This one simple rule will help you declutter

Finally tossing the old, slightly charred trunk with a, “Do you like me? Check ‘yes’ or ‘no’” note written by a 6th grade me and the old pair of glasses I wore to read it with inside, isn’t exactly the proudest of places I started my journey, but I did it: I successfully began the process of making my living space a place I loved to be, instead of just tolerating it at best.

I have ADHD, which means a whole lot of things but in this case, amplifies how my (in)ability to start and finish projects leads to clutter. Not to hoarding levels, but I told myself for years I was going to sort through that old trunk, got overwhelmed at the thought of it, and tucked it away for safe keeping instead. I even kept it after a fire destroyed part of it. That old trunk—as well as about 99 percent of its contents—is now sitting at the bottom of a landfill. While not so great for the environment (my apologies, truly), I feel a huge weight lifted off my shoulders.

Several weeks ago while scrolling through Netflix to find something new to binge, I stumbled upon Marie Kondo’s show “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo” on, you guessed it, tidying up. I’m not even sure what made me click on it, but that decision changed my life.

Decisions.

I used to joke that the reason it’s always been tough for me to come with a decision was because I’m a Libra. I mean, I still haven’t exactly thrown that theory out. However, when I discovered as a 30+ something year old adult that the thing “wrong” with me all these years was actually ADHD, I felt relief for maybe 10 seconds. Now I needed to find systems and methods that complemented my way of thinking, which meant pinpointing where it was rearing its ugly head and getting help where I needed it. It was too late to go back in time to avenge myself for my lackluster test scores despite having excellent grades, or putting too much focus on sports because it was the only way for me to properly manage being such a ball of energy. My last frontier was tackling how to break my tasks into meaningful, manageable chunks without dedicating too much frenetic brain power to doing so.

Which brings me to joy. If there’s one thing I know how to do well, it’s joy. Literally. It’s kind of my name. Bliss is both on all of my official government documents—except my passport, need another one of those bad boys—and is my base level state of being for the most part. It wasn’t until watching Marie do what she does best that I was equipped with the right tool to stay organized all along: not focusing on what to toss, but on keeping what sparks joy. Suddenly, my brain knew exactly how to tackle my junk and clutter. Things I’ve held on to for years, I tossed in the dumpster and walked away as if I was on a cloud. No longer was I frozen by the possibilities of an item’s perceived usefulness, which would always send me down mental rabbit hole after mental rabbit hole, until I ultimately decided to keep something I was holding on to since 2004 for an obscure, highly unlikely reason.

Again, this method of tidying is very simple:

Only keep what gives you joy.

That’s it.

You’re not writing lists, using complicated methods or even going minimalist (though it you want to, go right ahead). If you want to keep three frying pans because they all bring you joy, go right ahead. How you feel about it now dictates its presence in your life.

Feel indifferent about something? Say goodbye and toss it.

Find yourself mentally searching for reasons to keep it? Say goodbye and toss it.

Will it continue to give you joy moving forward? Yes? Keep it.

Now, watch your space flourish.