Many people think they actually need to get rid of more or less everything they own in order to become clutter-free. Is that true? No, absolutely not! It’s a myth, and I will bust it right here for you, so read on.

What is clutter-free living?

I get a lot of questions about whether clutter-free living equals minimalism. There’s actually a big difference between the two. Are you attracted to minimalism and to owning as little as possible? Or do you love having a lot of things around you to feel extra homey and cosy? Either way is right! However, most people are somewhere in between minimalism and maximalism. I call it LAGOM. It’s Swedish (my native language) and means “just right”.

I invite you right here and now to define your own ideal home and lifestyle. Write it down and keep it in mind. Mine is called “simply lagom”. It’s all about a simplified way of life with just the right balance in all that we are, own and do. What is yours?

The struggle to become clutter-free

Clutter-free living to me is living a life surrounded by things you highly value and that makes you happy. It really is quite simple.

However, for many people it’s a struggle to get there. How come? Well, the path is actually made up of five different parts:

• >how to find the time and energy to declutter, ie. commitment
• >figuring out where to start
• >how to know what really sparks joy out of all the numerous possessions
• >how to store items so you can always easily find what you’re looking for and
• >how to maintain the order

I will teach you four steps below to find your own clutter-free lifestyle and start living a life with less so you can focus on what matters most to you.

Step 1: Vision

It was only after going through this process myself, around 6 years ago, that I understood that it is absolutely crucial to first find out what kind of life you wish to lead before getting into decluttering. Even if I had done vision work with my life coaching clients previously, I couldn’t see the same importance within home organising before going through it myself.

So, what are the most important parts of this vision work?

Mindset

Commitment to doing both deep inner and outer work and being in the right place mentally is key.

Current life assessment
Acknowledging where there is satisfaction and dissatisfaction and deciding which areas of life to focus on.

Finding your dream goals
Why and how do you want to change your home? What is the ultimate goal of decluttering?

Visualising your dream home and life
This is where the fun begins. You are allowed to dream as big as you can and deeply look into your personal values, feelings, desires and your ultimate wishes, dreams and ideal lifestyle.

Step 2: Make a plan, and stick to it

Acknowledge your limitations
Some people can, but a lot of people can’t do it all alone. Sometimes external help is needed and required for us to feel in control and happy about our lives.

Bring in a professional
This is the step I was struggling with the most during my own decluttering process. I SHOULD be able to do this on my own, right? How hard can it be? Trust me. It’s not a sign of failure to ask for help, it’s a sign of strength and bravery. Think of it as a love letter to yourself. Bringing in a professional organiser was a game changer for me personally, which actually led to me becoming one myself a few years later.

Commit to the process

I know, committing to a big, overwhelming process like this might feel daunting. It requires a lot of hard work, time and energy. But it’s so worth it in the end and the end-result is simply priceless.

Step 3: Declutter your home and let go of everything that no longer serves you

The book shelves and the internet are full of different decluttering books and methods. There is no one size fits all. However, being a certified KonMari Consultant myself, I am a big fan of using categories. It makes the whole thing so much easier to grasp. However, no matter which decluttering method you decide to follow, the most important rule is this: Focus on what you wish to keep.

It’s super scary at first to think that you need to let go of a whole lot to reach  your goals. But it’s actually the opposite. It’s really simple once you get the hang of it. Keep only what you love and feel strongly about and let go of the rest (plus some tax papers and other necessities). That’s it.

Remember: only YOU are in charge of creating Your best life.

Step 4: Reconsider your (consuming) habits

Once you’ve successfully decluttered what you wanted and needed to declutter it’s time for the next step. This is a very important step in order for you to be able to maintain your living space clutter-free. The one that keeps the clutter from building up again.

Clear rules for buying new things

After finishing this big decluttering feast you might not even want to hit the shops, but the temptation will be there to replace items you discarded once the dust has settled. You might find that there is a need for new rules about bringing new stuff into the house arising. Here are a few situations which you might want to consider creating your own rules for:

Wardrobe renewal
Inherited/donated stuff
Gifts (birthdays/Christmas etc.)
Online shopping
Kids’ toys

What kind of rules would be useful?

Consider these 4 essential rules first:

1. Decide if, when and how many new things you will allow into your home at any given moment.
2. When it comes to kids, remember that the parents are the gatekeepers, at all times.
3. Consider applying the “one-in one-out principle” or do a seasonal detox for your clothes.
4. Ask “why” before buying anything. Sleep on it before pressing the “order” button. Remind yourself that everything is 100% off if you don’t buy it at all. And most buys happen for an emotional reason anyway.

No home can function well without rules and systems. Once all your belongings have a set home and all household members have their own areas of responsibility it will lead to consistent feelings of calm and being at peace in your home. After all, being able to relax more and enjoy peaceful relationships in your own sanctuary is way more attractive than constantly tidying up and looking at random piles. So…when shall we get started?

“Buy less.
Choose well.
Make it last. Quality, not quantity.
Everybody’s buying far too many clothes.”
Vivienne Westwood