Decluttering: How to step out of your own way and gain your life back

By Megan Golightly | Read time: 2 min

Are you tired of feeling like your home is just a storage unit for all the "just in case" items you've accumulated over the years? It's time to step out of your own way and get what you really want: more space, more time, and more peace of mind.

Clutter has a sneaky way of stealing our joy and the life we imagined when we first welcomed these items into our homes. It overwhelms us, shames us, exhausts us, and loads us with guilt. But why does it have such power over us? Because clutter is really good at doing what it’s supposed to do—keep us unsettled and stuck in a cycle of dissatisfaction.

To break free, we have to challenge the old scripts we’ve been following, often passed down from our parents. You know the ones—“Keep this, it might be worth something,” or “It’s useful, you might need it someday.” Holding on to everything because it might be useful turns your home into more of a store than a sanctuary.

It’s time to erase the notion that you need to be prepared for every possibility. This mindset is driven by fear: fear of not having enough, fear of being stuck without something and not knowing what to do. But living in fear means you're not really living at all.

When you let go of something, even something given to you by someone else, you’re not rejecting their love or the memories attached to it. You're simply choosing not to go on a guilt trip induced by gifts. Ending a tradition or not keeping something that doesn’t suit your life is perfectly okay. Things do not equal love, and they definitely don’t equal 100% of the memories.

Here’s how to get started: Memorize the right questions, and I promise, they’re likely not the ones you grew up with. Ask yourself:
1. Do I love this enough to keep it, or could a photo of it be enough?
2. Do I use this regularly?
3. If I lost this item, would I actually go out and buy it again?

These questions help strip away the emotional armor we wrap around our possessions and cut to the heart of what matters. Letting go is a practice—you have to try it to learn from it. It’s almost a double-edged sword, but once you start, you’ll realize that the worst thing that can happen isn't really that bad. You might not have that item anymore, but what you gain back is your life and your space. I find its much better to live with a little regret than a house full of stuff that doesn't serve you.

Don’t be afraid to break the pattern and make room for new experiences and new memories. Remember, memories live in your heart, not in your clutter. Take photos, donate items, and discover the joy and space you've been missing. Let's make decluttering a path to reclaiming the life you deserve.

xo Meg