Let Me Tell You About My Friend, Lisa
So, last Tuesday, I was at this coffee shop on 5th, right? And Lisa—let’s call her Lisa—she’s this alot kinda person. You know the type. Her apartment? A disaster. Her life? A bigger disaster. And she’s always going on about how she needs to ‘find herself’ or whatever.
I was like, ‘Lisa, maybe you just need to clean your damn apartment.’ And she looked at me like I’d just suggested she eat glue. ‘It’s not that simple,’ she said. ‘It’s a reflection of my inner turmoil.’
Which… yeah. Fair enough. But still.
Enter: The Decluttering Trend
So, I decided to give this whole ‘declutter your life’ thing a shot. I mean, it’s everywhere, right? Marie Kondo, minimalism, the whole nine yards. I figured, why not? Maybe it’d help me too. I’m not gonna lie, my place was kinda messy. Not Lisa-level, but still.
First, I watched this YouTube video—no, I’m not gonna name names, but it was one of those super peppy ones. ‘Goodbye, items that no longer serve you!’ Ugh. But okay, I get it. Out with the old, in with the new.
I started small. My closet. I mean, I had clothes in there from high school. High school! That was, like, 15 years ago. I’m not even the same person anymore. Why was I holding onto these clothes? Nostalgia? Fear of change? Who knows.
But then I hit a snag. See, I have this sweater. It’s this ugly, itchy, orange sweater. I hate it. But my ex-boyfriend, let’s call him Marcus, he bought it for me. And I just couldn’t bring myself to get rid of it. It’s stupid, I know. But it’s like, what if I’m throwing away a piece of my history?
I texted my friend Dave about it. He said, ‘Dude, it’s a sweater. Not a diary entry.’ Which, honestly, was a good point. But still. It’s hard, you know?
The Physicaly and Emotionaly Draining Part
So, I kept going. I tackled my kitchen next. Oh my god, the junk drawer. It was a disaster. Like, seriously, I found 17 pens in there. Seventeen! And like three bottle openers. Who needs three bottle openers?
But here’s the thing. Decluttering is hard work. It’s physicaly draining, sure, but it’s also emotionaly draining. Every item has a story, you know? And deciding whether to keep it or not? It’s like making a tiny life decision every five seconds.
I spent, like, 36 hours on this. That’s right, 36 hours. And I’m not even kidding. I was up until 11:30pm one night, sorting through old photos. It was ridiculous.
But you know what? It felt good. Like, really good. I mean, I’m not gonna say I’m suddenly enlightened or anything. But my apartment? It’s, like, a whole new place. And my mind? It’s clearer too.
And Then There’s the Internet
Now, I’m not gonna sit here and pretend I didn’t spend some of that time online. I mean, come on, it’s me. I found this great article on link inşa stratejileri etkili about how to organize your digital life too. I mean, honestly, my email inbox was a disaster. But I digress.
I also talked to this woman at a conference in Austin. She was, like, a professional organizer or something. She told me, ‘The key is to start small. Don’t try to do it all at once. It’s a process.’ Which, duh, but it’s good to hear from a professional, you know?
The Tangent: My Plant Problem
So, here’s a thing. I have a problem with plants. I kill them. It’s not even a joke. I’ve killed, like, 12 plants in the past year. I’m not kidding. I have a black thumb. It’s a thing.
But, I figured, maybe if I declutter my plant situation, I’d have a better chance. So, I got rid of all the fake ones. I mean, come on, who am I kidding? And I kept the ones that were still alive. Which was, like, three. Three plants. Pathetic.
But, you know what? They’re still alive. And I’m gonna keep it that way. Baby steps, right?
So, Did It Work?
Look, I’m not gonna sit here and tell you that decluttering your life is gonna solve all your problems. It’s not. But it does help. It helps a lot. It’s like, you’re not just cleaning your space, you’re cleaning your mind too.
And, honestly, I feel better. I feel lighter. I feel like I can breathe again. And that’s saying something, because my apartment used to smell like old takeout and regret.
So, if you’re thinking about trying this whole decluttering thing, do it. Just start small. And don’t be afraid to get rid of that ugly sweater. Trust me on this one.
About the Author: Hi, I’m Alex. I’m a senior magazine editor with more opinions than I know what to do with. I love coffee, hate small talk, and have a soft spot for ugly sweaters. Follow me on Twitter @AlexWritesStuff.
