Clear the bed, open the windows, and get excited because it’s decluttering day! (said with the same enthusiasm as Anna on coronation day)!

I have decluttered my own closet and helped many others declutter theirs. I’m excited to help you in your process by sharing my tried and true method. This will not only help you keep the items you cherish, it will also help you reflect and learn about your past decisions.

Before you begin make sure you are well fed and watered. Light a candle, open the blinds, put on a pump up playlist and get ready to conquer your closet!

1. Pick a small category

• Clothes are not a category. Think shirts, pants, shoes, bags, make up. The smaller, the better!

2. Take a picture of these items in their current home. The messier the better!
   
   
3. Pull out EVERYTHING from that category

• If it doesn’t make it in the pile and you find it later, it automatically goes in the goodbye bin – this isn’t meant to scare you, but to show you the importance of having EVERYTHING out
• Remember those scattered items by thinking of out of season, travel, storage spaces and pull it out!

4. Pull out your favourite item in the pile

• Stuck? Think of someone asking you to put on the item in the pile that makes you feel your best- this is the item you start with
• This does not need to be what you use most often, it actually might be what you never allow yourself to use
• Ask yourself what about this item you love. Take note of your answer

5. Continue to work through the pile, pulling out your favourites, the ones you love and enjoy

• Ask yourself what the items you have chosen so far have in common. Is there a theme? A style? Do they all contain memories? How did you come to own them? Look for themes.

6. When you have about 25% left, pause and start asking yourself what the remaining items have in common

• Why did you not pick them up? Why are you not drawn to them? Look for themes, are they from the same store/clothing line? Are they poor quality? Have you worn them out? Did you choose them or were they given to you?
• Decide if you want to keep any of these remaining items. Otherwise you are looking at your goodbye pile

7. Pick up each item in your goodbye pile and thank it. 

• Whether you used this item or not, it has taught you something, thank it for the memories and the lessons learned
• This may seem strange, but this is a way of honouring the item, and helps with the letting go process

8. Put the goodbye pile in an easy to get out of the house method

• Plastic shopping bags
• Large brown gardening bags work well, and are recyclable
• Cardboard boxes
• Garbage bags should be your last resort because they are not recyclable

9. Re-evaluate your keep pile

• Are there any you want to reconsider?
• Are there any items that need repairs? Put them in a separate pile
• You should be looking at a pile of your favourite things!

10. Give your items a new home

• I believe thoroughly in every belonging having a home. As you declutter you may be surprised in how things fit better, or a new method of storing them

11. Pick another category and do the same process until you have completed that area

• See the image below for categories

12. Take an “after” picture to celebrate all that you’ve done!

• This is a big accomplishment. Not only have you curated your space, you have learned a lot about your choices and belongings. 

Congratulations! This is no small thing, you have taken one step closer to the life you want. Now is the time to relax and enjoy your newly curated space!

There has been a big focus on tidying up and decluttering in the last few years and with that can come some misconceptions. Read on to have those misconceptions moved out! 

1. It is a focus on what you’re keeping. It is not a focus on all that you’re getting rid of. 

Think of this like looking at your music library and you want to make a kickass playlist of head bumping, foot tapping melodies. Just like a playlist you don’t focus on the songs you’re leaving behind, but by focusing on how nice it will be to listen to all your favs without Celine Dion bursting in to remind you your heart will go on. Decluttering is a focus on keeping those items you want to cherish, not a determination to downsize.

2. It is removing belongings from your life. It is not spring cleaning

Marie Kondo, the magic master herself, says “Tidying is the act of confronting yourself – cleaning is the act of confronting dirt.” As you prepare to conquer your stuff, don’t be surprised if you confront your past, present and future self while you’re doing it!

3. It is getting curious about who you are. It is not judging who you were or who you have not yet become

Tidying up is the act of going through your belongings and discovering what you love and cherish right now. Not who you were 17 months ago, not who you hope to be next September, who are you, and what do you love, right here, right now. 

Often decluttering can bring up emotions of guilt, shame, judgement and fear. Instead, just like making the playlist, it doesn’t matter if you used to be obsessed with Celine and now no longer care for her ballads. Allow your past self to stand for itself, and embrace who you are, and what you enjoy today.

4. It is putting your priorities and your past in order. It is not about who can have the least amount of items at the end

Tidying up is not about the number of bags that get donated, or having fewer hangers left hanging in your closet. Decluttering is all about surrounding yourself with things that reflect who you are right now, and that you enjoy in your present circumstances. Changing your mindset from “what do I want to get rid of” to “what do I love and reflect who I am” is integral to this process.

5. It is a time to reflect and process your belongings as a reflection of your choices. It is not an excuse to keep everything

Remember what made you want to start this process. Something about the way you are currently living and the belongings you are surrounded with is bothering you. Otherwise you would not be interested in decluttering, you would be satisfied. Get curious about how your belongings are not serving you. Remind yourself of this often throughout this process

6. It is about pursuing a home that reflects you. It is not about copying and pasting someone else’s lifestyle 

Think about spaces you enjoy being. It could be a park, a campground, your favourite restaurant or coffee shop, a hotel lobby. Reflect on what you enjoy about those spaces. Is it natural light, simplicity, vibrant colours, relaxing environment, good smells, or greenery? What about those elements is missing in your current home? How can you make your current home more like your favourite space?

7. It is about figuring out how you’d like to live in your home. It is not about downsizing

There’s no need to force yourself to let go of items! If you want to keep your entire encyclopedia collection, go for it! There is no minimum or maximum requirement. The only goal is to cherish the items you choose to keep. 

8. It is about honouring and being grateful for your belongings. It is not about carelessly discarding mountains of things

As you discover items that no longer serve you, instead of tossing them into the pile, you reflect on how much this item served you in your time together. Think about when it first came into your life, how much it meant to you, the lessons it taught you, and wish it well as you donate it to make someone else happy. This is a crucial part of this process, 

9. It is about making space for what you love. It is not about organizing

Clutter obscures what’s most important. Discarding that which doesn’t support your ideal lifestyle creates space for treasured possessions to be used more often and enjoyed. As a bonus, it leaves room for future joy-sparking additions.

  10. It is a clarifying process, it is not exhausting and overwhelming

Yes, looking at a pile of your clothes can seem overwhelming, but the new found space, the clarity of your values, and the appreciation for your belongings is a worthy goal to push on!