Decluttering Your Way to Focus
Raise your hand if you’ve got too much stuff. I know I do.
I’m not an extreme minimalist, but I do try to live pretty simply. Over the years, I’ve moved a lot, often with little time to prepare, so I learned how to live small. With each move, I downsized, getting rid of things I thought I didn’t need. At one point, I could fit my entire life into a van.
And yet, somehow, at every move, I always ended up asking myself the same question: How did I end up with all this stuff again?
It’s like clutter has a way of sneaking back in when you’re not looking.
The truth is, clutter isn’t just about having too much—it’s about holding on to things that no longer serve us.
When we let go of what no longer serves us, we’re left with clarity and the freedom to focus on the things that do. That’s the promise of decluttering: it’s not about less—it’s about better.
“The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” - Marie Kondo
What is Clutter
Let’s be clear: clutter isn’t the same thing as being messy.
Messy is temporary - things are out of place from the norm. (And honestly, one person’s ‘mess’ can be another’s perfect organization)
Clutter, on the other hand, is the accumulation of things you don’t use, don’t need, or don’t value. It takes up both physical and mental space. And it doesn’t just live in your space, it seeps into your routines, your priorities, and even your thoughts.
Clutter is the ski jacket you’ve moved three times but haven’t worn in a decade. It’s the stack of unopened mail that silently nags at you every time you sit at your desk. It’s the tools and gadgets you swore you’d use someday but can’t even remember buying—like the charging cable for the phone you haven’t owned in five years.
These things weigh on us more than we realize. Physical clutter occupies our space, but it also creates mental noise, draining our energy and focus. It serves as a constant reminder of unfinished tasks, unfulfilled plans, and decisions we’ve been avoiding, quietly adding to our stress.
Why Do We Hold On to Clutter
We all do it. That drawer full of random “junk”, the closet packed with “just in case” items, or the garage overflowing with things we haven’t touched in years.
The self-storage industry is worth over $48 billion annually, proving how much we’re collectively holding onto.
Why is it so hard to let go?
Emotional Attachments: Some items connect us to people, places, or moments we’re not ready to say goodbye to.
Fear of Waste: We think, What if I need this someday? Or feel guilty about letting go of something we spent money on.
Decision Fatigue: Sorting through clutter means making decisions, which can feel overwhelming, so it’s easier to avoid making decisions altogether and let the pile grow.
A Safety Net: Sometimes, we hold onto things as a way to feel prepared for any scenario, even ones we’re unlikely to face.
Cultural Pressure: Society often equates more stuff with more success. Letting go sometimes feels like rejecting what we’ve been taught to value.
Over time, the clutter piles up in our homes and in our minds. It drains energy, creates stress, anxiety, and guilt, and makes it harder to focus on the things that truly matter.
In fact, research shows that cluttered spaces can increase cortisol levels (our stress hormone), and a chaotic environment often leads to procrastination and lower productivity.
The Impact of Decluttering
"Clutter is not just the stuff on your floor—it’s anything that stands between you and the life you want to be living." – Peter Walsh
We all have those things that weigh on us—the ones we refuse to get rid of.
They remind us of abandoned hobbies, goals, or projects. I bet everyone reading this has one thing in the back of their closet that brings them down, even just a little, when they think about it right now.
I used to be a pack rat. I held onto everything, just in case. One thing I couldn’t let go of was a pair of expensive mountaineering boots. I’d used them for two seasons before moving to CA and swore I’d either use them again or sell them someday. Every time I saw them, I’d stress over the decision: Should I start using them again? Should I sell them?
Years passed, and when I finally pulled them out before a move, they had rotted. All that time, the stress of two choices I’d weighed for so long—use them or sell them—had been completely unnecessary. Neither option was even on the table anymore.
The lesson? Those boots didn’t just take up space in my closet—they took up space in my mind every time I thought about them. And I realized how freeing it was to finally let them go, even if I waited too long.
Decluttering isn’t just about having a cleaner space. It’s about creating physical, mental, and emotional clarity. It’s about freeing yourself to focus on what truly matters instead of being weighed down by what doesn’t.
Clutter is more than the stuff in your home; it’s also the stuff in your head. The reminders of things left undone, the stress of decisions we keep putting off, and the constant mental noise it creates hold us back from focusing on what truly matters in our lives.
Letting go of your physical weight is one of the simplest ways to feel lighter, more focused, and more in control of your life. When you remove the things that no longer serve you, you create space—both physically and mentally—for what does.
Here’s your challenge: find one thing you haven’t touched in years that you don’t need anymore. Sell it, give it away, or toss it. It might feel hard at first, but trust me, the sense of relief and clarity you’ll feel is worth it.
Start small, and see where it takes you.
One small step toward decluttering can be a giant leap toward a clearer mind and a more focused life. What will you let go of today?