2024 Strategy (for new clarity seekers)

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A few weeks ago, I wrote a newsletter issue titled Practical Tips For A Simple and Clutter-Free Home.

Later that week, a reader of the Clarity Club reached out to me looking for more insight into how I handled a specific type of clutter that I mentioned in that issue.

After responding and sharing exactly what I did, I started thinking about my decluttering journey if I started over in 2024.

So, with that in mind, here’s what I’d do.

1). Get crystal clear on what you value

Regardless of your opinion about “minimalism,” everyone must know their core values.

Here are mine:

• Integrity
• Faith
• Family
• Creativity

(Other values fall within each of these I’ve listed, but these are the four core pillars that represent my core values.)

When you know what you value, you also understand who you are, who you’re not, what’s important to you, and what’s not important to you.

This is the level of clarity you need to succeed in life and foster a successful decluttering experience.

But how can a list of words (excuse me, values) help me declutter?

Here’s your answer:

Your values are your primary decision-making tools, and they help you declutter by filtering all your decisions through them.

In short, ask yourself if keeping said item (or getting rid of it) will pull you closer to your values or pull you away from them.

It isn’t easy to live with clarity if your life is filled with things that prevent you from prioritizing what you value.

Use this worksheet to identify your values ↗

2). Find a big enough why

Anyone remotely interested in decluttering should know why they want to do it.

In my opinion, wanting to declutter simply because “I have too much junk” is not a big enough reason to keep you going during those challenging or emotional moments.

Sure, it’ll get you started, but that flame will quickly burn out.

Consider the vision you have for your life. What type of life do you want to create for yourself (beyond decluttering)?

This is where you’ll find your big why.

3). Set manageable goals

I encourage you to adopt the checkpoint method.

Each goal you set should mark a meaningful checkpoint along the journey toward achieving your ultimate vision.

This method changes how you measure success, making the decluttering process more enjoyable.

4). Start in the place that will make the most difference

Decluttering isn’t just physical; it’s emotional and mental, too.

This means you can decide how and where to start your decluttering journey.

This might be your bedroom, the bathroom, that closet you hardly ever open, or it could be emotional and mental. Maybe you start with journaling to work through your thoughts and feelings before considering the clutter in your physical environment.

The choice is yours.

I’ve found it best to start decluttering where you know you’ll see results and feel the benefits of what you’re doing relatively quickly.

This will help you build confidence and feel more motivated to continue decluttering.

Read about how to build an effective decluttering system ↗

5). Reflect and learn

Whether you’re starting from the beginning or already have experience with letting go, it’s important to reflect and learn from what has and hasn’t worked.

The greater your understanding, the more tweaks you can make to refine your process and get more results.

I highly suggest starting with refining your decision-making process. How are you deciding what stays and what goes? How confident are you in that decision despite the item in question?

You can steal my decision-making process here ↗

Conclusion

With this approach, you’ll foster a manageable and enjoyable decluttering experience – making your efforts count and last over the long haul.