Well, for some reason I had an urge to clear out the top drawer of my bedside table. I am not sure this is the same in every household but that is my end place for lots of things - it just seems to accumulate 'stuff'. I think some people have a kitchen drawer that is similar in use. Whether intended or not!
And then I did under my side of the bed... which included a lot of lovely and beautiful boxes I had kept with no idea what I would store in them but I previously always thought they were too nice to throw...
And then my jewellry boxes - I threw away earrings which I had bought myself at 14 yrs (my first forray into deciding what I liked and having the money and ability to go and buy them for myself - remember this is before internet shopping!). I threw gorgeous bracelets that I had to accept the wire or elastic holding it together had long since died. I moved what was left into a smaller box.
And then I found myself looking for other spaces I could continue this activity. I was feeling lighter, empowered, and strangely like I was making space to welcome something new in. So not only was I making the physical space around me visually more appealing, I was changing my internal environment too.
There are a few ways of decluttering, unless you find yourself like I did in a lovely unsentimental and 'would I care if this was included in a house fire' type thinking space, which makes it really easy.
The best way I have ever read about, is in the Ask and It is Given* book, which depending on where you are on your spiritual journey may be a little 'out-there' or 'woo-woo' for most. Nonetheless there are processes in the back which hold some great ideas, and this one I will describe my interpretation of it now for you, as frankly, I think it is inspired!
1. Decide on the space you would like to declutter (obvious but necessary to decide on one space or room at a time)
2. Get some boxes or tubs. Not too big - you will need to be able to lift them after you have filled them remember! With lids so that they can be stacked and you won't worry about dust etc.
3. Label the boxes - A, B, C or 1, 2, 3 - whichever works for you.
4. Get a pen and pieces of paper headed to match the box labels. So a piece for A, another for B, etc. Also, date the lists.
5. Put the boxes in the middle of the space to be decluttered.
6. Pick up the first item in the room or space. Ask yourself - "Does this make my day to day experience better?"
7. Go with your first instinct answer - Yes or No. If it is a maybe then treat it as a No.
8. If yes - put it back.
9. If no - put it in a box and add it to the list that coincides with that box.
10. Pick up next item. Continue.
It is important not to spend too long on asking and answering the question.
There is no need to second guess yourself or 'hedge your bets' as the boxes are not being thrown away, AND because you are listing everything you will easily be able to find what you are looking for should you need it in the future.
11. Once the space has been decluttered move the boxes to somewhere outside your living space - the garage, the loft, the shed etc.
12. Go back and feel amazing as you look at your newly created, more inviting space.
If after 3, 6, or 12 months (whichever you are more comfortable with) you have not gone into a particular box then you know you can safely throw it away.
Have fun and try to be aware that decluttering can be addictive - in a good way, I think, so far!
2026 Update:
I wrote the above in 2024. I still go through phases of clearing out and creating space. But now I want to go a little deeper into it than just explaining about the physical space and the resulting space to think. And it goes back to 'change'.
We all change. All the time. In fact change is the one thing that is a certainty in life. It's always happening and we are not immune to this (no matter how hard we may try! 😊).
We keep things that reflect who we are, things that make our life easier, things that make us smile. And if we are changing and our lives are changing, it makes sense that what was once important may become... not so important.
Sometimes though it can almost feel the opposite. Those things become super important.
This may be because on some level we are finding it hard to let go, to accept the change, especially if it feels like the change wasn't our choice. It's a reminder of something we knew. Knew well probably, whether our daily life or a version of ourselves. And when that has changed it can be scary for our brains whose job it is to keep us alive and it does a lot of that by predicting from it's lived experience. A sort of 'you survived it once so it must be safe' kinda thing. Which is why, even if it was crap before, (you've heard the saying 'better the devil you know'?) we can cling to anything that reminds us.
Unfortunately there is no 'one-rule for all' quick way through the process of change. It doesn't necessarily happen in a straight line nor is it on any particular timescale. Also it won't happen in the same way for the same person all the time. Some things are more sticky than others. Generally it can be a matter of small and steady steps or experimentation.
It can help to reassure your brain by reminding it of all the times in your past that you have survived change. Because all of us have, as change is the one constant. Which means you have been through change before. So if you chose to you will be able to think back and find evidence that you made it through, one way or other, maybe you were upside down, exhausted with messy hair, but you did it. And you can do it again.
So when you feel the nudge to maybe have a clear-out or to de-clutter, take it as a sign that your brain is feeling more secure and safe with the here and now and wants to make the surrounding environment match. To make it yours... again. The you you are now.
You could be quite literally decluttering your old self from your current self.
(How's that for feeling lighter and empowered?!)
*Ask and It is Given by Esther and Jerry Hicks
