My Personal Decluttering Story

When I had my first daughter the day before my 19th birthday, I would only fill up half the space with her things. Her bookshelves were never packed and her closet was nothing overwhelming. I mean, they grow out of clothing faster than you and I can light a switch, so there’s really no point in one child having massive amounts of clothing, shoes or toys for that matter.

She probably didn’t have more than 5 learning toys the entire time growing up. She listened to a lot of Mozart cd’s and watched Disney Channel. Judge all you want but it made her smart. She’s more book smart today than I’ll ever be. Her DVD collection was one I did hold onto for many years.

Everything else was either passed on or donated. I finally let go of her cute outfits when she was a teen. I kept the one she came home in and one other dress. That’s all. Everything else was time to let go. The things I wanted to keep were travelled with me everywhere I relocated for a very long time. But they were in a blue ziplock tote. Whatever didn’t fit was now gone. I purchased two and still have them to this day. One carried photo albums and small memento boxes, the other carried important papers, art and things. I never understood the term minimalism until my 30’s. After reading about it, I realized that I have been living this way my entire life.

When I was little we barely had enough furniture to sit on, let alone sleep on. Each of us kids had one pair of sneakers, 5 shirts, 5 pants and 5 undergarments. We moved a lot and didn’t keep the same stuff for years. My mom got rid of them and always started over. Maybe that’s why I do this often in my adult life. I like keeping a piece of furniture for a year at most and then getting a new piece. I get tired of seeing the same things all of the time, so I just resell or donate. A part of me will always enjoy a fresh new start. Whether it’s with dinnerware, products or furniture and clothing, I just have been taught this lifestyle from a very young age.

Out with the old, in with the new. But I had a really hard time letting go. Although I knew I had to downsize, I didn’t really want to. I liked collecting perfumes and lotions, jewelry and shoes. All of a sudden I found myself as a professional re-seller on Ebay and from then on it was addicting. If I couldn’t keep it, at least I was going to make money from it.

I made my garage a small shop and put all of the items I listed on Ebay on bookshelves lined up against the wall. I was selling something everyday. After time, that gets old but my love for antiques and vintage interiors never did. While I was thrifting, I began looking for popular items to sell on Etsy. Because I have an obsession with mugs, I couldn’t stop myself from impulse shopping. I just couldn’t. It was a sense of relief and joy for me. However, I knew that my small apartment was not enough room for them and now I’m in a new place with no garage.

I cannot keep finding deals and buying things I have no use for. It was indeed a revelation when I sold it to someone who would value it as much as I. Now I can live with less and still enjoy doing what I love. It’s important to remember to keep the things I have for sale separate from inside my home. Today, our apartment has a maximum of 3 pieces of furniture per room { the dining room only has 2 }, our closets have plenty of space in between hangers and even my plant collection has been limited. I focus more on the things I enjoy displaying and not so much the quantity anymore. It’s not only visually appealing but heartfelt. I feel a sense of relief, freedom from everything that has ever made me feel unworthy and helpless. I’m in control of what I own. And that’s an incredible feeling!

I declutter every single month to combat stress and anxiety. Beauty and cleaning products need to be cleaned out all of the time since those are the things we purchase more of. The main reason I unclutter so much is because it’s a natural healing agent for myself. If I experience negative situations, this helps me regain my strength and control.

Going Green eliminates over 90% of clutter

In late 2019, I officially went All Natural. I had practiced transforming my style of cleaning this way over time but now that I’m fully educated and know how to clean with no chemicals, it’s a life changing experience that I’ve come to love and appreciate.

I wasn’t a huge fan of vinegar until recently. I had to read about it before I understood that the scent really does fade after a few minutes. Now it’s the only thing I clean with. Well, that and baking soda! Baking soda snob here.

A quick squirt of alcohol on a rag also does our small two bedroom apartment justice in terms of cleanliness. We no longer have products overflowing under the sinks. For me, that just looks messy. When you only clean with certain products, your space becomes more valuable. So much that you CAN breathe better. The inside of our homes is more toxic than the outside.

Bring in oxidizing plants and go green. The feeling is indescribable. The reason people go green is to simplify our cleaning routines. Perhaps you didn’t even realize that toxic cleaning products are the reason you prevent actual cleaning. Ditch the tox. It’s life changing.

A Special Thanx and Updates

I wanted to THANK you so much for joining the uncluttered project and sharing your homes with us! Let us know if you need anything at all during this journey! These are monthly challenges that you can do at your own pace. We are going to edit this course every single month with new content, tips and projects, so check back often.

Whether you’re new here or have been decluttering for some time now, say hello and share your tips, questions, concerns. Since we don’t want anyone losing sight of what the purpose of this project is all about, we recommend commenting and supporting others through daily conversations in our group.

Thank You So Very Much,

Love Victoria