#Decluttering

[girlietips]

Let’s simplify

Life is easier when you have less to worry about.

The less you have to worry about the easier it is to grow.

Declutter your space

Go through your closet and get rid of anything that doesn’t align with your future self.

Go room by room getting rid of things that do not make sense to have.

Declutter your phone and laptop of old files that you do not need.

Organize your life in a way that is easy to follow and can be maintained.

Simplify your routines

Instead of a 20 step skin care routine that is so overwhelming to do pair down and make it more manageable.

Create a morning routine that is easy to follow and won’t rush you. Yeah it’s great you did all of it but there’s no point in having all those tasks if you rush and don’t enjoy them.

Focus on 3 tasks per day that you have to get done. Set aside an hour a day to devote to them.

Create simple meals that fulfill your cravings and health needs. There is nothing wrong with eating the same thing every day as long as it is healthy.

Maintain

Create a cleaning routine that is simple and you complete weekly.

Continually declutter and get rid of things that no longer belong in your life.

Adjust as you grow. If there is one part of your morning routine you dread change it so you can fully enjoy yourself. Your routines should grow as you do.

Allow for a daily tidy of your space. A well maintained space should only take 15-25 minutes to tidy daily.

Meal prep once a week. Make a day of it. Turn on your music and allow yourself to enjoy cooking without stress.

[poopsadaisies]

[thepeacefulgarden]

[thesoftgirlguide]

A Soft Girl's Guide to Home Organization ˚˖𓍢ִ໋🌷͙֒✧˚.🎀༘⋆

Decluttering and creating a peaceful sanctuary in your home.

I’ve had such a stressful, depressing week and one of the things that made me feel better everyday was coming back to a neat, decluttered room. As a soft girl, you must value comfort, elegance, and serenity in all aspects of your life, including your home. A cluttered and disorganized space can be overwhelming and draining, making it challenging to relax and unwind. In today’s guide, we'll explore gentle and effective home organization and decluttering methods, tailored specifically for a girl like you.

╰┈➤ The Soft Girl’s Approach to Decluttering

🌸 It all starts with a mindful mindset. Acknowledge that decluttering is a process, and it's okay to take it one step at a time.

🌸 Focus on gentle decluttering. Prioritize items that bring joy or serve a purpose, rather than strict minimalism.

🌸 Create a soothing atmosphere: Play calming music, light candles, or diffuse essential oils to make the process enjoyable.

╰┈➤ Define Your Organization Goals

Before you begin decluttering, set clear intentions. Ask yourself:

🌸 Why do I want to organize my home? Is it for relaxation, creativity, or efficiency?

🌸 What do I like about my home’s current layout? Identify what works and what needs changing.

🌸 What are my pain points? Recognize areas that stress you out.

╰┈➤ Crafting a Master Plan

🌸 Take Inventory: List spaces that need organization (closets, kitchen, living room, etc.).

🌸 Arrange tasks based on your life—room by room or category by category.

🌸 If you can’t do it all in a day, allocate time in your schedule for dedicated organization sessions.

╰┈➤ Decluttering Room by Room

🌸 Begin with small areas: If you’re cleaning out just your room always start with your bed. Once you take care of your bed, everything else looks “wrong.” You can move on to drawer, shelf, or closet to build momentum and confidence.

🌸 Sort items into categories: Group similar items together (e.g., books, clothes, kitchen utensils).

🌸 Use the "touch once" rule: Handle each item only once to avoid repetitive decision-making.

╰┈➤ Organizing Strategies

🌸 Utilize storage containers: Choose decorative bins, baskets, and boxes that complement your home's aesthetic.

🌸 Implement the "one in, one out" policy: Maintain a balanced amount of possessions to prevent clutter buildup.

🌸 Designate a "launching pad": Create a designated spot near the entrance for keys, bags, and other essentials.

╰┈➤ Tackling Paper Clutter

🌸 Create a paper sorting station: Designate a spot for sorting mail, bills, and documents.

🌸 Digitize important documents: Scan and store papers electronically, shredding or recycling the originals. If you can’t do that, find a place a store them.

🌸 Organize digital files: Use cloud storage and clear file names to access documents effortlessly.

╰┈➤ How to Maintain Your Sanctuary

Now that you’ve cleaned out your space, you have to maintain it. To do this:

🌸 Schedule regular decluttering sessions: Set aside time each month to maintain your space.

🌸 Practice mindful consumption: Be intentional about purchases, considering whether they align with your values and needs.

🌸 Embrace the "home for everything" rule: Assign a designated spot for each item to prevent clutter accumulation.

Transforming your home into a personal sanctuary requires patience, self-care, and willingness. Remember, organization and decluttering are ongoing processes – be kind to yourself, and enjoy the journey.

[atruewarrior]

[saydesole]

Natural Energy Givers ☀️🤍🔋✨

Lemon8:Simpleandsiddity

[futurememor1es]

★ how to declutter your phone ★

i spend a lot of my time on my phone, and most likely you do too (don't worry, i'm not here to call you out). if you never organize or declutter your phone, after a while your storage gets full and you can't find anything on it. here's a list of things you can do to keep your phone looking clean and organized:

⋆ ˚｡ ⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡ ⋆

✧ move new and unorganized apps into folders

✧ delete all unneeded alarms

✧ delete unneeded photos and videos

✧ delete unneeded screenshots and screen recordings

✧ close all tabs

✧ delete unneeded notes

✧ add upcoming events to calendar

✧ delete unneeded bookmarks on browser

✧ organize apps on homescreen

✧ delete and unsubscribe unneeded emails

✧ organize social media (unfollow people, update profiles)

✧ delete unused apps

✧ organize playlists

⋆ ˚｡ ⋆୨♡୧⋆ ˚｡ ⋆

if you do all this once a month, or atleast every few months, your phone will stay nice and tidy. it might feel like a big project the first time, but once you start doing this regularly, it'll be much easier and faster. have a great day, stay organized ♡

[hillbillyoracle]

For those with home related New Years Resolutions:

I’ve been a disabled homemaker for 5 years now so I wanted to share the resources that have helped me take our home from complete chaos to reasonably functional and enjoyable.

If you’re not functioning...

If you’re constantly tripping over things and getting injured, eating food that makes you sick, dealing with pests in the home, and struggling to complete basic tasks like feeding, clothing, and bathing yourself, then you should start with...

KC Davis aka StruggleCare aka DomesticBlisters

TikTok

Book

Podcast

Website

I recommend KC Davis’s stuff with a big heaping dose of “keep what works and leave what doesn’t.” She’s one of the few people I’ve seen talking about compassionate care focused on maintaining a level of personal functioning rather than maintaining a home. Her stuff has been very helpful to me during some very challenging times. 

I think her some of her best work is probably her videos on the 5 step tidying process, the ones on setting up bedside hygiene and food kits, and the ones on dealing with DOOM (Didn’t Organize Only Moved) boxes. 

That being said she has a tendency to use neurotype as a shield for not reckoning with other dynamics in a situation (gendered, narcissism, etc) when asked for advice by viewers which can lead to this “all people with neurodivergence are good” vibe which I find off putting (especially as an autistic person). I mention it because her bleh stuff was all I was coming across and I missed out on her good stuff for a while. It’s worth picking through though. 

Her book is a little better on the whole. 

If you’re functioning but still very overwhelmed...

If you can complete your daily activities of living pretty regularly but you’re still losing papers you need, rebuying items you didn’t realize you had, or looking around your home at a mess that feels impossible to clean, then check out...

Dana K White aka A Slob Comes Clean

YouTube

Website

Podcast

Books

I love Dana K. White’s stuff. Honestly, I recommend her to every level on this list but I think she probably shines brightest in this category. 

Her 5 step decluttering process is pure fucking gold. It’s a decluttering process that doesn’t rely on feelings at all - really helpful for those with trauma or alexthymia generally. She has multiple videos explaining it and even more where you can watch her go step by step with someone over the course of an hour and make a huge dent in some very overwhelming mess. Its the process I’ve used to go through over 50 moving boxes to declutter so we could fit in this much smaller space we moved to in April. 

Her day to day cleaning advice is also excellent. Her concept of dishes math has really helped me make decisions about what chores to focus on when I’m low energy. Her 14 Days to Opening Your Front Door series is amazing if you’re having to host for a given occasion but your home is a wreck. 

If you’re not painfully overwhelmed by your stuff but there’s still a lot of friction in your home...

If your stuff doesn’t overwhelm you but your home still doesn’t feel that good to be in, you’re still not finding things when you need to or it’s taking you a long time to find them, you create homes for things but they look terrible or they never seem to stick, then you’d love...

Cassandra Aarssen aka Clutterbug

YouTube

Books

Website

Podcast

Clutterbug types were kind of a game changer for me. It’s what really opened my eyes to why the systems that worked for me did not work for my partner. She is a Bee - lots of small categories that are all very visible - and I am a ladybug - big bucket categories that aren’t visible. When I reorganized our space according to the compromise between our types, Butterfly - big categories and very visible - all of a sudden the systems just worked so much better. There were many fewer fights sparked by things not getting put away or not being able to find things. So I really recommend her videos on the different types and examples of each. 

Quick word of warning, she does have regular videos about diet and exercise that I personally find pretty triggering to my disordered eating habits so I’m not subscribed to her and just check her channels every now and then so it’s easier to skip over videos where that might be a topic she talks about. 

Cliff Tan aka Dear Modern

TikTok

YouTube

Website

Book

Cliff Tan’s work is the most recent of these resources that I’ve come across but holy shit I cannot recommend it enough. 

Because my parents didn’t originally intend on my partner using the room she wound up using, there’s simply not space to keep some of the furniture and items in there anywhere else. Meaning she just kind of has to keep a fair bit of junk in there. But after watching (read: binging) the Dear Modern YouTube channel and seeing him completely change spaces by moving furniture around, I redid my partners room over the course of about 2 hours and it’s a completely different room. Way more comfortable and she’s already mentioned she’s getting much better sleep. 

So I really really recommend his stuff. Sometimes what you really need isn’t new stuff but just rearranging what you already have. 

If you’re pretty content with your home but want to streamline the process of caring for it...

If your home is pretty functional but regular tidying, deep cleaning, and maintenance tasks specifically keep falling through the cracks, then you might like...

FlyLady System

Website

The Secret Slob - YouTube

Diane in Denmark - YouTube

There are lots of systems out there for house keeping but I’ve yet to try or see one that seems to do better than FlyLady for me. Since with my illness my energy varies wildly, I don’t necessarily do things when her system recommends but I do them according to the priority her system ascribes to them as I’m able. 

FlyLady is a notoriously convoluted website so I really recommend learning from a secondhand source. The Secret Slob and Diane in Denmark are my favorites. 

Maintenance Lists

This Old House

There a lots of maintenance lists out there and honestly finding one and doing what you can is better than nothing. I personally like the ones from This Old House because they’re broken up into annual, seasonal, monthly, and some weekly tasks - which are essentially priority categories, similar to FlyLady. I’ve linked the winter one here but there are many others to pick through depending on what you want to work on. 

Bonus: Paper Clutter

My System

Link

This is what I’ve arrived at after years of experimentation. It’s an amalgam of a few different ideas from different systems in one place. I keep mind on my fridge but put yours where ever you’re dumping paper anyways. If you’re in a room or live in a car/backpack - I have ideas on how to organize it for those in this post too. 

Sunday Basket

YouTube Video

The Minimal Mom’s Video

She’s in Her Apron Video

Need something a little more robust? The Sunday Basket is probably be best version of a paper (and other stuff) system I’ve seen. Got something that needs dealt with? Chuck it in the Sunday Basket. The creator also has videos on long term paper storage ideas if that’s something you need as well. But her videos usually run an hour long so I recommend starting with either the Minimal Mom’s video or She’s in Her Apron’s video. 

Bonus: Digital Clutter

PARA System/Building a Second Brain by Tiago Forte

YouTube Channel

Website

Book

Essential Video

The branding on this system can be very productivity tech wonk which is off putting to me but when I finally started hearing what was at the core of it and applying it - my digital life was changed. I’ve linked my absolute favorite video he’s done here. Ignore the bit about it being the last in the series, most of us are already using some note app and if you like it you can always go back and watch the rest. But just applying what’s in that video to your digital systems will make things easier to find. 

Hope this helps someone out there! 

[theblackfemininesociety]

✨This is your sign to declutter you life:

Start with your socials: Unsubscribe / unfollow the uninspiring, redundant, low frequency content that isn’t adding value to you or a reflection of who you are become. Also, delete or archive any photos that don’t align with the woman you want to become.

Empty out your inbox: there’s no reason why you have 1,000 unread emails or spam text on your phone. Unsubscribe and delete the unnecessary messages and emails! Only subscribe to things that align with the woman you are becoming! And for my shopaholic besties, unsubscribe those tempting stores that is declining your saving account ! Remember there’s nothing soft about being an aesthetically cute but broke woman. 😉

Take a social media break: this is for my extroverted and social media thirsty besties, it’s time to disconnect. Just a week. Cut it off and if it’s too much to bear, Limit your time on social media for a week! This also includes a people detox, put your phone on DND. Fall back for a bit and indulge in self care. The tea you love to indulge in can wait and your loved ones will reach out on their own if needed but please have some me time 💆🏾‍♀️

Clean your space: dedicate a day or days to completely clean your apartment/ room. I am talking about that closet that you’ve been avoiding and that cabinet that hasn’t been opened because it’s out of reach. After that, treat yourself, light a candle order some food, or take a long hot spa like shower. You will feel so much better in a clean space. Clean decluttered environment!

If you don't use it, Throw it away: I don’t know what it is exactly but I know there’s items in your space right now that simply take up space! And when you clean you probably move it around or organize it better. If you don’t use it, throw it away! If it’s worn down throw it away! If you have time to donate it, do so. Lately as for me., If I don’t donate it right away it’ll stay there until “I have the time” so lately I’ve been practicing the “do it now” method. Which is exactly how it sounds. If you have time do it now if not in this case of decluttering and cleaning, throw it out.

Journal: Take some time to reflect and write out your thoughts and feelings. Nothing beats putting a pin to paper (or stylus pen to iPad) and writing down all that’s in your mind.

Mediate & Pray: In our fast-paced world filled with constant distractions and never-ending to-do lists, it is imperative to find moments of stillness and connection. One powerful way to achieve this is through the practice of meditation and prayer. to quiet the mind, find inner peace, and connect with our own spiritual essence. Both prayer and meditation are powerful practices that can bring numerous benefits to our lives. They provide us with a sense of belonging and purpose, reminding us of what really important.

Need more motivation & support? Follow us on INSTAGRAM!

[balkanradfem]

So! I went home and found myself with hundreds of fall chores, no laptop, and no internet. I love my unpredictable, varied routine; first day back I went foraging for mushrooms and chestnuts, collected beautiful red apples for the kitchen and made my first fall mushroom soup. I cleaned out the fridge and the pantry and checked all my dried goods for moths. Then I headed back out, collecting conkers, walnuts, nettle - I actually had to go on a mission to find nettle! Half of it was destroyed by the flood; the other half cut by city maintenance. In the end I found some near the little house where a woman lives with six cats. I knew it was a cat lady because one time I spotted her coming home from the store, arms filled with bags, and all six cats ran to greet her with their tails up in delight. It was a lovely sight!

I don't think the woman used the nettle, it was strong and untouched, but when I sneaked by to get some, all six cat perked up and watched me. I've never been so observed by cats!

I was late this year to collect yarrow as well, and it would be unwise not to have it, since it resolves stomach cramps. Most of it was gone already, so I had to scour the fields and finally found some on a grassy path near a pumpkin patch. I'll be safe from cramps this winter!

Another big chore I had was to declutter my basement - I was stashing lots of donated clothing in there, and I need the space for all the zuchinni, pumpkins and potatoes. I gifted all the good clothing to the plant lady, and then had to figure out what can be used for sewing, and what was useless to me. This used to be an impossible task for me, because everything can be used somehow, I can sew with anything. And when you buy nothing, it's really hard to throw stuff away! You can't replace it. 

But this time I had a new distaste for microplastic and decided I would not own or sew with plastic materials. This easily got me rid of more than half the stuff! I tolerated stuff that was 95% cotton or linen, but anything completely viscose, acrylic or polyester got removed. This is of course, clothing I was not attached to. It's much harder to get rid of an acrylic sweater I happen to love. But! I won't be getting attached to another. 

I put all the nice stuff in a bag and left it outside for people to have. If they can tolerate it who am I to deprive them of it. I hope it can get used!

My next tasks are weeding out the garden, transplanting strawberries, sowing some celery and parsley, digging out potatoes, processing all the conkers and walnuts, drying and storing the mushrooms, trying to get rid of kitchen moths. (any advice on that?)

I'm having a good time running around doing various chores! The routine of normal people was driving me insane; every day was exactly alike, lots of sitting around, waiting for food delivery, then doing dishes and laundry. The store was the only place to visit! My quests for food bring me deep into the forests, looking for edible mushrooms, to the tops of hills for chestnuts, and quaint little houses with cats for nettle. Finding food outside is enrichment! I missed interacting with nature and roaming mindlessly trough the wilderness.

[us-the-voices-and-more-voices-2]

actually good cleaning hacks from someone who’s been through some shit

Get a steam mop I don’t care how much it is or cheap, just get one

if you have a pet invest in a wet dry vacuum, you will thank me.

get cleaning cloths you actually like the feel of, if you hate microfiber get a cheap set of tea towels and use them instead. Or chop up a dead tee shirt and use that.

plug in vacuums are 2x more powerful than non-plug in vacuums. You trade sucking power for mobility with cordless, so think that over when you get one.

buying a cheap mop every time one gets moldy is cheaper than having to deal with any mold you get from using a moldy mop.

invest in disinfectant/antifungal/antiviral/antibacterial liquid for your laundry, because that stuff makes getting rid of moldy musty musky shit easy. And it cleans your cleaning cloths without getting them greasy or soapy.

to fix “I accidentally left my clothes in the washing machine too long now they smell like mold” thing, you will need antifungal laundry liquid and the literal sun. Wash your clothes on the hottest setting you can with your clothing materials in mind, add the antifungal before you start, let it go for like 2 hours. And put it in the sun to dry. Repeat if it still smells moldy, until it doesn’t anymore, works like a charm!

to clean crystalline dog piss, you will need water, a steam mop, a wet dry vacuum (depending on if it’s in a carpet) dog cleaning spray or vinegar. Basically , rehydrate the piss, clean it up with dog spray or HOT vinegarish water, grab a steam mop and steam it (if not on carpet) and viola it should be okay now.

If it’s in the carpet you will need to rehydrate the piss, then just dowse the piss with water, use the wet dry vacuum to suck up the water, repeat until water comes up clean. Use whatever pet cleaner that’s good on your carpet to get the smell out, Patch test it in the corner of the carpet before you do it on the piss spot, soak up and remaining water from the carpet until it’s dry or blow dry it if you have to. And tada you have a cleaner carpet! The same works for dog shit too.

drain snakes are your best friend if you don’t remember to get the hair out the drain.

have one sponge for wiping down the sink and one for washing your dishes, because sometimes it’s easier to use a sponge to wipe down the sink than a cleaning cloth.

You can put sponges in the dishwasher and it cleans them REALLY WELL, do it everyday if you can.

Invest in a good glass cleaner for glass because when it gets greasy it’s hell.

Koh cleaner will literally cut through grease and oil, and fat. Like it wasn’t even there, if you don’t have the money white vinegar and bi-carbs does the same thing. Though be careful because it’s reactive and might destroy your countertop or pots, just invest in koh your life won’t be the same. (I can clean all the grease off things, that’s how good it works. Plus it doesn’t smell!!!)

Replace your toilet cleaner every 3 months, or make sure you don’t let it fester. That’s more of a hassle than replacing it every now and then.

Get a good dish soap, because you can use it for everything because of how mild it is.

After mopping always steam mop otherwise it will always be streaky or tacky, idk why but steam mops fix this 9/10 times.

there’s more, but I;m too tired.

[everydayautism]

Clothing Sorting Guide (how to clean/purge your closet)

subtitle: as a person with autism, ADHD, or similar executive function struggles.

For my first guide, in the spirit of spring cleaning, I’d like to offer a streamlined way to sort clothes into 2 piles for purging: keep it or toss it. 

I have struggled with knowing which clothes I want and which I want to get rid of. This leads to a big pileup of clothes that I don’t want or need anymore, but I have trouble parsing which ones are keepable and which aren’t if I don’t have a clear thinking process in it. These questions help me get my head in the game. 

If you're in a similar predicament with a closet overflowing w/ clothes that you don't actually wear, give this a try, and let me know if it helped you.

Here’s how it works: 

Make sure you dedicate enough time to this exercise, because it might be hard to start again once you take a break.

There will be 2 piles of clothes. One will be keep, and one toss. (You can also just leave your ‘keep’ clothes hanging up, if you want to. Will probably save a lot of mess, but won’t be so visually clear/divisive). 

Based on the prompts below, you’ll sort the clothes into the 2 piles. Of course, it’s always ok to re-sort clothes or realize ‘you know what, maybe I do want to keep this’ regardless of the guide. This is just a simple “get you started” type of deal.

And when you're done, consider donating your clothes to your local Goodwill or homeless shelter. You can de-clutter and make a good change in the world simultaneously.

Here we go!

---

Have you worn it in the last year? > If no, TOSS IT.

Do you feel ugly in this article of clothing? > If yes, TOSS IT. 

Do you feel uncomfortable in this article of clothing due to sensory reasons? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Did you buy this, but never wear it? Does it still have the tag on it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Do you associate this piece of clothing will bad memories, and thus aren't getting any use out of it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Do you only still own this because it's associated with good memories, but you don't wear it/like it? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Does this item fit you? > If no, TOSS IT.

Does it have large stains, visible holes, or other damage? > If yes, TOSS IT.

Has your personal style changed? If it has, does this item still fit into your style? > If no, TOSS IT.

---

Those are our tosses; how do we know if we really want to keep it?

Once you've ran through these options in your mind, consider those pieces who have not yet met the 'toss it' criteria. These may be definitive items that you're set on keeping, or they may be a gray area, where you're not sure if you want them gone or not.

Tips for determining if you really want to keep them, or are just delaying the inevitable:

1. try them on. Are you comfortable? Do you feel confident wearing this? Does it fit you properly, with no excessive cutting or squeezing? Do you feel the need to suck your stomach in while wearing this?

2. look back on times you wore this item. What did you pair it with? Were you confident wearing this, or did you feel insecure for one reason or another? How did you feel wearing this?

3. ignore the sunken cost fallacy. If this an expensive item, don't consider its monetary value in the elimination process--if you haven't worn it, chances are you won't again. Resell it, if you want to earn some money back from an expensive purchase. Otherwise, donate it.

4. consider the opportunities you will have to wear this item. Is it a daring shirt perfect for a party? Is it formalwear? If you can think of times it would be appropriate to wear, perfect. If you can't, reevaluate keeping it. (for example, if you previously worked as a clown but don't anymore, don't keep your clown suit for shits and giggles).

I hope this helps, and feel free to submit asks or comments to this blog for other autism accommodation tips that anyone can make happen in their daily life.

[gravitasmalfunction]

This is a book rec. Your local library may already have it (mine did). You don't have to have ADHD to find something useful inside; if you struggle with clutter, the author has compassionate, sensible and inexpensive solutions for organising in executive-dysfunction friendly ways.

[thepeacefulgarden]

That bad relationship, that job you can't stand, that college major that's not all you thought it would be, those old beliefs, those coping methods that create more problems than they solve, those past mistakes, that grudge, that clutter you've been holding onto "just in case," that unnecessary guilt and shame, whatever it is. It's time to let it go.

[journiland]

*Declutter Anything 30-day Challenge*

Rules are simple - just declutter something each day. Can be one thing or ten. Big or small. Whatever you feel like.

[atruewarrior]