Lighten the Load: Clearing What No Longer Serves You

Start With a Plan

Think of this like a road trip - you wouldn’t just jump in the car without a map! Before you begin, take a few minutes to ask yourself why you’re doing this. What do you want your space to feel like? Peaceful? Energizing? Creative?

That vision will be your North Star. Write it down. You’ll revisit it often -especially when decision fatigue hits or you're tempted to keep “just one more thing.”

Make It a Daily Habit

Big change doesn’t happen all at once - it’s the result of tiny, consistent actions. Block off 10 to 15 minutes a day for a mini organizing “blitz.” It might not feel like much at first, but those small bursts of effort compound quickly - like interest on your time and energy.

Use the 3-Box/Bag Method

No need for giant boxes cluttering up your space. Grab a few sturdy shopping bags and label them: Donate, Trash and Keepers. Keep them near your entrance or closet and aim to contribute to each daily. When the week is up, take out the trash and drop off your donations. I would have a Keepers bag or box only during you clearing process. Make it a habit to do a 15 minute blitz nightly to return everything to it’s proper home.

Purge First, Organize Second

Organizing clutter is like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic - it’s just not worth it. Start by purging ruthlessly. Lighten your load before you even think about organizing.

Don’t Shop Yet!

Hold off on buying bins, baskets or that tempting label maker. Once you've pared down, you'll have a clear idea of what you actually need - if anything. Shopping before purging almost always leads to wasted money and mismatched containers.

 

Forget Pinterest Perfection

Let go of the pressure to make your space look like a magazine spread. Those photos? They're staged. Your goal is to create something beautiful and functional for your real life, not a photoshoot.

Make Use of Your Days Off

Have a free Saturday morning? Schedule an hour for a bigger project. Seriously, just one focused hour (no phone, great playlist, water bottle handy) can work wonders. And once you're done, get those donate and trash items out of the house right away - no second guessing allowed.

Start Behind Closed Doors

Tackle closets, drawers and cabinets first. These hidden areas, once cleared, create storage for items that may currently be floating around without a home. Plus, the joy of opening a perfectly organized drawer? It’s addictive. Start small - one drawer is all it takes to spark momentum.

Store Things Where You Use Them

It sounds obvious, but this one’s a game changer. If something’s stored far from where you use it, you’ll stop putting it away. Keep things close to where they’re needed and remember, if an item doesn’t have a home, maybe it doesn’t belong.