5 Areas of Your Life You Should De-clutter Today

New beginnings do not necessarily have to be tied to a specific start date or the first date on a calendar. You decide your markers and if you say today is your Day One, then it is.

You know how you’ve been mulling over not keeping up with the resolutions you made in January? Or how you keep postponing your spring-cleaning or de-cluttering day? You’re probably beating yourself up, scolding yourself over your lack of commitment or follow-through. Instead of waiting for the start of another year, quarter or month, why not create your own calendar and start now. Yes Today, no matter what date it is on the universal calendar.

Today is as good a day and time to decongest your perennial To-Do list as nother milestone date. So, let’s start even if it’s only one thing you cross off, progress is all that matters.

Dry of ideas? Here are seven areas we all need to spring clean and de-clutter our lives:

Your Closet

Start with the basics. You definitely do not regularly wear everything that you own, and there are others you wear way too much than what they’re made for. An easy hack to see what you really wear is to face all of your hangers one way, and once you wear an article, flip the hanger around the other way to mark that you’ve worn it. If after a couple of weeks there are some pieces that you haven’t touched, perhaps it’s time to relegate them to storage or to a donations box.

This technique also helps you figure what your real style is — is there one particular sweater colour you wear over other colours? Are you always pulling on those blue jeans and never touch that slack you bought on a whim because they were in vogue? There’s no reason to add something to your wardrobe just because you “should.” Remove the unworn and only add pieces to it that are long-lasting, in both material and trend.

Your Pantry/Fridge

Use this spring cleaning-time to go through all of those old cans and sauces and take-away plates, ice-cream packs and party souvenirs you haven’t touched since the event where you got them. If it’s expired, throw it away. Also start to get into the habit of checking your pantry before you run out to the store to make something special. That way you won’t end up with half-used bottles of sauce or ketchup.

Your Social media Follows/Friends/Connections

You do not care about what your ex-boyfriend and his new girlfriend got up to on their recent trip or that toxic family member you haven’t see in forever. You do not need these people clogging up your feeds or dashboards or anything. It’s time to let ‘em go. Spend some time cleaning through your friends or connections and weed out the people or things clogging up your mental energy. You are not obligated to relegate your mental state just to keep up appearances of ‘keeping in touch’.

This also applies to other total strangers but internet acquaintances who clog up your feed with energy-draining, or distracting posts, reposts and all. You do not owe anyone a free pass on your digital space if what they post or do disturb you.

Your Toxic Relationships

We all have those people in our lives who aren’t the best for us. It doesn’t matter if you’ve known each other since secondary school and have all the same friends — if you dread spending time with someone, stop investing in that relationship. Now, this isn’t the moment to ditch your friends who are just having a moment, but if your relationship with someone is hallmarked by negativity, selfishness, or competition, it’s best to walk away.

Your Paper Collection

Are you a hoarder like me? Wanting to keep every note someone has sent to you, every receipt, every piece of paper documentation, you know, for reference and testimonial purposes? Obviously, so much of that is outdated and is just taking up precious desk space. Find those piles of mail, newspaper, magazines, cards or old documents from 5, 10, 15 years ago and, like Elsa taught us, just Let. Them. Go. Digitise the ones that can be or are ultimately important, but one thing you will learn, like I did, is that that piece of paper from two years ago is just there for sentimental purpose and serves no real, irredeemable, fatal-if-lost purpose. Trash the papers and you’ll be amazed at how much better your mind feels without the clutter.