Clearing the Chaos: How I Cut Out Physical and Non-Physical Clutter

I love cleaning up clutter, especially in my room. Seeing everywhere messy makes me uncomfortable, and I prefer everything to be simple and easily accessible. Every week, I make it a habit to clear out unused items, either discarding them or giving them away to free up space. Last week, I did another deep cleaning, and I will be sharing my strategies for decluttering, starting with the physical ones.

Decluttering Physical Clutter

I can't count how many times I have had to sort through my documents, files, and books, removing unnecessary ones and throwing them away. Old receipts that are no longer useful, printouts from my college and university days, and even duplicate certificates. I sort through everything and burn what I don't need. I do this every two to three months, especially when I have made new printouts for applications. I don't see the point of hoarding papers in my closet when they take up so much space. Everything feels lighter afterwards.

When it comes to clothes, I recently sorted out the ones I wear often and gave away the rest to neighbours who would find them useful. I love to give them out except for ones I wouldn't want others to wear since I can't put them on.

Instead of stuffing my wardrobe and making it overcrowded, I store most of my clothes in big bags — what we call "Ghana Must Go" (I still don't understand why it's called that instead of "Nigeria Must Go" or something else. Lol).

Decluttering Digital Clutter (Non-Physical)

Let's talk about my emails. Too many messages take up space and consume data, so every week, I clean up my inbox, keeping only the necessary ones. I've subscribed to countless newsletters over the years, but I no longer need most of them. Yet, they still flood my inbox with messages. That's why I make it a habit to clear things out weekly and also unsubscribe from those I could still remember how they came about. It not only frees up storage but also helps me conserve data.

Instead of having apps scattered everywhere on my phone, I declutter my home screen by fitting apps with similar functions into folders to keep my phone tidy.

Then there's the issue of notifications. The constant buzzing of my phone all day is overwhelming. One of my key strategies is disabling most notifications and keeping only a few that I genuinely need. When too many notifications pile up on my phone's bar, I get annoyed and start removing them manually. But doing that every hour is exhausting. So, instead, I disable unnecessary ones entirely and silence the important ones. I can't stand those loud notification sounds.

Decluttering Negative Self-Talk (Non-Physical)

Over the years, I have realized how doubt and limiting beliefs can weigh a person down, even for an entire day. One of my strategies to combat this is practising mindfulness and setting boundaries. I intentionally reduce interactions with people who drain my energy. I enjoy being alone with my thoughts and handling things myself, except when I genuinely need help.

I also surround myself with the right people, those who uplift me rather than make me question my worth. This has been one of the best ways to keep my mind positive. Gratitude also plays a huge role in decluttering my thoughts. By focusing on what I have rather than what I lack, I shift my mindset away from negativity. Lastly, I prioritize self-care because I know that a clear mind is essential for my productivity.

_{All images belong to me}