So you want to declutter your home? Awesome! I highly recommend it.
When you declutter your stuff, you find that your home improves because the environment feels more calm, visual noise is removed, things are easier to find, and you might even sleep better at night.
And those are all really good things. I wish you all the best in your decluttering journey because it will change your life for the better! In fact, if you are looking for some practical ideas to get started, try these articles:
- The Simple Guide to a Clutter-Free Home
- Go Ahead. Start Decluttering with the Easiest Step.
- A Guide to Creating a Minimalist Home
Decluttering is wonderful! But there’s something I want you to know:
Decluttering is great. But reassessing the role of possessions in your life is even better.
Let me explain what I mean.
When we decide to declutter our homes, we’re usually focused on the immediate benefits: a cleaner room, less stuff around us, a home that’s easier to manage, greater efficiency in our day-to-day lives.
But there are even greater benefits to be found! Because the process can change everything about us!
When we reevaulate the entire role that possessions play in our lives and affections, we open ourselves to deeper and richer life-change. And that is where the greatest opportunity resides—not just in decluttering items from our home, but reevaluating our stuff entirely.
When we first decided to become minimalist, I was drawn to the simple idea of “spending less time cleaning.” After a long Saturday cleaning out my garage, at the expense of spending time with my then 5-year-old son, I could see how fewer things in my garage would have made the chore easier.
But the more stuff we got rid of, the more I began to question its origins.
Why, for example, did I have a garage full of stuff in the first place?
Why were our closets crammed full? Why were the kitchen cabinets overstocked? Why was the basement full of boxes and boxes of stuff?
How come I could take three mini-van loads of clutter to our local donation center and still feel like I was only scratching the surface?
Why did we buy SO MUCH stuff that we didn’t need? And, at the same time, be living paycheck-to-paycheck? If we were so stressed about money, why did we accumulate so much stuff we didn’t need?
What was driving my thinking? What was motivating my decisions? And what was dictating my worldview to such an extent that we felt trapped but couldn’t find the escape?
Yes, decluttering our stuff felt great. We eventually removed 60-70% of our things.
But the real transformation came when we started to rethink the role that possessions played in our life. Suddenly, this process became about more than just owning fewer things; it was about re-evaluating how much importance I placed on those things in the first place.
As you know, we live in a culture that constantly tells us we need more: bigger homes, fancier cars, trendier fashion, better toys, the latest technology. Marketers scream at us from every available screen and surface. And over time, their messaging changes us.
They convince us—as much as we want to argue they don’t—that our lives will improve if we spend our money, time, and energy buying the products they produce.
And without thoughtfulness and intentionality, they determine the lives that we live. They shape the society around us—and then they shape us as individuals.
We can see this effect on our small purchases: clothes, gadgets, trinkets, toys, and decorations (just to name a few). But we can also see this effect in larger purchases: bigger homes, newer cars, and the latest technology.
But every single purchase we make requires more of our life. And often, rather than improving our life, they distract us from the things that matter most.
If we declutter our homes, but don’t wrestle with the beliefs and worldview that led to all that clutter in the first place, we’ll just fill our homes back up again. And in the process, waste more of our money, time, and energy.
But when we reevaluate our possessions and shift our mindset, we discover the freedom that comes with wanting less. No longer do we feel the need to compete with others or keep up with societal expectations. Instead, we can focus our time and resources on what truly matters—whether it’s building relationships, pursuing meaningful work, focusing on spirituality, or reaching our life’s fullest potential.
And that is where the real benefits are found!
Decluttering is great, no doubt about it. But reassessing the role possessions play in your life is even better.