I’m the kind of person who tends to avoid anything and everything that overwhelms me. For example, thinking about my future, trying to meet new people, or even just cleaning my room. Most of these things I can’t really help, but recently I have found a way to make my living space a lot less overwhelming and a lot more calming. Through the process of decluttering, I’ve gone from a person who lives in a pig stye, to a person who can clean their room more frequently than every six months without having a panic attack before doing so.

The first and most important step to decluttering is… well… decluttering. You have to get rid of stuff. For the longest time, I had random decor, half used journals, destroyed makeup, at least 15 bottles of bath and body works lotion, and endless other nick nacks, none of which I ever used! Once I finally took the time to go through each section of my room, decided what I needed and what I didn’t, threw out at least 5 hefty trash bags full of junk, I felt like I could finally start fresh. When it comes to deciding what to keep and what to throw out, the one question you have to ask yourself is: Do I use this? If you don’t, throw it out (unless of course it has sentimental value). The next step after you’ve thrown out things you don’t need, is to give everything a place. While living in my messy room I found my number one excuse for not cleaning was the fact that I had so many things that I didn’t know where to put. It’s so much less overwhelming to tidy your room once you have a place for everything.

As a fashion lover, one of the most difficult places to declutter is my closet. I love clothes and I tend to impulsively buy clothes that I never wear. Looking at my closet in a new perspective, not what do I want, but what do I wear, has made it so much easier to part with certain things. Side note: cleaning out your closet is also a great way to make some money, there are so many clothing resale places online and in stores like poshmark, depop, plato’s closet and more. After your closet is clean, you will surprisingly find it much easier to pick out outfits in the morning. You might even rediscover a piece buried in your closet you had no idea you missed.

The final place I’m going to talk about decluttering may be surprising, but so many people overlook how important it is to declutter your refrigerator. You will be shocked at how many things are hiding in there that are years past their expiration date. The same rule that applies to shopping for clothes, applies to shopping for food. Only buy things that you know you’re going to eat, and if you’re trying something new, get a sample size. I found so many things in my fridge that were expired and never opened! If you’re the kind of person who opens the fridge, stares for a few seconds, then closes the door and leaves, cleaning out your fridge will making finding something to eat so much easier! Similar to how I found it easier to find outfits in a closet with less clothes.

Decluttering is something I thought I would never do, but now that I have I feel so much more calm, organized, and accomplished. Less truly is more when it comes to so many things. Being tied down and overwhelmed by my surroundings turned me into a procrastinator, and no one wants to be a procrastinator. So this weekend when you have some spare time, start small with decluttering your junk drawer. One thing will lead to another and next thing you know, your life is decluttered! (That totally rhymed)