5 Ways To Declutter Your Life Before The New Year

“Out with the old and in with the new” is a popular expression for the new year. While decluttering your home or car is a great way to start fresh, what if you could clear out more than just physical clutter? This year, it’s time to rethink what decluttering really means — focusing on the habits, mindsets, and routines that hold you back.

We have pulled together some creative ways to declutter your life, helping you make room for what truly matters and set the tone for lasting change.

Decluttering your mind might not be something you think of doing before the new year, but your mind is your greatest asset. You use your mind for every aspect of your life, so you have to take care of it. Just as a computer needs rest or rebooting, so does your mind.

“As a clinician, I really encourage individuals to take time to meditate daily, get out in nature, and connect with loved ones as ways to declutter and organize their minds,” said licensed mental health counselor Justin Jacques, PhD, LPC. “In terms of meditation, being able to still the mind is very helpful by watching thoughts and allowing them to pass by. Also, seeing where in the body the clutter is settled. Often that can be in a part of our body like our back. So things like acupuncture, massage, and other body-based practices.”

Your body is a machine. It tells you in so many ways when something is wrong, when it feels good, and when things are off. It is your job to listen and hone in. Tuning into your body is a practice, and when it comes to decluttering, it starts with your emotions.

Alexis Artin, co-founder of digital wellness and embodiment platform Soulsway practice suggests tuning into your body by doing something she calls body scanning.

“Sit or lie down in a safe, quiet space and bring your attention to each area of your body as you scan it,” she said. “Invite yourself to notice the sensations, emotions, and tension in each area without judgment or pressure to change anything. This practice helps you identify where physical or emotional clutter might be stored.”

Katie Dissanayake, Dating and Relationship Coach, has provided three key ways to navigate and end an unhealthy relationship: honest communication, setting boundaries, and being intentional.

“When decluttering a relationship, it’s important to utilize respectful and clear communication,” she said. “Avoid abrupt disconnections like ghosting, to minimize unnecessary stress. It is also important to let the person know why you’re stepping away, whether it’s through a coffee meeting, a phone call, or even a text, depending on the nature of the relationship.”

Katie also recommends clearly defining your personal boundaries and sticking to them.

“This might mean limiting contact, avoiding situations where you’re likely to cross paths, or politely declining invitations that involve the person,” she said.

When it comes to being intentional, how we spend our time and who we spend it with ends up making up the fabric of our everyday lives, Katie said.

“Finding real connections and investing in them, even if they’re fewer, will add more value to your life than an endless list of more superficial relationships you never go deep with,” she said.

It can be extremely easy to accumulate material things. Decluttering unnecessary baggage for the new year will free up space not only for aesthetics, but is mentally pleasing.

“Always try to reduce the amount of objects, furniture, clothes, décor, and tools you have in your immediate space, said Gala Magrina, Principal Designer & Founder at Gala Magriñá Design. “The more lightly we live, the happier we are.”

According to Gala, having fewer things, that are good quality and bring maximum happiness, is key.

“An organized and clean space brings about peace and clarity,” she said. “Know that when you get rid of clutter, you create space for new things and opportunities to come into your life. So if you’re feeling stuck, the simple act of de-cluttering can help you become unstuck and get the clarity you need.”

Justin said he encourage folks to take a weekend fast from their phones, their favorite apps like Twitter and the news.

“This often allows their mind and their nervous system a break,” he said. “There is so much evidence that being away from media and in nature can help us destress and declutter from our minds and that the impact of a week away from our technology in nature has an impact up to six months.”

Taking little steps to lose dependence on our phones can garner great benefits in the long run. Paying attention to how much screen time you accumulate in a week can allow you to create time management to do other activities.