How to start decluttering: Make room for joy in life

“Have nothing in your house you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.”

– William Morris

Would you believe it if I tell you that you could attract more to your life by getting rid of things? These are the things you really couldn’t care for. Either because they serve no purpose in your life or you simply don’t find them beautiful. This includes clothes which don’t fit, things which are broken and gifts you don’t like.

It is well understood that for many of us, our homes and material belongings are a storehouse of memories. But trust me, minimalism is not about deprivation, it’s about liberation.

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And before we dive into the process of decluttering, ask yourself two questions.

Does it Fit?

Sometimes we keep things in our lives that no longer serve us. So, ask yourself: Does this thing fit me? Does this thing fit my body, my style or the person I have become? If the answer is No, you know what to do. Let it go.

Is it Practical?

Well, we all have that sentimental value attached to things. So while
decluttering, think deeply about whether you used that particular piece in the last year? If the answer is yes, keep it. But if it’s a no, then ask yourself again. Are you keeping it for sentimental value?

The key thing here is to remember that sometimes we keep things because there is an emotional tie to them and we must practice decreasing that, whenever possible. We need to honour the impermanent nature of things, relationships and life. Getting rid of items that we have become attached to can be difficult. But doing so will give us more
freedom, happiness and peace of mind.

Now let’s make the decluttering process a fun project for you.

• Clean by Category: It means you focus on one item at a time. Say if you have a huge collection of shirts, gather them from all possible storages and put them in one place. Now it’s easier to see how many of them are actively worn, moderately worn and not worn at all. Now the easiest way to start with is, donate the shirts which are not used at all and keep the moderately used ones in a box to reconsider later. This trick could be used in cases of all your material possessions.

• Make it a joyful activity: Consider inviting your close friends or your kids and convert it into a group activity. You can even present some of your possessions to them as there’s no happiness like inheriting quirky little antiques from your loved ones.

So start today and start small. There is an unexplainable amount of happiness in letting go of things that are weighing us down. And life is too short and unpredictable to invest in and take care of those unnecessary extras. Start practising ‘Less is more’ philosophy and enjoy the abundance that life offers in the form of immaterial things.