I have been feeling really overwhelmed for the past few months, I have felt like I’ve been spinning too many plates, treading water, and wading through treacle. I don’t know about you but when there is too much clutter in my mind and the constant feeling that I need to catch up I come to a complete standstill instead. Productivity becomes nothing more than a distant memory.

One afternoon last week I had an epiphany, a light bulb moment, and all of a sudden it became clear. I needed to be ruthless and simplify my life. I needed to look at all the areas that were making me feel so frustrated and de-clutter them within an inch of their life.

I’m not just talking about the type of clutter that we physically accumulate. I’m talking about mind clutter, digital clutter, and debt.

I am determined to reclaim the time and space for us to grow as a family. I want the weekends back for us to do things as a family rather than catching up on the chores.

This is the first part of a series of posts I want to write about our experience as we declutter and simplify our family life. Do feel free to join us along the way.

I have never been a hoarder, I probably have a sort-out at least once a season. I give stuff away frequently but that’s just no good if I’m then replacing the items with more stuff.

Over the past week, I’ve been absolutely ruthless, going through each room and filling boxes to be donated or passed along to the family.

These are the things I have asked myself each time I’ve faltered or been indecisive

Have we used the item in the last year? 

Would we notice if the item wasn’t there anymore?

Am I just keeping the item because I’m worried about the money I wasted on it?

Am I keeping it out of obligation?

Is the item adding value to or enhancing our life?

You really have to take a long hard look at why you are holding onto things to be able to make any real progress. At the end of the day, it’s all just stuff. You need to make room in your life for the things you really want by letting the stuff you don’t need go.

As the rooms and spaces become clearer I am finding them so much easier to clean. I still have quite a way to go but I feel motivated that doing a little at a time is going to make a huge difference in the end.

Of course, clearing the clutter is no good if you are not going to change your mindset about the items you bring into your house and life. This process is making me realise that we need to think carefully about our purchasing decisions. I am quite an impulsive person and it’s really helping me to learn a different way of doing things which is no bad thing.

I can’t begin to tell you how much better I feel after just a week of going through the process, I can already feel the fog lifting.

Do you have any tips for me about decluttering? Share your experiences with me in the comments I love hearing from you.

Angela x