I’ve been thinking a lot lately about all the stuff I tend to hold onto. Clothes that don’t fit anymore, the eleventh coffee mug, random souvenirs I can’t even remember picking up. Slowly but surely, they pile up, quietly taking over shelves, drawers, and mental space.
A few months ago, I decided to start clearing out. Not the dramatic, rip-the-bandage-off kind of cleaning spree, but slow, gentle rounds of sorting through things. One drawer, one shelf, one bag at a time.
Here’s the thing: what’s gathering dust in my house could be useful to someone else. That kurta I wore twice but somehow kept, those extra notebooks, the bedsheets folded neatly at the back of the cupboard. Letting them go felt less like throwing away and more like passing them along to someone who could actually use them. It is a small thing but it shifts something inside me. I realise how much lighter life feels when I am not constantly holding on to things that don’t serve me.
What I didn’t expect though was the emotional part of it. Some things are easy to let go of. Others, not so much. A top that reminds me of a good day, a mug gifted by an old friend, a book that saw me through a difficult phase. I used to feel guilty about wanting to let go of things that held memories. But here’s what I have realised: letting go doesn’t mean forgetting. It doesn’t erase the memories. It just makes space for new ones. And honestly, it’s okay to thank those things for the role they played and then move on. It took me a while to be okay with that.
If you’re looking to start but feel overwhelmed, maybe this helps:
How I Tackle Decluttering:
Start Small
I just aim to fill one bag at a time. No deadlines, no pressure. One bag of “things I don’t need but someone else might.” It could take a week, or it could happen in an hour. But there’s no rush.
The “Would I Buy This Now?” Test
I pick up each item and ask myself if I would spend money on this today. If the answer is no, it goes into the “let-it-go” pile. It’s surprising how much stuff quietly fails this test.
Stuff-For-Stuff Swap
This is a small rule I now live by. If I want to bring something new into the house, I have to let go of something of similar value or use. One thing in, one thing out. It keeps things balanced and stops the mindless accumulation.
The Cart Rule
Another thing I’ve started doing is adding things to my online shopping cart and just letting them sit there. I don’t rush to checkout. I leave them there for a few days and revisit later. Most times, the so-called “need” fades away. I realise I can easily make do with what I already have or find a workaround. Very few things actually survive this test and even fewer get ordered.
Cutting Down on Shopping
Over time, these small habits have made a big difference. Shopping, once a casual habit, has become much more mindful. I no longer feel the constant urge to add to cart, to own, to stock up “just in case.” It has been astonishing how little I actually need when I pause and think.
This really hit me during my closest cousin’s wedding. Normally, an event like that would have triggered a full-blown shopping spree. New outfits, accessories, shoes, the usual panic. But this time, I decided to trust what I already had. I mixed and matched pieces from my wardrobe, pulled out old favourites, added small tweaks here and there, and somehow, it all came together better than I expected. I was able to look my best for every event, felt comfortable and confident, and even carried a few extras just in case. And the best part? I spent less than Rs. 500 in total. It made me realise that sometimes, having less gives me more room to actually enjoy the moment without the noise of “what will I wear” playing on repeat in the back of my head.
What I’ve Learned
Letting go of things is not just about creating physical space. It’s about clearing mental space too. It’s about loosening the grip of “maybe someday” and making room for what matters today. And the beautiful part is that someone else gets to use what I let go of. Things that were tucked away and forgotten can have a second life, a second home.
So if you’re standing in front of that overflowing shelf or bursting wardrobe, wondering where to start, just pick one thing. One shelf. One bag. Trust yourself to begin. The first step is always the hardest but once you take it, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start sooner. You’re not just decluttering. You’re creating space for better, lighter, and brighter things to find you.