Decluttering and organizing can feel like an overwhelming exhausting job but it doesn’t have to be! You can choose to focus on doing just a little at a time and keep your thoughts only on the next step you feel inspired to take. This will make you feel more relaxed. See all other thoughts related to trying to “figure out” how you will get it all done as clutter. Let those thoughts go. Focus on what you can do right now, and trust that what you need to know and do next will show up for you, after you take this next step.
As everything is energy, even small clearings of clutter you do in your living space can make you feel great! When how you feel shifts, your energy shifts. When your energy shifts, shifts can happen in your life! I suggest to declutter and organize a little at a time and stop before you feel tired so that you leave the experience feeling satisfied and joyful, instead of drained. Tell yourself that what you have done is enough with each decluttering step you take. It is enough… practice self-acceptance and love.
Below are some general suggestions to inspire you to get you started and let go of clutter from ten different areas of your home. Choose to make decluttering a regular practice and part of self-love and care. Things accumulate… it is ok. Just remember that in order to allow for more flow, it is important to let the clutter go! Enjoy the process!
Time to begin…
1. In The Front Entrance Way: Clear the clutter from the front door area so that there is space for you, your guests, and new opportunities to flow in. You want to feel good in your home so create an entrance that allows you to feel this way as soon as you walk in. Remove small items such as loose change and papers and decide on how to store them so they aren’t the first things you see when you walk in.
2. In The Front Closet: If your closet is small, remove off-season items and store them in bins. An organizing system with pockets works well to store small items like your keys, mail, sunblock and hats. Make sure you create some empty space in your closet with extra hangers as a message that you welcome guests into your home.
3. In The Fridge And Pantry: Remove items one shelf at a time and let go of things with an old expiry date and rarely used items such as exotic sauces and spices. Wipe down the surfaces. Make healthy choices when filling up your fridge and kitchen cupboards, and only put back inside what you will be eating or cooking with, in the near future. A great time to clean out the fridge little by little, doing one shelf at a time, is when you are waiting for your food to cook in the oven. Use that time to do something productive before you eat, and you may find that the next day you are inspired to do even more until eventually, you will see that your entire fridge is organized and looks sparkly clean!
4. On The Kitchen Counter Tops: Keep countertops clear of clutter and only display what you use regularly such as a toaster, coffee maker, and blender. You want to feel relaxed as you enjoy your meals instead of distracted by bills that may be sitting on your counter, so remove these and other loose papers from your direct line of sight and store in one place such as a filing system or binder. Divine Decluttering book offers the simplest solutions on how to store all the papers in your home.
5. In The Family Room: Make this room feel welcoming and calm for you and your guests. Keep all clutter off the couches and decorate with objects that make you feel happy, and in ways that feel in harmony with who you are and what you love. Clear the rest away from your shelves. Only have in this room what you use or enjoy regularly such as books, games, and items for entertaining.
6. On Your Desk: Allow your desk to hold things you use on a daily or weekly basis. Remove the rest. Keep the surface of your desk clear from everything but what you are currently working on and use (e.g. computer, day planner, phone). You can assign one area of your desk for active files, and store all papers neatly there. At the end of each day, sort the papers, make the surface look neat, and create some space. As you do this, set the intention that you are ready to receive new opportunities, as you created the space for them to come to you!
7. In The Bathroom: Take everything out from your storage areas and let go of anything with an old expiry date. The only items to be put back inside should be items you use daily or monthly. Remove duplicates (e.g. if you only use your favorite shower cap, let go of the others you have). Collect the medications that you use infrequently and put them in a small basket or small plastic drawer system. Store these items out of your regular line of site so that you are not reminded of the possibility of not feeling well every time you open that cupboard door or drawer. You may even want to store these items outside of the bathroom and in the linen closet for example, on a high shelf that is out of direct sight and a place where young children cannot reach.
cra8. The Bed Area: Remember self love and self respect as you prepare your bed and space around it to feel warm and welcoming. Your bed takes care of you at night, so make sure you take care of it in the morning and make it daily. If you would like to be in a love relationship, then keep your bed and area around it in a way that you imagine it being, imagining that your partner is already there with you. You want to be in the vibration of what it is that you want. Feel your partner with you there right now. Let go of clutter that may be on your nightstand. To create a calm space, keep few things around you when you sleep. Keep things simple. You may only want to have for example, a small battery-operated clock, candle, journal and one book you are currently reading. For a better sleep, remove electronic devices from the bedroom.
9. In The Bedroom Closet And Drawers: Think of the one area that would be easiest to clear and where you may not have a lot of emotional attachment to and start there. For example, you may want to begin with your socks or sleepwear drawer. Let go of items that you haven’t put on this past year, are worn out, don’t feel good on your skin, or bring you memories you would rather not think about (for example, something you slept in a lot when you were very ill). Remove duplicates (for example, if you have five of the same color tank tops, only keep the top two or three you regularly wear). Always have some extra space in each drawer to send out the message that you are ready to receive something new!
10. Organizing The Important Odds And Ends: This is one simple suggestion for organizing important odds and ends that are needed for emergencies or once in a while such as batteries, light bulbs, extra wires for electronic equipment, instruction manuals, and flashlights. I find using a tall plastic drawer system to hold all of these things works really well. You can store the unit or units (depending on how much you are storing) out of the way in places like your basement, garage or a closet. You will always know where to go to for these odds and ends when kept in one place that you have easy access to. If you move homes often, then it would also be simple for you to tape the drawers closed, pick up the drawer unit, and move everything all at once! There would be no need to pack and unpack boxes.
Step-by-step ideas on how to declutter your living spaces along with decadent decorating suggestions are packed into Divine Decluttering book. To keep you organized, inspired, and for self-reflection along your decluttering journey, download the complimentary Divine Decluttering Workbook.
Release the clutter with love, and enjoy the process of creating spaces that feel aligned with who you are, where you are, and what you would like for your life.
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