Decluttering My Way Back To Me

Today I decluttered my room. For months, it never felt clean. I would sweep, mop, and wipe down surfaces. Physically, it looked okay, but energetically, it felt off. Then I looked under my bed and in my closet. There it was, the monster that had been hiding in my room all along. Years’ worth of clothes, stacked and stuffed. Every impulsive and emotional purchase I’ve made since 2023 was looking at me in 2026 like, girl what are you doing?

I told myself January would be the month of organization and deep cleaning. I even did a deep clean on December 30th. I wiped down surfaces, swept, and mopped, but I didn’t get to the root cause. So today, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., I cried, organized, and played music that brought me peace. Piles of clothes turned into donation bags and give-away bags for my family. This wasn’t just cleaning. It was release. Years of baggage, finally leaving the room.

In my non-shopping life, I have a hard time letting people and things go. I replay memories in my mind over and over, whether it happened in 2012 or last week. I did not realize those same attachments were hiding in my physical space too. All the emotional spending and clutter had caught up to me until January 6, 2026, when I decided enough was enough.

What started as cleaning turned into confronting chaos. I used to think moving things around was good enough. It never was. Today, I threw things away. I let go. I found old journals, broken pens, old makeup, and clothes I bought just to feel something. I realized I had been saving so many things out of fear. Fear of not having enough. Fear of needing them later. But I never did. I needed peace, not piles.

These items were tied to older versions of me. The girl who was just trying to survive. The one who thought stuff could fill the emptiness. I honored her and let her things go. Not because I didn’t care about who she was, but because I’m stepping into someone new. The weight lifted. The air shifted. The room felt lighter. So did I.

Decluttering isn’t about perfection. It isn’t always pretty. Sometimes it means trash bags, dust, and hard truths. It means finally seeing what you’ve been avoiding. I’m proud of myself for doing the emotional labor, not just the physical work. From now on, everything I keep in my space has to match the energy I want to feel. If it does not bring joy, peace, or purpose, it does not belong here.

Letting go does not mean you failed. It means you are making space for peace. That shirt you never wore, the box of tangled cords, the pile of notebooks you swore you would fill—all of it holds energy. When you release it, you’re not just clearing physical space, you’re clearing mental space too. Your room becomes a reflection of your healing, your growth, and your new intentions. You don’t need to keep what no longer brings you joy, comfort, or purpose. Start small, but stay consistent. Little by little, you’ll begin to feel lighter in ways you didn’t expect.

Sometimes we buy things out of boredom, sadness, or stress. Sometimes we hold onto things because we are scared to move on. If any of this feels familiar to you, I encourage you to let go of just one thing. Just one. Then maybe two. Then maybe ten. You might be surprised how much lighter you feel. And if you really want to take it further, try a minimalist and intentional buying approach all year.

As for me, I am making room for better. In my space, in my heart, and in my mind.

Happy 2026, friends.