a “memories folder.” I am clearing out the junk and decluttering my life. To be honest, I am finding it a lot harder to tidy up than Marie Kondo led me to believe, yet, I persist. The smaller the mess gets the lower the stress levels in my mind and the more power I feel over my space. I choose what I want out of the things in my life and I refuse to allow inanimate objects to disturb my peace of mind and detract from my wellbeing.