4 Tips for Leading a Decluttered Lifestyle

Life is too short for us to focus most of our time on things that distract us from our goals and aspirations. There’s nothing wrong with buying a new pair of shoes or adding more furniture than your living room could accommodate. However, having too much of something comes at the cost of clarity. It leads to a cluttered lifestyle marked by a waste of time and effort.

There will come a period in your life when you have to decide to let go of the things that occupy your home and your mind. Decluttering provides you with a blank slate to start over but this time with a greater focus on your goals. If that’s something you want to prioritize next year, here’s a simple guide to walk you through:

1. Start with the interior

When it comes down to decluttering, your home should be the first place that needs extra breathing room. Whether or not you subscribe to the principle of minimalism, you wouldn’t want to deal so much with things that take up so much space, leaving you with a home that seems to restrict your thoughts and actions. For this reason, opt to let go of the stuff you don’t need anymore. That goes for items you can live without or in smaller numbers.

If you’re fond of collecting sneakers, many of which you don’t even use regularly, then you might as well be better off with just two or three pairs. To be sure, make time to come up with a list of things that do not possess any sentimental or practical value. It’s going to be a tough process, but the results will be satisfying.

2. Give away what you have

As you declutter your home, you might be tempted to sell them online or through a good old-fashioned garage sale. This would make sense if you have items that are included in people’s list of collectibles. Then again, nothing will compare to the satisfaction you will gain from giving stuff away.

Not only will you get to maximize your living space, but you’re also helping your community. If you have children’s books and other materials, try looking up charities that accept school materials. Your contribution can help schools provide better access to learning resources for free.

3. Learn to say “no”

Aside from your home, another place you should declutter is your calendar, and more importantly, your mind. It’s impossible to attain peace and clarity if you force yourself into tasks and activities that will take up your time and energy.

In comparison, it’s always a good idea to say yes to anything you need to realize that not everything is worth handling. Respect your boundaries by saying no to requests or opportunities you think are impractical. Especially if you have bigger goals to pursue,

4. Maintain a sense of self-discipline

In many cases, a cluttered life is the result of the decisions we make and the actions we take. Our choices will have a major impact on our personal growth, so it’s important to develop a sense of self-discipline.

If you have an impulse to make unnecessary purchases as a form of coping mechanism for dealing with stress, look for other ways that will help channel that impulse to something productive and less frivolous. In case you have trouble saying no, learn to stand your ground and justify your refusal. Through self-discipline, you prevent clutter from piling up and making life more difficult than it already is.

Endnote

A decluttered lifestyle offers a way for you to appreciate life even more no matter how short it is. After all, the quality of our lifestyle is not defined by how much stuff we buy or how much time we spend working. It’s about how free we are from stress and daily pressures that keep us from appreciating life even more.