So You've Decluttered. Now What?
What will your life be like after you clear the clutter?
The decision to get rid of the excess in our lives is a big one, and the task of doing it is even bigger.
Depending on how much stuff you have, it can take anywhere from hours to years.
It takes an emotional toll too. We attach a lot of meaning to our things, whether they're heirlooms or reminders of happy times we've had or they evoke a time in our lives of great change, upheaval or learning. Deciding to part with something we connect closely with a part of our selves, whether we've looked at it in the last few years or not, is difficult and even draining.
So when you power through the hard physical and emotional efforts to achieve a calmer, more peaceful home, the sense of accomplishment is huge.
And then …
And then …
What?
What do you do after you're done decluttering?
What does your life look like after you've spent so much time and effort to make your external surroundings just the way you want them?
Your life can look any way you want it to. This is just the beginning of designing the life you want to live, to live according to your values and priorities, and to find out who you really are and what you really want out of life.
But there might be a few things you'll need to do first:
Declutter your schedule
Some days, I would argue that decluttering the schedule is harder than decluttering the house. This means saying no to certain things, it means deciding what is most important for you to do, and prioritizing those people and tasks that bring value to your life over the ones that don't.
I like to start by imagining my ideal schedule and working toward that.
You can start small. Pick one thing you want to include in your schedule, like exercising or spending more time with your kids, and take a small step toward it.
Whatever it is, start with just 10 minutes scheduled into your day on the days you want to accomplish it. If it's on your calendar, it's more likely to get done. If something less important has to fall by the wayside, that's OK. You'll get an idea of what you can make time for and do, and the unimportant things will start to fall away.
Declutter your finances
You just spent all this time throwing out things that you spent good money on. Maybe you sold them, and if you did, you probably did not make back the money you spent on them. If you didn't, they are sunk costs, and you're just out that cash.
This is one of the things that makes decluttering so difficult, and it's something nobody wants to have to relive.
So declutter your finances. Figure out how much you're really spending and how that relates to what you're bringing in. Get rid of the inessential. If you never watch TV, get rid of cable. If you don't make phone calls from your landline, get rid of your telephone line.
Tighten up your finances, and you'll become aware of where and how much you're spending. You'll also be less inclined to waste money on things you'll never use, don't need or that don't bring value to your life, and you will free up money to do the things you want to do.
Maintain your hard work
Decluttering all these areas of your life isn't easy, and after all your hard work, you don't want to have to do it all over again! So maintenance is key, and vigilance is the key to that maintenance:
- Keep a close eye on what you let into your house.
- Keep a close eye on where you spend your time.
- Keep a close eye on what you spend your money on.
An hour a week of maintaining your schedule, finances and home is worth every minute when it means you won't have to spend hours and hours re-doing all the difficult work you've already done.
Enjoy your life!
You've got your house, schedule and finances in order. The world is your oyster!
Take time to do the things you love. Write that novel. Take the family on a trip. Learn a new language. Do whatever it is that makes you happy and fulfilled.
That's the whole point of decluttering. It's not just to do the work for decluttering's sake or to achieve a certain number of things that someone else says you should own.
The whole point of decluttering is to make room to live your truest life. The life that you won't regret when you're on your deathbed. The life that gets you out of bed ready to go every morning and that sends you to sleep satisfied and fulfilled every night.
That life. Now that you're done decluttering, do that.
What do you want to make time and space for in your life?
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