If you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter, forgotten appointments, unfinished tasks or simply too much to remember, getting a few simple systems in place can make a real difference. You don’t need to become perfectly organised overnight – the aim is to find a few things that work for you and your family.

BEING ORGANISED AT HOME AND IN LIFE

Over the years, I’ve found that being organised isn’t about having a perfectly tidy home or a colour-coded schedule. It’s about creating simple systems that remove some of the everyday decisions and help things run a little more smoothly. These are some of the organising habits and routines that I’ve found useful in my own home and family life.

I write about simplifying and decluttering life so you can be intentional in how you use your space, energy, time and freedom. Out of all these precious resources, your time is arguably one of your most limited resources. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Being organised, whether it’s at home, at work or your life in general, can help you make the most of that precious time.

This is why I love to share tips on time management and productivity alongside articles on simple and intentional living. Being organised is a wonderful way of maximising the time you have so you can be freed up for other things in life.

REASONS TO BE MORE ORGANISED

Although sometimes we have to be flexible and just ‘wing it, I do think it’s helpful to be organised – especially if you’re tight on time, space, money and/or energy!

Here are some great reasons to be more organised…

• Less likely that you’ll lose something because you’ll know where most, if not everything, is
• Easier to find things because everything has a proper place to live or be stored
• Creates more space because you only have what you need and love and there’s less random clutter taking up your physical space
• Increases productivity because you don’t waste time wondering what to do or where things are
• Makes you more efficient because you know what you’ve got to do and when
• Cuts down the stress because things are easier and simpler when you’re more organised
• Eliminates the frustration of not getting things done that you need to
• Creates more time and freedom which you can choose to spend in whatever way you want
• Saves money as you’re not buying stuff unnecessarily because you can’t find it or forgot you had it already!
• Makes for a calmer family and home because YOU are generally calmer, less overwhelmed and on top of things!
• Avoids problems such as last-minute trips to the shops, double-booking, running out of time and forgotten appointments because you’ve planned ahead and pre-empted the problem before it becomes a problem

If all of these sound good, then you might like these quick tips to help organise various aspects of your home and life. Read on for 25 ways to be more organised!

25 WAYS TO BE MORE ORGANISED AT HOME AND IN LIFE

Here are 25 ways to be more organised at home and in your everyday life, from decluttering and organising your rooms to managing your time, routines, paperwork, meals and finances.

You don’t need to do all 25 – start with the areas that would make the biggest difference to you.

1. Your hall/entrance way

Your entrance way is likely to be a clutter hotspot. Shoes, coats, bags, hats, scarves, footballs, incoming post, keys, letters from the school… all these things tend to get dumped in the hallway as you come in and out of the front door, unless you can find a more organised and suitable home for them.

Think about how your hallway is used and the sorts of stuff that accumulates there. Do you need boxes for shoes, hooks for coats, shelving or cupboards for bags, a bowl or hooks for keys? Find a way of using the space available and giving everything a home.

Teach your family to put and keep everything in its place and keep encouraging them if this doesn’t work right away!

2. Give everything a home

Make sure everyone in your home knows where things belong and ensure that all the stuff is returned to its proper home once everyone has finished using or playing with it.

Little kids will need help and encouragement whilst you teach them how to tidy away, but even a toy box in the corner of your living room will help them learn to put their toys away until next time.

Giving everything its own ‘home’ or storage space is a great way of preventing your home from looking cluttered and you can keep that clutter creep in check.

When you notice clutter building up and not being put away, maybe you have too much clutter?!

3. Designate zones or rooms for particular purposes

If you work from home or use the computer a lot, set yourself up with a home office (either a separate room or corner of another room) so this is where you go to use the computer.

Encourage your kids to play in their bedrooms, or the playroom, or just in one room at a time, rather than spreading themselves and their toys throughout every room in the house!

Use each room for the purpose you intend it and set that room up so that you can use it in that way.

Make sure you’ve got the necessary equipment, storage and space for whatever you’re using that room or area for. This will stop you endlessly moving toys etc back into the place they should be, make it quicker to tidy up afterwards and easier for everyone to find what they need and use the space as it’s intended.

4. Table-tops

Clear the stuff from all your table tops and surfaces. Dust them down, keep them clear and only put back items that you love, need or want to look at.

Flat surfaces are notorious dumping grounds for so many things, from important post to random junk.

Letting stuff pile up will lead to chaos, confusion and, at the very least, you won’t be able to find what you’re looking for!

5. Toys

Ask your children (if they’re old enough) to go through their toys and make piles of the ones they play with all the time, the ones they play with sometimes and the ones they’ve outgrown or no longer use. You can then decide together what to keep, donate or pass on.

Group the different types of toys together and find storage solutions that work for your family. Make them at child-friendly height if you’re ok with your kids being able to access them/put them away by themselves or pop them out of reach if you need to be there when they want to play with them.

Here are some tips on how to declutter toys and why your kids might benefit from fewer toys.

6. Kitchen cupboards and drawers

Go through your kitchen and pull out all the utensils, pots, bowls, mugs, glasses, cutlery etc that you don’t use. Either donate or throw them away.

If you’re not sure whether you’ll need something, put it in a box in the garage for 2 weeks and if it’s not used after that time, then donate/throw it.

Clean the cupboards and drawers and put everything back in an organised and tidy way. You should have a bit more space now to do this because you’ve got less stuff!

You’ll also know where everything is for the next time you want to use it. You’ll know what’s in your food cupboard and when you need to re-stock.

7. The living room

Look at your living room, is it full of things that don’t belong in the room but have ended up there because it’s where your family spend a lot of time? Do you need a basket or toy box which can stay in the room so that the toys can be thrown in there at the end of the day? You won’t have to spend time collecting them all up and returning them to your child’s bedroom each evening!

Is your living room a reflection of you – warm and cosy, light and airy, in a colour and decor style you like, or are the table tops cluttered with stuff, drawers overflowing? Sort through them!

A cluttered living room might not help you feel your home is the sanctuary you need it to be from the busy, chaotic world outside.

8. Linen cupboard

Take everything out and sort into piles. Bath towels, hand towels, pillow cases, sheets and duvet covers for your bed, for the children’s room and any guests that might stay. Be ruthless with items that are threadbare or have holes. 

Put back into the cupboard only enough of each item that you’ll think you need depending on the size of your household.

Put complete sets of bedding etc together by folding them up in one bundle or putting the sheet and duvet cover into the matching pillowcase. This makes it much easier when it comes to pulling out what you need to change the beds.

Keeping up with a regular laundry routine will usually mean you need less towels, sheets etc. You can always keep a few sheets/towels back for the dog or as rags if you would like.

9. Your wardrobe

Another way to get organised is with your closet. Take everything out of your wardrobe. Find another home for everything that shouldn’t be there, a wardrobe is for clothes only! Clean the inside thoroughly. Sort your clothes into 3 piles (keep, donate, throw away).

Only put back into your wardrobe the items you want to keep. These should be pieces that are in good condition, that you love and enjoy wearing regularly and make you feel good when you put them on. Take the donate and throw away piles straight to a charity shop or the bin.

Creating a minimalist capsule wardrobe isn’t just a way of saving you time and making it easier and quicker to get dressed each morning. A capsule wardrobe is good for the environment too!

10. Keep an ongoing shopping list

Don’t rely on your memory. When you know you’re running low on something add it to your shopping list. You could keep this on your phone or on a piece of paper stuck on the front of the fridge.

11. Keep a To Do List

You can prioritise the important things. It will help keep you focused on what you’ve got to do, make sure you don’t forget anything and free up your mental space by getting your thoughts out of your mind and down on paper.

You can also tick things off the list as you do them, so you can feel really productive and visually track your progress!

Writing things down makes life easier to organise!

12. Meal-planning and grocery shopping

Every weekend I do a plan of the meals that our family will need for that coming week. I look at who’s going to be around for which meals, including breakfast, lunch, dinner and any snacks. Then I do my online grocery shop for the food to be delivered to my door every Monday. I’ve set an alert on my phone to remind me every Sunday evening to place the order in case I forget!

This way my fridge and cupboards never run completely empty, I can calculate how much milk, bread and other stuff I need for the week and I don’t have to dream up nutritious, exciting meals that suit all the family when I have no ingredients and only ten minutes to get it on the table.

At the end of the day when I’ve been on the go and making decisions all day, I really don’t feel like cooking and would rather reach for the takeaway menu or frozen chicken nuggets. Nothing wrong with nuggets but perhaps not seven days a week!

Meal planning not only saves time and stress in the kitchen, but it also helps me eat more healthily.

13. Come up with a cleaning rota

I’ve worked out how many rooms are in my home, what needs to be cleaned in each of them and how often and I’ve made a rota to ensure each bit is cleaned as often as is necessary – daily, weekly, monthly, 6-monthly etc.

Here are some tips on how to spend less time cleaning.

14. Laundry

Work out how often you need to do a load of laundry and get into a routine of doing this as regularly as your household requires. I tend to put a wash on every couple of days. This way everyone has a fresh supply of clean clothes and the dirty laundry doesn’t build up.

Here are some other household routines you could try to minimise time and be more organised around the home.

15. Keep a calendar

Either a paper one that you can refer to and update easily, or even better, use an electronic calendar on your phone. Make a point of putting ALL appointments, invitations and activities in there so you’re not relying on your brain to remember them all.

Look at ways of sharing your calendar with other members of your family, for example, using Google calendars so there’s no risk of double-booking and you all know where you’ve got to be and when!

16. Tidy up regularly

Tidy up the house throughout the day. Don’t let the toys build up on the floor. After the kids have played with them and before they move onto something else, make sure all the toys are put away. Straighten the cushions. Grab a laundry basket before every meal time and walk around the house.

Put everything in it that doesn’t belong in each particular room and return the items to where they should go.

A regular reset of your home once or twice a day can help keep your home tidy and organised. It’s also a good decluttering habit to get into to stay clutter-free!

17. Find a place for keys

How often do you lose your keys after you’ve plonked them down somewhere? How much time do you spend looking for them? Choose a bowl, plate or some key hooks and pop them straight there when you walk in the front door. Keep on doing it and it’ll become a habit. No more missing keys and wasting time looking for them!

18. Your photos

I take photos of everything, not just endless snaps of my kids! I take photos of important documents that I need to keep. I take a shot of the original document and save it to my phone. I also take photos of important letters that come through the post. Once a week I go through the photos and save them all to my computer.

I use Google Drive to store all my photos and personal documents, arranged in different folders so that I can find and sort them quickly and easily. This way I don’t get buried under a load of paper and it reduces the amount of filing I need to do and the physical storage space required.

19. Email inbox

One of the best ways to get organised in your digital life is to tidy up the emails in your inbox. Get rid of the junk, action the ones that need dealing with.

Set up folders for the different areas of your life e.g. school, online grocery shopping, personal, financial etc.

Deal with emails either as they come in or at set, regular times of day. Archive what you don’t need right now but don’t want to get rid of completely. You’ll find it easier to see what’s what and find what you’re looking for.

20. Keep a stash of important stuff

Do you ever remember it’s a friend or family member’s birthday at the last minute and realise you haven’t bought them a birthday card which needs to be posted that day? Or a stamp?

Keep a stash of things that you might need and which would save you time on another occasion. For example, bulk-buy birthday cards, thank you notes, blank cards with pretty pictures, to save you having to go to the shops for just one last-minute card.

Stock up on stamps, gift wrap, glue, sellotape, pens and pencils, post-it notes. You get the idea!

You could also keep a small supply of everyday stationery and household essentials that you regularly use, so you don’t have to make a special trip to the shops when you run out.

21. Put together a grab bag

If you’ve got little ones, put together a bag of stuff that you might need when you’re out and about and keep this ready to take with you whenever you go out, including school run mornings.

You never know when you’ll need a baby wipe or a spare nappy and it’ll save you much less stress, hassle and time knowing that you’ve got an emergency bag with you (either on the buggy if you’re walking, or in the car if you’re driving).

22. Computer desktop

Do you have lots of icons floating around your computer screen?

Tidy up the icons on your desktop. Organise what you need to keep, set up online filing systems with clearly labelled folders and get into the habit of saving to these instead of just randomly to your desktop. 

Come up with a system for naming the files you create and save as this will make it easier when you want to search for something. Here are some other tips for getting rid of digital clutter.

23. Set up a home command centre

There are SO many ideas on Pinterest for this. It’s a special place in your home, perhaps the hall/entrance way or kitchen, where you establish organisation command for your home.

Stock it with supplies of stationery, maybe a filing system for important letters and post that comes in that week or that needs dealing with, a noticeboard and calendar so you can keep a check on what’s happening and when.

A command centre doesn’t have to be huge if you don’t have much space. Even a drawer or corner of kitchen counter or desk will do. Check out Pinterest and find some creative ways to get organised!

24. Manage your finances

If your budget allows, try to put a little bit aside each month into a savings pot. You can also think about a private pension, life insurance and any other extras if you’ve got money spare. You may want to consider putting a little bit aside each month to put towards a Christmas fund or for your summer holiday.

Try these tips to simplify your finances and manage your money with confidence.

25. Your filing system and paperwork

Set yourself up with a small filing cabinet or set of cardboard files which contain all your important original documents.

Go through all the paperwork you currently have, take photos/scan the documents that you feel you need to keep a record of but that you don’t need the actual physical copy and save these onto your computer into appropriate folders. Shred the originals.

Set yourself a time each week where you can action all incoming post, file what you need, scan or shred the rest.

You can read more about decluttering and simplifying paperwork and setting up a simple paperwork system.

If you enjoy keeping notes and lists and want everything in one central, easy-to-find place, maybe creating a Simple Life Binder could be a helpful solution to help organise your life.

FURTHER READING…

When you’re ready, take each of these ways to be more organised in turn and see how they relate to your own home and life. Remember that it might take time to find what works for you and for any changes you make to become a habit for you and your family. Any progress is still progress after all!

Here are some more resources you might like:

• 15 ways to be more productive
• 7 things to do on Sunday to plan the week ahead
• How to create a daily routine to simplify your life
• Mid-week check-in – 10 mindful questions to ask yourself
• The cost of clutter – what is your clutter costing you?

The post 25 Ways to Be More Organised at Home and in Life appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

If you started the week with a plan but already feel like you’re chasing your To Do list, you’re not alone. Sometimes the most helpful thing isn’t to push harder, but to stop for a few minutes and check in with yourself.

I find a mid-week check-in particularly useful because my original plans don’t always survive contact with real life!

By Wednesday, I usually have a much clearer idea of what’s actually working, what’s slipped, and where I might need to ease up or change direction. I don’t use this as another productivity exercise or a way to squeeze more into the week. It’s simply a chance to pause, notice how things are going and decide what would make the rest of the week feel a little easier.

WHEN YOUR WEEK GETS AHEAD OF YOU

We all know that we can plan the week ahead in advance, have our To Do lists written and our time mapped out. We can prep all those meals, make a commitment to get up early, fit in some exercise and spend time with our loved ones, but then… life happens. The week gets ahead of us and all our best intentions get a little lost along the way.

If this feels familiar, I know how you feel. And it seems that just planning our week in advance isn’t enough when the pushes and pulls of modern life are doing all their pushing and pulling!

REGULAR WEEKLY PLANNING

It helps to plan ahead for the week. I do this every Sunday because I have a little bit of free time where I can sit quietly and think carefully about my week ahead. You could try these things to do on Sunday for a productive week ahead, or this post on how to plan for the week ahead.

Whatever you include in your regular weekly planning, the key here is to be consistent. Make a date with yourself once a week when you’re not likely to be disturbed. Grab a notebook and pen and your diary, paper is fine or go digital if you prefer.

Map out what you’re going to be doing, where you need to be, errands to run, important dates to remember and what meals and snacks you’re going to need.

• Do you require childcare or time off work?
• What about free time, fun time and time for you?
• Perhaps even squeeze in a date night for yourself and your partner?

Getting a head start on the week will help you plan and prepare more and stress less.

But… sometimes life throws us a curveball and that mapped-out week takes a different turn. Maybe something comes up at work, or your child is off sick from school, or the car breaks down or the dog is ill and needs the vet.

Time for yourself slips to the bottom of the priority list, you grab a chocolate bar and double espresso to keep you going because you missed your lunch break. Perhaps you’re just tired and teary and need a break.

That’s where a mid-week check-in may be just what you need!

PLAN YOUR WEEK WITH MY FREE WORKBOOK

A mid-week check-in works especially well when you have a simple plan for the week to come back to. If you’d like some help getting started, I’ve created a free Plan Your Week workbook to help you think through your priorities, plans and commitments before the week begins.

You don’t need to plan every minute or create a perfect schedule. The aim is simply to get the important things out of your head and onto paper so you can approach the week with a little more clarity and intention.

Get the free Plan Your Week Workbook.

WHAT IS A MID-WEEK CHECK-IN?

A mid-week check-in is exactly that. It’s a short little moment for you to check in with yourself during the week to see how things are going. How are you feeling, how are your plans going, and do you need to change anything now instead of waiting until your normal weekly planning?

Sometimes niggles or problems need to be addressed now so that they don’t get bigger. A mid-week check in is also helpful if you’re trying to meet a goal or target (e.g., personal, health, financial etc) and need to evaluate how you’re doing.

If things aren’t going the way you’d like them to then knowing what’s going wrong is the first step in knowing what to change.

For example, if I’m planning to eat more healthily but my mid-week check-in reveals I’ve actually been too tired to cook and I’m relying on microwave meals and sugary snacks, then I know that my weekly meal-planning isn’t working and it needs a tweak.

10 MINDFUL QUESTIONS FOR YOUR MID-WEEK CHECK-IN

A mid-week check-in doesn’t have to take long. Here are 10 mindful questions you might like to use for your own mid-week check-in.

1. How do you feel today? Are you happy, content, at ease?

Take a moment to notice how you’re feeling, both physically and emotionally. Are you feeling calm and content, or are you tired, stressed, frustrated or overwhelmed? There’s no right or wrong answer – simply noticing how you feel is a useful place to start.

2. Have you chosen healthy food and drink options to nourish your body?

Think about what you’ve eaten and drunk so far this week and how it has made you feel. Have you been giving your body the food and water it needs, or have busy days meant you’ve been grabbing whatever is quickest and easiest?

3. Have you been getting enough sleep and rest?

Think about your sleep, but also the other ways you rest and recharge. Have you had enough time to slow down, sit quietly, enjoy some downtime or simply do nothing for a while?

4. What have you been doing to look after your mind?

Consider the little things that help you feel mentally well. Perhaps you’ve spent time outside, read a book, talked to someone you trust, had some quiet time or taken a break from a busy day. What has helped you feel more like yourself?

5. Has anything gone wrong this week or not gone as planned?

Weeks rarely go exactly to plan, so try not to judge yourself for anything that hasn’t worked out. Is there something you can change, postpone, simplify or ask for help with before it becomes a bigger source of stress?

6. What has made you feel happy and grateful this week?

Think about the small moments as well as the big ones. Maybe you’ve enjoyed a good conversation, a favourite meal, some sunshine, a quiet cup of coffee or simply having a little time to yourself. What moments have made you smile?

7. What are you looking forward to doing this week?

Look beyond everything that needs to be done and think about something you’re looking forward to. It could be something special you’ve planned, time with someone you love or simply a small moment that will make your week feel good.

8. Who have you enjoyed chatting with or being with this week?

Think about the people who have made you feel connected, supported, understood or simply happy to be around them. Is there someone you’d like to make a little more time for?

9. What have you enjoyed learning about this week?

Learning doesn’t have to mean studying something formally. Perhaps you discovered something interesting, tried something new, read something that made you think or learnt a little more about yourself. What has caught your attention?

10. What would you like to achieve this week?

Rather than creating another long To Do list, think about what really matters for the rest of the week. Is there one important thing you’d like to finish, something you’d like to make time for or perhaps something you could let go of?

These questions cover more than just what you’ve achieved. They’re also a chance to notice how you’re feeling, how you’re looking after yourself, what’s been difficult, what’s brought you joy and what you want from the rest of the week. You don’t need a perfect answer to every question – simply notice what stands out to you.

Choose a quiet time during the week to mull over your responses to these questions. You could write them down in your notebook or just make a mental note of anything you want to do or change.

This check-in doesn’t have to be time-consuming or yet another thing for your To Do list. It could just be some questions to reflect on whilst you’re commuting to work, sitting in a traffic jam or walking back from the school run.

WHAT TO DO AFTER YOUR MID-WEEK CHECK-IN

Your answers don’t need to turn into another To Do list. Instead, look for one or two small changes that could make the rest of your week easier.

Perhaps you need to move something that no longer feels important, ask someone for help, make time for rest, prepare something in advance or simply let go of something that doesn’t need to be done this week.

The point isn’t to fix everything. It’s to notice what you need and make a little space for it.

MORE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU PLAN FOR THE WEEK AHEAD

Here are some more articles and resources to help you plan your week with less stress and more ease:

• How to write a great To Do list to Get things done without stress
• How to set boundaries To protect your time and peace
• 18 signs you are too busy (and what to do about it)
• How to feel less overwhelmed when life gets busy
• Everyday Habits That Make Life Feel Simpler
• 5 Little Lists That Make a Big Difference to My Week

The post Mid-Week Check-In: 10 Mindful Questions to Ask Yourself appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

WRITING THINGS DOWN HAS MANY BENEFITS FOR AN EASIER LIFE

Writing things down can help you declutter your mind, organise your thoughts, remember what matters and turn vague ideas into practical next steps. You don’t need a complicated journal or elaborate planning system either – sometimes a piece of paper and a pen are enough to make life feel a little more manageable.

I’ve always been a fan of writing things down. Not because I think you need to document every part of your life or spend hours journalling every morning. Quite the opposite. I think writing things down can be one of the simplest ways to make life feel less cluttered.

When you’ve got a lot going on, it’s very easy to keep a running list of things in your head. Things you need to do, things you need to remember, things you don’t want to forget, ideas you might come back to, plans you need to make and problems you need to solve. And the more you try to keep track of mentally, the more overwhelming it can feel.

Writing those things down gives them somewhere to go. Instead of trying to remember everything, you can put it on paper and come back to it when you need it.

Why does writing things down help?

There’s a practical reason that writing things down can be so useful: you don’t have to rely entirely on your memory to keep track of everything.

Psychologists sometimes refer to this as cognitive offloading – using something outside your brain, such as a list, calendar or written note, to reduce the mental effort involved in remembering information. Research into memory offloading suggests that external reminders can improve performance when the information is available when you need it.

And that makes perfect sense in everyday life. If you’ve written down the things you need to do this week, you don’t have to keep reminding yourself of them every time you walk into the kitchen. If you’ve written down an idea, you don’t have to keep thinking, “Don’t forget that!” If you’ve written down the steps for a project, you can concentrate on the next step rather than trying to remember the whole thing.

Writing things down isn’t about having a more complicated system. It’s about giving your brain a little less to carry.

1. Writing things down gets things out of your head

Have you ever been trying to fall asleep while mentally running through everything you need to remember tomorrow? Or been halfway through making dinner when you suddenly remember something you need to do? Or spent the whole afternoon thinking, “There’s something I’ve forgotten…” without being able to remember what it is?

I’ve been there.

Sometimes the problem isn’t that you have too much to do. It’s that you’re trying to keep track of too much information in your head at once. Writing it down gives you somewhere else to store it.

You might write:

• Call the dentist.
• Order a birthday card.
• Book the car in for a service.
• Check the school dates.
• Buy ingredients for Friday.
• Finish that email.
• Look into the holiday.

Suddenly, those thoughts aren’t all competing for your attention. They’re on the page, where you can see them, decide what matters and get on with your day.

2. It can help you organise your thoughts

Sometimes we don’t have a clear problem. We just know that something feels muddled.

Perhaps you’ve got too many ideas and don’t know where to start. Maybe you’re trying to make a decision. Perhaps you’ve got a room that needs sorting, a project you want to tackle or a change you’d like to make, but the whole thing feels too big.

Writing can help you turn that vague feeling into something more concrete.

You could simply start with:

What is bothering me?

Then write whatever comes to mind. Don’t worry about making it neat or writing complete sentences. Just get the thoughts onto the page.

Once they’re there, you can start to see what you’re actually dealing with. Perhaps there are three separate problems hiding inside one big worry. Perhaps one thing needs doing today while everything else can wait. Perhaps you realise that something you’ve been worrying about isn’t actually as complicated as it first seemed.

You don’t always need to find the answer immediately. Sometimes you just need to see the problem clearly first.

3. Writing things down can help you remember

We often assume we’ll remember something later. Sometimes we do. Sometimes we really don’t.

Writing something down gives you a reminder to return to, rather than asking your memory to keep hold of it indefinitely.

Handwritten notes can also involve more active processing than simply typing information word-for-word, which may help with remembering and understanding what you’ve written.

This doesn’t mean you need to carry a notebook around and write down everything that happens. It simply means that when something is genuinely important, write it down rather than relying on yourself to remember it later.

A shopping list, an appointment, an idea, a phone number, something you need to ask someone, a job you don’t want to forget or a thought you want to come back to – these are all perfectly good reasons to reach for a pen.

It’s a small habit, but it can remove a surprising amount of mental juggling.

4. It turns ideas into something you can actually work with

An idea in your head can feel exciting. It can also feel enormous.

• I want to declutter the house.
• I need to sort out our finances.
• I’d love to start exercising.
• I want to get more organised.
• I need to plan Christmas.

These are all perfectly reasonable things to want to do. But they’re not really tasks. They’re ideas.

And an idea becomes much easier to act on when you write down what it actually involves.

Instead of:

Declutter the house

you might write:

• Choose one drawer.
• Empty it.
• Remove anything I don’t use.
• Put the things I’m keeping back neatly.
• Decide what to do with the things I’m letting go.

Now you have somewhere to start.

Research into goal-setting supports the value of making goals more concrete and breaking them into manageable steps. Writing goals down can also help make them feel more tangible and provide something to return to as you work towards them.

You don’t have to plan the whole journey.

Just work out the next step.

5. It can make big jobs feel smaller

One of the easiest ways to feel overwhelmed is to look at an enormous task as one enormous task.

Cleaning the whole house, sorting all the paperwork, planning a holiday, getting your finances organised, decluttering the spare room or preparing for Christmas can all feel like a lot when you’re looking at the whole thing at once.

Instead, write down everything that needs doing and then break it into smaller pieces.

For example:

Instead of “sort out the house”:

• Clear the kitchen worktop.
• Sort the paperwork.
• Empty the hallway cupboard.
• Take donations to the charity shop.
• Tidy the bathroom cabinet.

You haven’t magically created more time. But you’ve changed something important.

You can now see what “getting organised” actually means.

And once you can see the individual jobs, you can choose one. That’s much easier than carrying the whole thing around in your head.

6. Writing things down can help you decide what matters

Lists can sometimes become overwhelming too. If you’ve written down fifty things you need to do, you haven’t necessarily simplified your life. You’ve just created a list of fifty things.

So writing things down works best when you follow it with a little bit of thinking.

Once you’ve got everything on paper, ask:

What actually matters today?

Perhaps there are only two things that genuinely need your attention. Maybe five things can wait until tomorrow. Perhaps three things don’t need doing at all.

This is where writing things down becomes more than simple list-making. It gives you the information you need to make a decision.

You can look at everything that’s competing for your attention and decide what deserves it.

Getting everything out of your head doesn’t mean you have to do everything on the page.

That’s an important distinction.

7. It gives you somewhere to return to

One of my favourite things about writing things down is that you don’t have to solve everything immediately.

Sometimes you just need somewhere to park an idea. Perhaps you have something you want to research, a job you need to do next week, an idea for a project, something you’d like to discuss with someone or a list of things to think about when you’ve got more time.

Write it down.

Then get on with what you’re doing now.

When you’re ready, come back to it.

This is particularly useful if you’re trying to simplify your life because simplifying doesn’t mean remembering more. It often means creating fewer things that you need to keep track of mentally.

8. Writing down your goals can make them more concrete

There’s a difference between thinking:

I’d like to get more organised.

and writing:

This month, I’m going to organise the kitchen cupboards, create a weekly planning routine and clear the paperwork pile.

The second version gives you something to work with. You can see what you’re trying to achieve, break it into smaller actions and come back to it to see how you’re progressing.

Research has found links between written goal-setting, reflection and improved performance, including evidence that writing can help people work through barriers and think about strategies for moving forward.

You don’t have to use a complicated goal-setting method. A piece of paper with three questions can be enough:

• What do I want to achieve?
• Why does it matter to me?
• What’s one thing I can do next?

That’s a pretty good place to start.

You don’t have to journal every day

When people talk about writing things down, it’s easy to assume they mean journalling. And if you enjoy journalling, that’s lovely. But it’s not what I’m talking about here.

You don’t need to write pages about your feelings every morning. You don’t need a beautifully decorated journal. You don’t need to write three pages before breakfast.

You simply need to write down the things that would be useful to have outside your head.

That might be a five-minute brain dump, a weekly planning page, a simple checklist, a few notes about something you’re trying to work out, a list of jobs you want to tackle around the house or a page of ideas that you don’t want to lose.

Keep it practical. Keep it simple. And use whatever format works for you.

Try a simple brain dump

If your head feels particularly busy, try this.

Take a piece of paper and write down everything that’s currently taking up space in your mind.

Don’t organise it as you go. Just write.

Things you need to do, things you need to remember, things you’re worrying about, ideas you’ve had, jobs around the house, things you need to buy, questions you need to answer – anything that’s taking up mental space.

Once you’ve finished, look at the page.

Now sort the list into three simple categories:

Do

Things you actually need to act on.

Decide

Things that need a decision before you can move forward.

Park

Things that matter, but don’t need your attention right now.

This simple brain dump exercise can help you move from “I’ve got so much to think about” to “I can see what’s actually going on.”

And that shift can be incredibly helpful.

Keep your notes somewhere you’ll find them again

There’s one small problem with writing everything down. If you write things on random scraps of paper and then lose them, you’ve simply moved the problem somewhere else.

That’s why I like having a consistent place for useful notes, lists and planning pages. It could be a notebook, a digital notes app, a folder on your computer or a physical binder.

The important thing is that you know where to look.

This is one of the reasons I created the Simple Life Binder.

It’s a flexible place to keep the planning pages, checklists, worksheets, notes and other resources you actually use. Rather than having useful pages scattered around the house, you can bring them together somewhere you’ll know to look.

If you’d like to try this approach, you can read how to create your own Simple Life Binder and start building one gradually.

What could you keep in a Simple Life Binder?

You don’t need to fill a binder with every printable you can find. In fact, I’d recommend the opposite.

Choose the pages that genuinely help you.

You might keep:

• weekly planning pages
• monthly planning pages
• household checklists
• meal planning pages
• routines
• goal-setting worksheets
• decluttering plans
• habit trackers
• self-care ideas
• notes and ideas
• lists you use regularly
• useful printables you’ve found on the blog

The idea is to create one simple place for the things you use, rather than another collection of things you feel you ought to use.

And remember that your binder can change. You can remove pages that no longer serve you, add something new when you need it and move sections around.

Keep it as simple as possible.

This is how I use my own simple life binder to organise my life.

Start small

If you’re someone who loves a good list, it’s tempting to turn this into a big project. You could spend an entire weekend finding printables, buying dividers, choosing sections and setting everything up.

But you don’t need to. In fact, I’d suggest you don’t.

Start with one piece of paper.

Write down what’s currently taking up space in your head. Choose one thing that needs your attention. Decide what the next step is.

Then stop.

That’s enough.

Once you discover that writing things down helps you, you can gradually build a system around it. You might create a weekly planning page, then a regular checklist, then a place for your goals and perhaps a section for household organisation.

Let your system grow because you need it, not because you think it should be bigger.

A simple writing habit you can try this week

If you want to make writing things down part of your everyday routine, try this simple approach.

Once a week

Set aside ten minutes and write down:

1. What’s on my mind?

Get everything out.

2. What needs doing?

Turn the vague thoughts into practical tasks.

3. What matters most this week?

Choose your priorities.

4. What can wait?

Give yourself permission not to do everything immediately.

5. What’s one thing I can do next?

Choose the smallest useful step.

That’s it.

You don’t need an elaborate planning routine. You just need a few minutes to pause, think and put things somewhere you can see them.

Grab your free weekly planning workbook at the bottom of this article!

Writing things down is a simple form of decluttering

When we talk about decluttering, we usually mean physical possessions.

But there are other types of clutter too.

There are unfinished thoughts, unmade decisions, things we’re trying to remember, ideas we don’t want to lose, jobs we’re worried we’ll forget and plans we haven’t quite worked out yet.

Writing things down doesn’t make those things disappear. But it can help you separate them, see them and decide what to do with them.

And sometimes that’s enough to make life feel a little lighter.

You don’t have to keep everything in your head. You don’t have to solve everything today. You don’t have to remember every little thing.

Write it down. Give it a place. Come back to it when you’re ready.

A simpler way to keep everything together

If writing things down is something you’d like to do more often, it can help to have one reliable place for your notes, plans and useful pages.

That’s where a Simple Life Binder can be helpful.

You can build your own gradually, using only the pages that genuinely support your life. And if you don’t know where to start, I’ve created the Simple Life Starter Pack to give you a ready-made foundation.

It includes printable planning pages such as calendars, planners, routines, meal planning, goal-setting pages and habit trackers.

You don’t need to use every page. Choose the ones that are useful to you, put them together in a binder and build from there.

Think of it as somewhere to put the things that would otherwise be taking up space in your head.

You don’t have to remember everything

There’s something quite freeing about realising that you don’t have to remember everything yourself.

You can write it down. You can make a list. You can put an appointment in your calendar. You can create a checklist. You can keep your useful planning pages somewhere you know you’ll find them.

These aren’t signs that you’re disorganised. They’re simply tools that allow you to use your attention for the things that matter, rather than constantly trying to remember what comes next.

Writing things down won’t make life perfectly organised. And it certainly won’t remove every source of stress or overwhelm.

But it can make some things easier.

It can help you see what’s on your mind, decide what matters, turn a big idea into a small next step and give all those loose thoughts, plans and reminders somewhere to live.

Sometimes simplifying your life starts with something as small as picking up a pen and getting it out of your head.

You don’t need to organise everything today.

Just write down what’s on your mind.

Then decide what needs to happen next.

WANT A FREE RESOURCE TO HELP YOU ORGANISE YOUR WEEK?

Why not start today with a checklist to help you plan, simplify and organise your week ahead. It’s a simple place to get started if you’ve been relying on your busy brain to remember your tasks and To Do list!

Pop your details in the box below and I’ll send the checklist straight to your inbox…

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Here are some articles you might find helpful to read next:

• 5 Little Lists That Make a Big Difference to My Week
• 10 Simple Things to Do Tonight to Save You Time Tomorrow
• Everyday Habits That Make Life Feel Simpler

The post Why Writing Things Down Makes Life Easier appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

DO YOU WANT AN EASY WAY TO ORGANISE YOUR LIFE?

Many of my readers love my printable resources. However, as someone who loves being clutter-free, I’m also aware that paper clutter is a problem for many of us.

I also love to organise and plan (in a really simple, stress-free way)…

So, to combine these two things together, I’ve created something that I love to use myself and I hope will help you too!

And, my solution is to build a Simple Life Binder. In this article I’d love to tell you a little more about it…

A simple life binder gives you one place to keep your plans, printables, checklists, notes and other useful resources, making them easier to find and use when you need them.

It’s an easy way to bring some order to all those bits of paper and ideas that can otherwise end up scattered around your home.

If you’ve ever printed a helpful worksheet, downloaded a planner or written something important on a piece of paper, only to lose it a few weeks later, you’re definitely not alone.

I’ve done exactly the same.

You find a printable that looks useful, print it out with all the best intentions, use it once and then… where did it go?

Perhaps it’s underneath a pile of papers on your desk. Maybe it’s in a notebook somewhere. Or tucked into a drawer because you knew you’d need it again but didn’t quite know where to put it.

This is one of the reasons I like the idea of a Simple Life Binder.

It’s not another complicated system you have to maintain. It’s simply one place to keep the things that help you organise your life.

And the best thing is that you can make it completely your own.

What is a Simple Life Binder?

A Simple Life Binder is a physical binder or folder where you keep the planning pages, checklists, worksheets, notes and other resources that you actually use to help organise your life.

Think of it as a home for your useful paperwork.

Instead of having:

• a weekly planner on your desk
• a meal planner on the fridge
• a decluttering checklist in a drawer
• a goals worksheet in a notebook
• a routine somewhere on your computer
• and a dozen useful printables downloaded but forgotten about

…you can bring the pages you use most often together in one place.

Your binder might be very simple.

It might contain nothing more than a few planning pages and a notebook.

Or it might grow into a useful collection of routines, checklists, meal planners, goal-setting pages and worksheets that you come back to throughout the year.

There is no right or wrong way to create one.

That’s important because the purpose isn’t to create another perfect organisational system.

The purpose is to make your life a little easier.

Why use a binder to organise your life?

Modern life gives us plenty of places to store information.

We have phones, apps, calendars, notebooks, computers, email, cloud storage and countless downloads.

And yet sometimes having more places to keep things doesn’t make life feel more organised.

It can actually make things harder to find.

A simple binder gives you one physical place to come back to.

• When you need your weekly checklist, you know where it is.
• When you want to plan your meals, you know where to look.
• When you’re ready to work through a decluttering exercise, the worksheet is there.
• And when you’ve got something you don’t want to forget, you have somewhere to write it down.

For me, there’s also something helpful about putting things on paper.

Writing things down can help you get thoughts out of your head and onto something you can see and work with.

• You don’t have to remember everything.
• You don’t have to keep mentally juggling all the little things you’ve got to do.
• You can write them down, put them somewhere useful and come back to them when you’re ready.

Sometimes simplifying your life isn’t about doing more. It’s about having fewer things to remember and fewer places to look.

How to create a life binder

Creating your own life binder doesn’t need to be complicated.

In fact, I’d recommend starting small.

Here’s a simple way to get started.

1. Choose a binder or folder

Start with whatever you already have.

You don’t need an expensive planner or a beautifully coordinated stationery collection.

A basic ring binder will work perfectly well.

Choose something that is a comfortable size for you and that you’ll actually want to use.

You might prefer a larger A4 binder because it gives you plenty of room for worksheets and printables.

Or you might prefer A5 if you want something smaller and easier to carry around.

The best binder is the one you’ll actually use.

2. Decide what you want your binder to help with

Before you start printing dozens of pages, think about what would genuinely make your life easier.

What are you trying to organise?

Perhaps you want somewhere to keep:

• weekly planning pages
• daily or monthly checklists
• meal plans
• household routines
• decluttering plans
• goals
• habit trackers
• self-care ideas
• notes and ideas
• important reminders
• useful worksheets
• your favourite printables

You don’t need all of these.

Start with the things you actually need.

If you don’t meal plan, there’s no point filling your binder with meal-planning pages simply because they look organised.

Your binder should reflect your life, not somebody else’s idea of what an organised life should look like.

3. Gather the printables and pages you already use

This is where a life binder can become particularly useful.

You may already have useful pages scattered around your home or saved on your computer.

Gather them together.

Look through the printables you’ve downloaded.

Find those checklists you’ve used before.

Collect any worksheets that you know you’ll want to refer to again.

Then choose the ones that are genuinely useful.

You don’t need to keep everything.

A simpler system isn’t created by collecting more. It’s created by keeping what helps and letting go of what doesn’t.

4. Create simple sections

Once you’ve chosen your pages, you can organise them into sections.

You could use dividers labelled:

• Planning
• Home
• Food
• Goals
• Routines
• Self-care
• Decluttering
• Notes

Or you could keep things much simpler.

Perhaps you only need three sections:

Plan | Organise | Notes

There really isn’t a perfect structure.

Try something.

Use it for a few weeks.

Then change it if it doesn’t work.

That’s one of the advantages of a binder compared with a fixed planner: you can move things around.

5. Start using it

This sounds obvious, but don’t spend weeks setting up your binder before you actually use it.

Put the pages you need at the front.

Keep the binder somewhere accessible.

Use your weekly planning page.

Write down the things you need to remember.

Work through the checklist.

Add a page when you find something useful.

Remove a page when you realise you don’t need it.

Your binder is a tool, not a project.

It doesn’t need to be finished before you can start using it.

What can you put in a life binder?

The beauty of creating your own binder is that it can contain whatever is useful to you.

Here are some ideas to get you started.

Weekly planning pages

A weekly planning page can give you one place to see what’s happening and decide what really needs your attention.

You could use it to plan appointments, tasks, meals, errands and priorities for the week ahead.

Checklists

Checklists are particularly useful when you have something you need to repeat regularly.

You might create checklists for:

• weekly household tasks
• monthly jobs
• getting ready for a holiday
• preparing for Christmas
• decluttering
• cleaning routines
• Sunday planning
• getting ready for the week ahead

You don’t have to keep remembering the same list every time.

Write it down once and reuse it.

Meal planning pages

If meal planning helps you save time and reduce the daily “what are we having for dinner?” question, add a meal planner.

You might also keep a list of family favourites or easy meals for busy days.

Goal-setting pages

Your binder can give you somewhere to write down your goals and break them into smaller steps.

This can be much more useful than simply writing a long list of things you’d like to achieve.

Decluttering worksheets

If you’re simplifying your home, you could keep your decluttering plans and worksheets together.

That way, you can work through them gradually rather than trying to declutter your entire home at once.

Notes and ideas

And don’t underestimate the value of a few blank pages.

Sometimes you just need somewhere to write.

An idea.

A reminder.

Something you don’t want to forget.

A list of things to think about later.

Your binder can be that place.

How to use printables without creating more clutter

There’s a slight irony to using printables to simplify your life.

If you download every checklist, planner and worksheet you come across, you can quickly end up with more clutter rather than less.

So I’d suggest a simple rule:

Only print what you’re actually going to use.

You don’t need a binder full of beautiful pages.

You need a binder full of useful pages.

Before printing something, ask yourself:

• Will this genuinely help me?
• Will I use it more than once?
• Does it solve a problem I actually have?
• Do I already have something that does the same job?
• Will having this page make something easier?

If the answer is no, you probably don’t need it.

And if you print something and later realise it isn’t useful, take it out.

Your binder isn’t a museum for unused printables.

You don’t need a perfect life binder

This is probably the most important thing I’d say about creating a life binder.

Don’t turn your binder into another thing you feel you have to get right.

• It doesn’t need matching dividers.
• It doesn’t need colour coding.
• It doesn’t need beautiful handwriting.
• It doesn’t need hundreds of pages.
• It doesn’t need to look like the planners you see on Pinterest or Instagram.

It simply needs to work for you.

If all you have is a binder, a few printable checklists and a black pen, that’s absolutely fine.

If you love colourful pens, stickers and page markers, that’s fine too.

There isn’t a prize for the prettiest binder.

The best system is the one that makes it easier for you to organise your life and that you can realistically keep using.

Let your binder change as your life changes

One of the things I like most about a binder is that it doesn’t have to stay the same.

Your priorities change.

Your routines change.

Your family life changes.

Your work changes.

Some months you might be focused on getting organised at home.

Another month you might want to concentrate on your goals.

Perhaps you’re planning a holiday.

Perhaps you’re trying to simplify your weekly routine.

Perhaps you simply need somewhere to put all those thoughts that are currently taking up space in your head.

Your binder can change with you.

Add new pages.

Remove old ones.

Move sections around.

Start again when you need to.

Your planning system should support your life, not dictate it.

Where to find pages for your Simple Life Binder

You don’t have to create every page yourself.

You can build your binder gradually using resources that are already available.

You might include pages from your favourite workbooks, free printables you’ve found useful, checklists from blog posts or planning pages you’ve created yourself.

I’ve also created a Simple Life Starter Pack to make the process easier if you’re not sure where to begin.

Start with the Simple Life Starter Pack

The Simple Life Starter Pack is a collection of essential printable planning pages designed to help you create the foundation of your own life binder.

It includes useful pages such as calendars, planners, routines, meal planning, goal-setting pages, habit trackers and more.

Rather than trying to work out which pages you need from scratch, you can start with a ready-made collection and then build from there.

Get the Simple Life Starter Pack

From there, you can add other pages whenever you find something useful.

• You might add a weekly planning checklist from the Plan Your Week Workbook
• Pages from the Simple Productivity Workbook and Planner
• Any of my free resources
• Printables from the Simplify Library
• All the workbooks and planners from my Shop

In fact, all my resources are designed to work together to support your simpler life (and be added to the Simple Life Binder too!)

Over time, your binder becomes a collection of the things that genuinely help you.

Your Simple Life Binder doesn’t have to stay the same

Think of your binder as a living planning system rather than a finished product.

Perhaps you start with five pages.

That’s enough.

Use them.

See what works.

Then add something else when you need it.

You might eventually have a section for weekly planning, another for household organisation and another for personal goals.

Or you might discover that you only ever use three pages and decide that’s all you need.

Both are perfectly valid.

The aim isn’t to create the most comprehensive binder.

It’s to create a simple place where the things that help you organise your life can live.

A simpler way to organise your life

Life can feel complicated when everything is scattered.

• The notes.
• The plans.
• The lists.
• The printables.
• The things you’re trying to remember.

Having one simple place to keep the resources you use regularly won’t magically solve every problem, of course.

But it can remove a little friction.

• Instead of wondering where you put that checklist, you know where it is.
• Instead of keeping another reminder in your head, you can write it down.
• Instead of starting from scratch every week, you have your planning pages ready to go.

And sometimes those small changes are what make life feel a little calmer.

So if you’ve got a pile of useful printables, a collection of half-finished worksheets or simply too many thoughts floating around in your head, why not give them a home?

Choose a binder. Add a few useful pages. Start small. And let your Simple Life Binder grow with you.

You don’t need to organise your entire life today.

You just need somewhere simple to start.

Start your Simple Life Binder with the Simple Life Starter Pack

The post How to Organise Your Life With a Binder appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

WANT TO TRY A 30-DAY NO-SPEND CHALLENGE TO SAVE MONEY?

A one-month no-spend challenge can help you save money, break the habit of impulse spending and become more intentional about what you buy. The key is not to spend nothing at all, but to pause unnecessary spending for 30 days while still paying your bills and buying the essentials you genuinely need.

If you sometimes wonder where your money has gone at the end of the month, a no-spend challenge could be a surprisingly useful experiment.

It’s not about being miserable, going without things you genuinely need or never treating yourself again. Instead, it’s about pressing pause on unnecessary spending for a month and paying closer attention to your habits.

You might discover that you’re spending money because you’re bored, tired, stressed or simply because something is on sale. You might realise that you already have plenty of food at home, more clothes than you wear or a long list of things you’ve bought but haven’t got around to using.

And you might find that spending less gives you something more valuable than the money you save: a better understanding of what you actually want and need.

So, if you’re ready to give your bank account – and perhaps your cupboards, wardrobe and home – a little breathing space, here’s how to do a 30-day no-spend challenge.

Further Reading: How to Simplify Your Finances (A Simple Guide to Managing Money Without Overwhelm)

What is a no-spend challenge?

A no-spend challenge is a set period of time when you deliberately avoid spending money on non-essential things.

You still pay your normal household bills and buy necessary items such as food, medication, toiletries and transport. But you put discretionary spending on hold.

Exactly what counts as “non-essential” is up to you.

For one person, it might mean no clothes shopping, takeaways or online shopping. For someone else, it could mean no coffees out, homeware purchases, beauty treatments or spontaneous online orders.

The idea isn’t to follow somebody else’s rules perfectly.

The aim is to create a temporary pause between wanting something and actually buying it.

That pause can be incredibly helpful if you’re trying to save money, reduce impulse purchases or simply become more mindful about your spending.

Further Reading: 26 Ways to Save Money This Year

Why try a one-month no-spend challenge?

There are plenty of reasons you might want to try a no-spend month.

Perhaps you’re saving for something specific. Perhaps Christmas, a holiday or a big bill is coming up. Or perhaps you simply feel as though your spending has got a little out of hand and you’d like to reset.

A no-spend challenge can help you:

• save money
• identify unnecessary spending
• reduce impulse purchases
• use up what you already own
• become more aware of your spending triggers
• find cheaper or free alternatives
• appreciate the things you already have
• break the habit of shopping for entertainment
• make more intentional spending decisions in the future

It can also be a useful starting point if you’re interested in frugal living or mindful spending but don’t know where to begin.

And you don’t have to be naturally good with money to do it.

You simply need to be willing to notice your habits and experiment with doing things differently for 30 days.

Before you start: decide what “no-spend” means for you

This is probably the most important part of your challenge.

Don’t start on day one and then spend the next 30 days wondering whether you’re “allowed” to buy something.

Decide your rules beforehand.

A good no-spend challenge normally allows you to spend money on genuine essentials, while putting optional spending on hold.

Your essentials might include:

• mortgage or rent
• household bills
• groceries
• medication and healthcare
• essential toiletries
• necessary transport
• insurance
• childcare
• essential repairs
• existing financial commitments
• anything else you genuinely need to pay for

Your no-spend categories might include:

• clothes
• shoes and accessories
• home décor
• beauty treats
• takeaways
• meals out
• coffee shops
• books
• hobbies and craft supplies
• online shopping
• impulse purchases
• unnecessary subscriptions
• “just because” purchases

Of course, your list might look completely different.

For example, you might decide that one planned meal out with your family is important to you, while buying another new jumper isn’t.

That’s absolutely fine.

A no-spend challenge should help you become more intentional with your money, not make you feel guilty about every purchase.

Further Reading: Minimalism and Shopping: How to Shop with Intention

How to do a 30-day no-spend challenge

Ready to start?

Here’s a simple way to approach your month.

1. Choose your start and end dates

Pick a 30-day period that feels realistic.

You don’t have to start on the first of the month. You could start next Monday, tomorrow or the day after your next payday.

It can help to choose a relatively ordinary month rather than one packed with birthdays, holidays and unavoidable expenses.

But don’t wait for the “perfect” time.

If you’ve been meaning to get your spending under control for months, starting imperfectly is better than endlessly planning.

2. Look at your spending before you begin

Before your challenge starts, take a quick look at where your money has been going recently.

Check your bank and credit card statements and look for patterns.

You don’t need a complicated spreadsheet.

Simply ask:

• What do I spend money on most often?
• Where am I making impulse purchases?
• What do I buy online?
• How often do I get takeaways or coffees?
• Am I buying things because they’re genuinely useful?
• Which purchases do I regret?
• Which things do I actually value?

Looking at your recent spending gives you a useful baseline.

A spending diary can also help you understand where your money is going and identify areas where you might want to make changes.

Further Reading: Simple Ways to Spend Less Money Every Month

3. Write down your no-spend rules

Keep your rules somewhere you’ll see them.

You could write:

For the next 30 days, I will:

• buy only essential groceries
• use what I already have before buying more
• avoid clothes and homeware shopping
• have no unnecessary takeaways
• avoid impulse purchases
• wait before buying anything I want
• look for free alternatives first
• use the things I already own

And then add your own rules.

Don’t make this list ridiculously long.

The simpler your challenge, the easier it will be to stick with.

Further Reading: 11 Tips to Stop Impulse Buying and Purchase More Intentionally

4. Go shopping at home first

One of the best things about a no-spend month is discovering how much you already have.

Before buying something, ask:

Do I already own something that could do the job?

Check your:

• kitchen cupboards
• freezer
• bathroom cabinets
• wardrobe
• bookshelves
• craft supplies
• cleaning cupboard
• garden shed
• hobby supplies

You might find food you’ve forgotten about, clothes you haven’t worn for ages, books you’ve never read or craft projects waiting to be finished.

Instead of shopping, start using what you already own.

This is where a no-spend challenge can overlap beautifully with simple living and decluttering.

Further Reading: How to Shop Your Closet: Update Your Wardrobe Without Spending Any Money

5. Make a “want to buy” list

You’re going to want things during your 30 days.

That’s normal.

Don’t panic and don’t assume you’ve failed.

Instead, create a want-to-buy list.

Whenever you see something you want, write it down instead of buying it.

You can add:

• the item
• the price
• where you found it
• why you wanted it

Then leave it alone.

At the end of the month, look back at your list.

You may find that some things still matter to you.

But you’ll probably discover that plenty of them don’t.

A simple cooling-off period before buying something non-essential can also help you decide whether you genuinely want or need it.

Further Reading: How to Enjoy Your Home More Without Buying Anything New

6. Find free alternatives to spending

One of the hardest parts of a no-spend month can be the feeling that you’re missing out.

So don’t simply remove spending.

Replace it with something else.

Instead of:

• shopping – go for a walk
• buying a book – read one you already own
• getting a takeaway – cook something different from your cupboards
• going for coffee – invite a friend for a walk
• buying home décor – rearrange a room
• shopping online – work on a project you’ve been putting off
• paying for entertainment – look for free local events or activities
• buying something for a hobby – actually use the supplies you already have

You might discover that you weren’t really craving the purchase.

You were craving a change of scene, something enjoyable to do or a little reward.

Once you recognise that, you can meet the need without automatically reaching for your bank card.

Further Reading: 7 Low-Cost Lifestyle Choices To Make Frugal Living Easier

7. Watch out for your spending triggers

This is where your no-spend month gets really interesting.

Notice when you want to spend money.

Is it when you’re:

• bored?
• stressed?
• tired?
• scrolling social media?
• feeling low?
• celebrating?
• procrastinating?
• comparing yourself with other people?
• looking for something to do?

You don’t need to judge yourself.

Just notice.

• Maybe you always browse online shops after a difficult day.
• Maybe you buy clothes when you’re feeling unhappy with yourself.
• Maybe you order a takeaway because you’re too tired to decide what to cook.
• Maybe you shop because you simply enjoy the excitement of finding something new.

None of this makes you “bad with money”.

But understanding your triggers gives you a chance to choose a different response.

Further Reading: How to Overcome Buyer’s Remorse and Learn for the Future

8. Unsubscribe from temptation

If you’re constantly being shown things to buy, it’s much harder to stop shopping.

During your no-spend month, make it easier on yourself.

Unsubscribe from retailers’ marketing emails.

Unfollow accounts that make you want to shop.

Remove shopping apps from your phone if you need to.

Don’t browse websites “just to have a look”.

And perhaps most importantly, don’t use a sale as a reason to buy something you wouldn’t otherwise have wanted.

A bargain is only a saving if you actually needed the thing in the first place.

Further Reading: 15 Easy Ways to Save Money When Buying Clothes

9. Use up what you already have

Turn your no-spend month into a month of using things up.

Try a:

• freezer challenge
• pantry challenge
• toiletries challenge
• wardrobe challenge
• book challenge
• craft-supply challenge

Make it a game.

• How many meals can you make from what you already have?
• How many unread books can you finish?
• How many half-used toiletries can you use up?
• How many outfits can you create from clothes already in your wardrobe?

This isn’t about using everything up just for the sake of it.

It’s about reconnecting with what you already own before automatically adding more.

If you like the idea of a wardrobe challenge, why not check out my Simplify Your Wardrobe Workbook? It includes a 30-Day Wear What You Own Challenge to help you declutter, simplify and define your own signature style and really make your wardrobe work for you. Click here to learn more about the Simplify Your Wardrobe Workbook.

10. Keep track of what you don’t spend

This can be really motivating.

Every time you don’t make a planned purchase, make a note of it.

You might write:

• takeaway avoided
• new clothes not bought
• coffee and cake skipped
• homeware purchase avoided
• online order cancelled

You don’t have to assume that every amount you didn’t spend has magically become savings.

But tracking those decisions helps you see how small purchases can add up.

If you have a specific savings goal, you could transfer the money you would otherwise have spent into a savings pot.

That turns your no-spend challenge into something positive you’re working towards, rather than simply a list of things you’re not allowed to do.

Further Reading: 9 Ways Minimalism Can Help You Save Money (Without Feeling Like You’re Going Without)

What can you spend money on during a no-spend month?

This is one of the most common questions, and there’s no universal answer.

Your essential spending will depend on your circumstances.

For example, you might need to buy groceries, pay for transport to work, replace something that’s genuinely broken or pay for an unexpected essential expense.

That’s not failure.

The point of a no-spend challenge is to reduce unnecessary spending, not to ignore genuine needs.

And if your income currently doesn’t cover your essential costs, a no-spend challenge isn’t a solution to that bigger problem.

If you’re struggling to afford essentials or keep up with bills, it’s important to seek appropriate help rather than simply trying to cut your spending further.

This challenge is best thought of as a tool for discretionary spending, not a way to deprive yourself of essentials.

What if you break your no-spend challenge?

You probably will! I did the first time I tried it!

At some point, you may buy something you hadn’t planned to buy.

Please don’t decide that your whole challenge is ruined.

One purchase doesn’t cancel the previous 12, 18 or 25 days of good decisions.

Instead, ask:

What happened?

• Did you forget your rules?
• Were you tired?
• Did you feel pressured?
• Was the purchase actually necessary?
• Did you simply change your mind?

Then carry on.

You don’t need to wait until the next month to start again.

A no-spend challenge isn’t about being perfect.

It’s about becoming more aware of your choices.

Further Reading: 20 Frugal Living Habits to Help You Save Money and Avoid More Clutter Every Day

What to do at the end of your 30-day no-spend challenge

When your month is over, don’t immediately celebrate by buying everything you’ve been avoiding.

Take some time to reflect first.

Ask yourself:

What did I learn?

Look back at your spending and your want-to-buy list.

What surprised you?

What did I miss?

Was there anything you genuinely wished you could buy?

If so, why?

What didn’t I miss?

This can be even more revealing.

Perhaps you thought you’d miss shopping for clothes but didn’t.

Perhaps you stopped buying takeaway coffees and realised you actually prefer making your own.

What spending habits do I want to change?

You don’t have to continue every rule forever.

Pick a few habits that worked particularly well.

Perhaps you want to keep:

• one month without buying clothes
• a 24-hour waiting rule
• a weekly spending check
• fewer takeaways
• a monthly freezer challenge
• a shopping list for non-essential purchases
• unsubscribing from retailer emails

What do I want my money to help me do?

This is the bigger question.

Saving money isn’t really the end goal.

What do you want the money to make possible?

Maybe it’s:

• more financial breathing room
• a holiday
• an emergency fund
• paying off debt
• working fewer hours
• improving your home
• helping your family
• building towards retirement
• having more freedom and choice

When your spending is connected to something that matters to you, it becomes much easier to decide what is worth buying – and what isn’t.

30-day no-spend challenge checklist

If you’d like to keep things really simple, here’s your month at a glance.

Before you start:

• Choose your 30 days
• Check your recent spending
• Decide what counts as essential
• Decide what you’re not going to buy
• Write down your rules
• Choose a savings goal if you have one

During the challenge:

• Use what you already own
• Make a shopping list
• Keep a want-to-buy list
• Pause before buying
• Notice your spending triggers
• Find free alternatives
• Unsubscribe from tempting marketing
• Track what you don’t spend
• Don’t give up if you slip

At the end:

• Review your spending
• Look at your want-to-buy list
• Notice what you didn’t miss
• Choose the habits worth keeping
• Decide what you want your money to help you achieve

Frequently asked questions about no-spend challenges

Can I do a no-spend challenge if I have a family?

Absolutely.

You may not be able to control every household purchase, but you can decide which discretionary spending you personally want to pause.

If you’re doing it as a family, agree your rules together and make sure everyone understands what counts as an essential purchase.

Can I buy groceries during a no-spend challenge?

Yes.

A no-spend challenge should normally allow for essential food shopping.

However, you could use the month as an opportunity to reduce food waste, plan meals around what you already have and make better use of your freezer and cupboards.

What if I need to buy something unexpectedly?

Buy it if you genuinely need it.

Your washing machine breaking, needing essential medication or having an unavoidable travel expense isn’t the same as buying something on impulse.

Don’t turn your challenge into a test of whether you can tolerate unnecessary hardship.

How much money can I save during a no-spend month?

There’s no standard amount.

It depends entirely on what you normally spend and which categories you pause.

Rather than setting an arbitrary savings target, look at your own recent spending and use that as your baseline.

Is a no-spend challenge the same as a frugal lifestyle?

Not quite.

A no-spend challenge is a short-term experiment.

Frugal living is more about making thoughtful choices about your money over the longer term.

You might use a no-spend month to discover which frugal habits actually work for you and then carry those forward.

You can find all my money-saving and frugal living tips in this collection of articles on Simple Finances.

CONCLUSION

A no-spend month isn’t about proving that you can live without spending money.

It’s about creating enough space to notice how, why and when you spend it.

You might save more than you expected.

You might discover that you already have everything you need for a lot of the things you enjoy.

You might realise that some of your spending is connected to emotions, habits or convenience rather than genuine need.

Or perhaps you’ll simply finish the month feeling a little more in control.

And that’s a worthwhile result too.

You don’t have to become an extreme minimalist or stop spending money on things you enjoy.

Instead, use the challenge as a reset.

Pause.

Notice.

Choose.

Then spend your money on the things that genuinely matter to you.

Because the goal isn’t to spend nothing. It’s to spend with intention.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Here are some more articles which you might find helpful:

• 7 Surprising Ways That Decluttering Saves You Money
• How Batch Cooking Can Save You Time, Stress and Money in the Kitchen
• How to Stop Buying Clothes You Don’t Need
• How Minimalism Can Help Students Save Money
• How To Simplify Meal Planning to Save Money, Time and Stress

The post 30-Day No-Spend Challenge: How to Stop Spending and Save Money for a Month appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

DECLUTTERING TIPS FOR HOARDERS WHEN YOU STRUGGLE TO LET GO OF THINGS

If you struggle to let things go, the best way to start decluttering is to make the decisions smaller, slower and less overwhelming. You don’t need to clear your whole home in one go – gentle, repeated progress can make decluttering feel much more manageable.

I know this because I’ve lived with someone who finds it genuinely difficult to get rid of things. My husband is a collector and a classic “what if?” person, so I’ve seen first-hand how different decluttering can feel when simply deciding what to keep becomes the hardest part.

If you’re struggling with clutter yourself, or you’re trying to declutter a home you share with someone who finds it difficult to let things go, these tips are for you.

The aim isn’t to force yourself to become a minimalist overnight. It’s to make decluttering feel a little easier, one decision at a time.

Further Reading: How to Declutter Your Home and Life

A note about hoarding and decluttering

The word “hoarder” is often used to describe someone who has a lot of clutter or finds it difficult to get rid of things. But having a cluttered home and having a hoarding disorder aren’t necessarily the same thing.

This article is about the practical side of decluttering when you find it particularly difficult to let things go. Perhaps you keep things because you might need them one day, feel guilty about wasting money, or become overwhelmed when you try to decide what to get rid of.

If possessions are seriously affecting your safety, your relationships or your ability to use parts of your home, decluttering tips alone may not be enough. In that situation, it’s worth looking for professional support rather than feeling that you simply need to try harder.

There is no shame in finding decluttering difficult. The important thing is finding an approach that feels manageable and supportive for you.

Further Reading: 15 Reasons Why Decluttering is Hard (and Solutions)

My experience of decluttering with a “what if?” person

My husband is a collector, a “what if?” person and someone who doesn’t particularly like change. Getting rid of things doesn’t always come naturally to him, and over the years I’ve learned that telling someone they have too much stuff isn’t a particularly helpful way to make decluttering easier!

I had to learn a different approach.

When I started simplifying our home, I could see benefits that weren’t always obvious to the rest of my family. I was spending less time looking after our things, it was easier to keep the house running and I felt happier in our home.

My family weren’t immediately convinced. But by trying different approaches, taking things slowly and learning from what worked (and what really didn’t), I gradually worked out that decluttering doesn’t have to mean one enormous clear-out.

Sometimes it’s about making one small decision, then another, and giving yourself time to get used to the idea of having less.

So these are the decluttering tips I’ve found most helpful when getting rid of things feels difficult.

Further Reading: How to Declutter When You Feel Overwhelmed by Stuff

9 decluttering tips when you struggle to let things go

If you struggle because you’re a hoarder, or you live with a hoarder, here are 9 decluttering tips for hoarders which I hope may help!

1. Don’t Expect To See A Difference Overnight

If you’ve been struggling with clutter and letting things go for a long time, it can take time to develop new habits and become more comfortable with making those decisions.

If you find it difficult to let things go, you might well be a little sceptical of the benefits.

If you expect to see a magical difference to your physical space and mental well-being, then you need to give it a little time. Things won’t change overnight just because you’ve thrown something out, and it’s no excuse not to give it a go in the first place just because there’s no immediate impact.

Declutter some items and give it time to see how you feel about letting these things go. Get comfortable with the idea that decluttering isn’t about getting rid of stuff, ticking it off your To Do list and never doing it again. Sustained, consistent efforts will build up a decluttering habit that supports you in the long-term.

Instead of asking yourself, “How am I going to declutter my whole house?”, ask yourself, “What small area or handful of things could I deal with today?”

A small amount of progress is still progress. And once you’ve experienced that first little win, the next decision often feels a bit easier.

Further Reading: Progress Not Perfection in Decluttering and Why It’s Important

2. Pick An Easy Place To Start

If you’re new to decluttering or find the process difficult or emotional, then make it easy on yourself. Admit that you find decluttering a challenge, that you’re easily going to be side-tracked or put off. Prepare yourself for decluttering with these 11 simple things to do before you start decluttering.

Then start decluttering in an easy place. Pick an area of your home, or a room, or a type of item that’s going to be as easy as possible to start with so you can practice your decluttering skills. Decluttering gets easier with practice as you learn to sift through things and become more comfortable making decisions on whether you want to keep or get rid of something.

I always suggest the bathroom is a good place to start as it’s not full of sentimental items to hold you up, you know what you use and what you don’t and it doesn’t tend to be a massive space with huge storage areas so you can get it done relatively quickly and efficiently. Don’t start with somewhere notoriously tough like the attic or garage! Try these tips on how to declutter your bathroom.

Decluttering is largely to do with confidence. Confidence that you’re doing something difficult right now but for long-term gain. Confidence that you can make real and positive change even if it feels tough. Confidence that the decisions you’re making are the right decisions for you. Starting somewhere easy will help build this confidence.

If you’re not sure where to start, look for things that don’t carry much emotional weight.

Good places to start include:

• toiletries you no longer use
• expired products
• obvious rubbish
• duplicate items
• things you already know you don’t want

I’d leave sentimental items, photographs, family keepsakes and other emotionally difficult possessions until you’ve built some confidence with easier decisions.

The aim at this stage isn’t to make the biggest possible dent in your clutter. It’s to practise making decisions and prove to yourself that you can let a few things go.

3. Deal With The ‘What If’ Scenario

“What if I need that again?” is a common reason why we hold on to things in case we might use them or need them in the future.

I always think it’s best to deal with this question head-on with an honest answer. I can’t honestly say to my husband that I’ve never needed something I’ve got rid of. But those occasions have been rare, and the benefits I’ve experienced from having less stuff have massively outweighed them.

The benefits I receive from decluttering my stuff massively outweigh those very, very odd occasions when I’ve got rid of something I later wish I’d kept. And, I’ve got decluttering down to a fine art so I know what I’m throwing out (or donating) and what items I’m keeping.

If something is high value, difficult to replace and I’ve used it a lot (but not just at the moment) then I’ll think long and hard about getting rid of it. Just weigh up in your own mind whether you really, really value that item enough to keep looking after it.

If decluttering is scary because you’re wondering about the ‘what if’, go slow and be gentle. You don’t need to get rid of everything right now, slow baby steps will help you achieve the same end result, albeit a bit slower. However, if it makes the process feel more comfortable and more sustainable, then a slower pace will work better in the long-term.

When you’re tempted to keep something “just in case”, try asking yourself:

• Have I actually used this recently?
• How likely am I to need it?
• Could I borrow or replace it if I genuinely needed it?
• Would replacing it be expensive or difficult?
• Is keeping it worth the space it takes up?

You don’t have to convince yourself that you’ll never need the item again. That’s impossible to know.

Instead, you’re weighing up the likelihood of needing it against the cost of keeping it, storing it and looking after it in the meantime.

And if you’re still really unsure, it’s okay to leave that decision for another day. You don’t have to conquer every difficult item in your first decluttering session.

4. Declutter In Waves

Don’t feel that you have to make every decluttering decision the first time you look at an area. Instead, try decluttering in waves.

First pass: remove the obvious things you don’t want, use or need.

Second pass: look again at the things you’re unsure about.

Third pass: tackle the genuinely difficult decisions.

This works because you don’t have to go from “everything stays” to “everything goes” in one enormous leap.

You can get comfortable with having a little less, see how your space feels and then come back another day.

You might remove one book from an overstuffed bookshelf today, one ornament from a windowsill tomorrow and a few more things next week.

Decluttering gets easier with practice. The more small decisions you make, the more confident you become about the things you really do want to keep.

5. Don’t let money you’ve spent keep you stuck

One of the hardest things about getting rid of something can be remembering how much you paid for it.

It can feel wasteful to throw away, donate or give away something that cost good money. But the money has already been spent. Keeping something you don’t use doesn’t get that money back.

Instead, try asking yourself whether the item is earning its place in your home now.

If you use it, need it or genuinely value it, keep it. If you don’t, you might decide that the space, time and attention it takes up are no longer worth it.

I like to donate most of my unwanted stuff so even if I am getting rid of it, I know someone else will have some benefit. Very occasionally I do have to buy something which I’d previously decluttered but this happens so rarely. Decluttering my home has given me so many benefits that I don’t ever regret throwing something out. I just put it down to one of those things and move on.

Further Reading: How To Declutter Without Feeling Wasteful

6. Knowing What To Keep And What To Get Rid Of

This is always a tricky one for decluttering beginners and it does get easier with practice. But, if you’re a hoarder, this can be a really big stumbling block to stop you from decluttering. My suggestion would be to keep it really simple.

Just ask yourself 3 questions:

• Do I love it?
• Do I need it?
• Does it add value to your life in some way?

If the answer is no to all 3 questions, then let it go.

And remember, you don’t have to make every decision immediately.

If you’re genuinely stuck, put the item to one side and come back to it later. Sometimes a little distance makes the decision much easier.

The goal isn’t to become someone who can instantly throw everything away. It’s to become more confident about recognising what genuinely deserves a place in your home.

Further Reading: Decluttering Decisions: How To Decide What To Keep

7. Have A Plan For Your Decluttered Items

Once you’ve put all your effort into decluttering, don’t undo this hard work by leaving your unwanted items lying around. Not only will they still be cluttering up your space, but you might be tempted to dig around and pull out a few things!

Have a plan before you declutter for what you’re going to do with your unwanted stuff and deal with it all as part of the decluttering process. Don’t stop until you’ve taken your unwanted items to the charity shop or rubbish tip!

Before you start, decide what will happen to the things you no longer want.

You might donate them, give them to someone who can use them, recycle them, sell them or take them to the tip.

Just be careful with selling. If you have a pile of unwanted possessions waiting to be photographed, listed, packaged and posted, you’ve potentially just moved the clutter from one place to another.

Choose the easiest realistic option and give your unwanted things an exit route as part of the decluttering process.

For more tips on dealing with your unwanted clutter, read this article on what to do with unwanted stuff you’ve decluttered.

8. Set A Timer

Sometimes things are easier if we break them down into manageable chunks. The same goes for decluttering. If it seems too daunting or too big a job, then set your timer for 5 or 10 minutes and declutter until the alarm goes off.  A few minutes each day will be better than not doing it at all, and as I’ve said before, decluttering takes practice. You’ll get more efficient and find it easier, the more you do it.

Choose one tiny area rather than trying to tackle an entire room.

If you only manage five minutes, that’s fine. You’ve still made five minutes’ worth of progress.

And if you feel like carrying on when the timer goes off, you can. The timer is there to make starting easier, not to give you another task you have to complete perfectly.

You might like to read this article on how to declutter fast for some handy little tips!

Further Reading: 8 Two-Minute Decluttering Tips That Make My Home (And Life) Easier

9. Go Easy On Yourself

If you’ve been struggling with clutter and letting things go for a long time, it may take a while to adapt to a new way of thinking about your stuff and what you do with it. Old habits die hard.

Remember why you’re decluttering and if you’re not clear on your why then grab a notebook and make some notes right now. We often make decisions based on how we feel so HOW do you feel about your life (and your home) right now, WHY do you want to declutter and WHAT do you want it to do for you?

When you get stuck with your clutter, go easy on yourself and turn back to your answers and remind yourself of your ‘why’. 

You aren’t failing because decluttering feels difficult.

If you’ve spent years collecting, keeping and looking after things, you can’t expect yourself to suddenly become comfortable getting rid of them in an afternoon.

Give yourself permission to go slowly. Your home didn’t become cluttered overnight, and it doesn’t need to become perfectly organised overnight either.

Another way of being easy on yourself is to reward yourself if you’ve completed a decluttering project. This doesn’t mean you can go out and buy loads of clutter again but go out and have fun with the kids, treat yourself to takeaway pizza instead of having to cook. Decluttering isn’t meant to be a form of punishment but instead of way of bringing more ease, less stress and more freedom into your life so have fun with it too!

What if you live with someone who won’t declutter?

Decluttering can be even more complicated when the things you want to clear aren’t entirely yours.

If you live with someone who finds it difficult to let things go, try not to turn decluttering into a battle. You can’t force someone else to value their possessions in the same way you do.

Instead, start with what you can control.

Don’t secretly throw their things away

Even if you think something is obvious rubbish, getting rid of somebody else’s possessions without their permission can damage trust and make future conversations about decluttering much harder.

Start with your own belongings

Declutter your own things first and let the other person see how the changes affect your home. You might find that your example is more helpful than repeatedly asking them to get rid of things.

Agree on shared spaces

You may not be able to agree about every possession, but you can have conversations about shared areas of your home.

Think about what you both need from spaces such as the kitchen, dining table, hallway or living room and agree on some simple boundaries.

Talk about the impact rather than blaming the person

Instead of saying, “You’ve got too much stuff”, try explaining what the clutter means for you.

Perhaps you can’t relax in the room, you’re embarrassed to have guests over, you’re spending too much time tidying, worried about who will deal with your stuff after you’re gone, or you don’t have somewhere to do something you enjoy.

You’re much more likely to have a productive conversation if you’re talking about the problem rather than criticising the person.

Accept that you may not agree

You don’t have to think an item is worth keeping for someone else to value it.

Sometimes the most helpful thing you can do is find a compromise that allows you to have a home that works for everyone.

5 things not to do when decluttering is difficult

When decluttering feels emotionally difficult, it can be tempting to go too far in the opposite direction and try to get everything done as quickly as possible.

Try to avoid these common traps:

1. Don’t try to clear your whole home in one weekend. Small, sustainable progress is often easier to maintain.
2. Don’t start with your most sentimental possessions. Build your confidence with easier decisions first.
3. Don’t force yourself to decide everything immediately. Some decisions become easier when you’ve had time to think.
4. Don’t secretly get rid of somebody else’s belongings. Decluttering works much better when everyone has a say in their own possessions.
5. Don’t compare your home with someone else’s. Your aim isn’t to create a picture-perfect minimalist home. It’s to create a home that works better for you and your life.

How to stay on top of clutter after you’ve decluttered

Getting rid of clutter is one thing. Keeping it from building up again is another.

If you want your progress to last, the answer isn’t necessarily to become better at massive clear-outs. It’s to make small changes to the way you deal with your belongings every day.

Try to:

• deal with unwanted things sooner rather than later;
• pause before bringing new things into your home;
• give the things you use regularly a home;
• do small, regular decluttering sessions;
• notice when you’re keeping something “just in case”;
• revisit difficult areas from time to time.

You may also find that changing your mindset around your possessions makes a difference. Instead of asking whether you could keep something, start asking whether you actually want to keep looking after it.

That’s where decluttering becomes more than simply getting rid of stuff. It’s about creating a home that supports the way you want to live.

Further Reading: 10 Decluttering Mindset Tips For Easier Decluttering

Frequently asked questions about decluttering when you struggle to let things go

How do I start decluttering if I want to keep everything?

Start with something easy and relatively unemotional. Choose obvious rubbish, duplicates or things you already know you don’t use. You don’t need to make difficult sentimental decisions straight away. The aim is to practise letting go and build your confidence gradually.

What should I declutter first?

Start somewhere small and easy, such as the bathroom. Toiletries, expired products and duplicates are often easier decisions than sentimental possessions. Leave areas such as the loft, garage, photographs and family keepsakes until you’ve built some confidence.

How do I stop keeping things “just in case”?

Ask yourself how likely you are to genuinely need the item, whether you’ve used it recently and whether it would be difficult or expensive to replace. You don’t need to guarantee that you’ll never need it again. You’re simply deciding whether the possibility is worth the space and effort of keeping it.

How do I declutter when I feel overwhelmed?

Make the task smaller. Choose one drawer, one shelf or one category rather than an entire room. Set a timer for five minutes and stop when it rings if you’ve had enough. Small amounts of progress can make a big job feel much more manageable.

Should I throw away someone else’s clutter?

Generally, don’t secretly get rid of somebody else’s possessions. Their belongings are theirs to decide about. If clutter in shared spaces is causing problems, talk about the impact and try to agree some boundaries that work for everyone.

How long does it take to declutter a very cluttered home?

There’s no fixed timescale. It depends on how much you have, how difficult you find making decisions and how much time you can realistically give to the process. If you’re finding decluttering particularly difficult, slower progress can be more sustainable than trying to do everything in one huge clear-out.

What if I can’t decide whether to keep something?

You don’t have to decide immediately. Put the item to one side and come back to it later. You can also ask yourself whether you love it, need it or whether it genuinely adds value to your life. Sometimes a little distance makes the answer clearer.

CONCLUSION

Decluttering when you find it difficult to let things go isn’t about suddenly becoming someone who can throw everything away without a second thought.

It’s about making slightly easier decisions, one at a time.

You might start with five minutes today. Tomorrow you might let go of a few more things. Over time, those small decisions can add up to a home that feels calmer, easier to manage and more like the life you actually want to live.

So don’t worry about doing it perfectly.

Pick one small thing and start there.

Want a little more help with your decluttering?

If you’re ready to make a bigger start but aren’t sure what to tackle first, my Clear Your Clutter workbook can help you work through your home step by step.

It’s designed to help you make those tricky decisions, let go of the things you no longer need and create a home that feels calmer and easier to manage – without trying to do everything at once.

Click here to learn more about Clear Your Clutter.

The post 9 Decluttering Tips for Hoarders: How to Start When You Struggle to Let Things Go appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

IS YOUR HOME FEELING QUIET AND EMPTY?

My kids are teenagers now and loving their increased independence. They’re often out and about, have a great group of friends and spend more time in their bedrooms or just chatting with me in the kitchen when they’re at home. It seems both a short and long time ago that they were small and toys, noise and kid chaos reigned!

I was chatting with a friend last week and her youngest is going to university this year. After years of having a home full of kids, she’s now dreading the quiet and emptiness that comes when the kids have left home and she’s left on her own. We chatted about what this will feel like and how she (and soon, I) can make the most of the time and begin the next chapter of our lives.

When children leave home, life changes in a big way. The routines you’ve known for years are no longer needed, the house feels quieter and your role as a parent shifts. It’s completely natural to feel a mix of emotions—pride for your children, sadness at the empty space, or even uncertainty about what comes next.

But the “empty nest” years don’t have to feel empty. This new stage of life is a chance to simplify, rediscover yourself, and create space for the things that matter most. By approaching it with intentional living, you can build a lifestyle that feels calm, purposeful, and enjoyable. That’s what I hope this article will help you do.

There’s also a free Life Visioning Journal Sheet at the bottom of the article. I’ve put this together to give you some reflection prompts to help you get clear on your purpose and passions in life!

7 WAYS TO FIND PURPOSE AND ENJOYMENT AS A NEW EMPTY NESTER

Here are 7 practical ways you can get ready for being a new empty nester and embrace the changes this transition has to offer!

1. Accept the Transition

The empty nest is a major life change, and it’s normal to feel unsettled at first. Allow yourself to acknowledge the shift rather than rushing past it. You may feel both relief at having more time and sadness at the change in your family role. Both emotions are valid.

A practical way to process this is by journaling your thoughts or talking them through with a close friend. You might also create new routines for the start or end of your day to mark this new chapter—for example, a morning walk or evening reflection. Recognising and accepting the change is the first step towards moving forward.

2. Reconnect With Yourself

Much of your time may have been centred around your children’s needs. Now you can refocus on yourself. Ask:

• What do I enjoy doing?
• What do I want more of in my life?
• What do I want less of?

Living intentionally means choosing activities that align with your values. Perhaps you’d like to return to hobbies you once loved, such as gardening, reading, or painting. Or maybe you’d like to try something completely new. The goal isn’t to fill every hour but to create time for what genuinely makes you feel fulfilled.

3. Simplify Before You Add

It’s tempting to rush into new commitments to fill the quiet, but adding too much too soon can feel overwhelming. Instead, start by simplifying. Clear out spaces at home that no longer serve you, streamline your calendar, and reduce obligations that weigh you down.

Decluttering your physical space often clears mental space too. This helps you see what really matters and leaves room for new routines, projects, or interests to grow naturally.

4. Build Supportive Rhythms

Without school runs, family meals, and children’s schedules, your day might feel unstructured. Creating gentle rhythms can bring stability without being restrictive.

• Morning rhythm: a calm start such as exercise, journaling, or a simple breakfast ritual.
• Afternoon rhythm: a time for learning, hobbies, or getting outside.
• Evening rhythm: winding down with reading, reflection, or preparing for the next day.

These rhythms anchor your day, reduce decision fatigue, and help you feel grounded in your new routine.

5. Explore New Interests

This stage of life offers the chance to learn, grow, and try new things. New experiences can bring enjoyment and a sense of progress.

Practical ideas include:

• Joining a local group or class.
• Starting a creative project.
• Volunteering in your community.
• Travelling or exploring new places closer to home.

Choose activities that excite you, not just ones that keep you busy. The aim is to build purpose and enjoyment, not fill time for the sake of it.

6. Nurture Relationships

Your role as a parent is still important, but it looks different now. Stay connected with your children in ways that respect their independence—perhaps through regular calls, visits, or shared experiences or traditions like getting together once a month or during the holidays or at Christmas.

At the same time, invest in other relationships. Reconnect with friends, strengthen your partnership, or seek out community links. Meaningful connections are important for our happiness, a vital part of intentional living and bring a strong sense of belonging that we often didn’t have time for as a busy parent.

7. Look Ahead With Intention

This season is not just about looking back; it’s about creating what comes next. Ask yourself:

• How do I want my life to feel over the next few years?
• What values do I want to guide my choices?
• What changes could make everyday life calmer, simpler and more enjoyable?

Living intentionally means aligning your actions with your values. Simplify what no longer serves you, and create space for what truly matters.

And so, over to you… What’s been your biggest struggle as an empty nester, or your biggest fear, or maybe, your greatest opportunity? I’d love to hear from you so please leave a comment at the end of the article.

CONCLUSION

The empty nest years can feel challenging at first, but they’re also full of possibility. By keeping life simple, focusing on what matters, and creating supportive rhythms, you can build a home and lifestyle that feels calm, purposeful, and enjoyable.

This is your chance to rediscover yourself, live more intentionally, and create a chapter that’s just as meaningful as the one before – even if it looks and feels slightly different!

As for me, on my list for when I have more time on my hands… travel, exploring and adventuring both close and far from home, gardening, relearning how to play my favourite tunes on the piano and learning more about history, geography and the environment. I’m sure I’ll be adding more to that list though as time goes by!

Setting goals is a great way to get motivated in life. If you’re seeking clarity, want to make changes, or turn dreams into plans into reality – I’d love to help! Check out my Goal-Setting Workbook with monthly and yearly planning pages to help you set meaningful goals that you’re excited to keep! Click here to learn more.

MORE ON THIS TOPIC

Here are some more articles which you might enjoy:

• 10 Important Reasons to Find a Hobby You Enjoy
• Decluttering Relationships and Why It’s Good for Us
• 7 Clutter-Free Steps to Living a Life Without Regret
• 23 Tips for Decluttering in Midlife During a Time of Change
• How Minimalism Helped Me Navigate Menopause with Less Stress and More Ease

The post 7 Ways to Find Purpose and Enjoyment as a New Empty Nester and Your Kids Move Out appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

HOW TO DECLUTTER BOOKS

The easiest way to declutter books is to keep the books you genuinely love, use or want to read, and let go of those you’ve finished with, no longer enjoy or are only keeping out of guilt. If you give your books a defined amount of space, you’ll have a simple limit that makes deciding what to keep much easier.

I love the benefits of decluttering my home but I have a bit of a complicated relationship with books.

I love them. I love the look of them on a shelf, the feel of them in my hands and the anticipation of opening one that I’ve been looking forward to reading. I’m also a great fan of audiobooks, and there are plenty of times when listening to a book while I’m walking or doing something around the house is the easiest way for me to fit reading into my life.

But sometimes, for me, there’s still nothing quite like holding a physical book in your hands and turning the pages.

So, are books clutter?

Well, they can be. But I don’t think books automatically become clutter simply because you have a lot of them.

I like to think of books as old friends.

Some are friends I see regularly. Some were important to me during a particular season of my life. And some are friends I haven’t seen for years but still feel very fondly towards.

I’ve even kept a few books that belonged to my mum. They’re very old copies, and I love the smell of them. You don’t get that from reading a book off a screen or listening to the audio version.

They remind me of watching my mum read when I was younger. She was a real bookworm, and those particular books have a sentimental value that has nothing to do with whether I am ever likely to read them.

That’s important because decluttering books isn’t always as straightforward as decluttering a kitchen cupboard.

Books can carry memories, aspirations, comfort and identity.

And that means it’s perfectly understandable if you’re finding it difficult to decide what stays and what goes.

But if you’ve accumulated a lot of books and your shelves are becoming overcrowded, there are ways to declutter your book collection without getting rid of everything you love.

Why declutter your books?

The aim of decluttering books isn’t necessarily to have an empty bookshelf or to own as few books as possible.

It’s about making space for the books that matter to you.

When you have fewer books, it’s often much easier to find the one you’re looking for.

You can see what you actually own. You aren’t constantly moving piles around to get to something underneath. Your shelves have room to breathe.

And perhaps most importantly, you’re less likely to feel that subtle sense of “I really ought to read all these books” every time you look at them.

I’ve gone through different seasons of life where I’ve either loved reading or become frustrated by it because I simply haven’t had the time.

I usually have a list on my phone of books I want to read. And when that list grows while my physical bookshelves are already full, I have to remind myself that owning a book isn’t the same thing as having to read it.

Your books should support your life, not give you another list of things you feel you ought to do or be the sort of person your fantasy self thinks you should be.

How to declutter books

If you’re ready to declutter your books, don’t feel that you have to make hundreds of decisions in one go.

Start with the books you already know you’re ready to let go of, and then work through the harder decisions gradually.

1. Gather all your books together

If possible, bring your books together so you can see what you actually have.

This might mean taking books from different bookshelves, bedside tables, piles around the house and anywhere else you’ve been storing them.

Seeing your collection as a whole can be surprisingly helpful.

You might discover that you’ve got several books on the same subject, multiple books you’ve completely forgotten about, or books you’ve been moving from one room to another without ever really deciding where they belong.

You don’t necessarily have to take every single book off the shelf if that feels overwhelming. You can work shelf by shelf.

The important thing is to get an honest picture of your collection.

2. Start with the easy decisions

Don’t begin with the book you inherited from your grandmother or the one that reminds you of your first job.

Start with the easy ones.

Ask yourself:

• Have I read this?
• Would I read it again?
• Do I still want to read it?
• Do I enjoy having it?
• Is it useful to me?
• Would I choose to buy this book again today?
• Am I keeping it because I genuinely want it, or because I feel I should?

You’ll probably find some very easy decisions.

A book you’ve read, didn’t particularly enjoy and know you’ll never read again doesn’t need a lengthy deliberation.

Let it go.

3. Let go of books you’ve already read

One of the easiest places to start is with books you’ve finished and don’t intend to read again.

Sometimes we keep a book because we enjoyed it.

That’s lovely.

But enjoying a book doesn’t necessarily mean you need to keep the physical copy forever.

If you’ve read it, loved it and know you’ll happily pass it on, there’s nothing wrong with letting it go.

Someone else might discover their new favourite book because you decided you didn’t need to keep yours.

Of course, if it’s one of those books you know you’ll reread, keep it.

Your aim isn’t to follow somebody else’s rules about how many books you should own. It’s to create a collection that works for you.

4. Give yourself permission not to finish a book

This one has taken me a while to learn.

You do not have to finish every book you start.

If you’re partway through a book and you’re not enjoying it, you can stop.

I have moved past the idea that I need to force myself through a book simply because I’ve already started it.

Life is too short, and my time and mental energy are too limited.

I’d rather spend the time I have genuinely enjoying a book than pushing myself to finish something I’m not interested in.

And if you’re keeping an unfinished book because you feel guilty about not finishing it, ask yourself whether you’re realistically going to pick it up again.

If the answer is no, let it go.

Stopping halfway through a book isn’t failure. Sometimes it’s simply recognising that a particular book isn’t right for you at this particular point in your life.

Sometimes, even, our stuff can hold us back in life.

5. Look at the books you haven’t read yet

This can be a slightly trickier category.

There’s something very appealing about owning a shelf full of books you’re looking forward to reading.

But be honest about your intentions.

If you’ve owned a book for five years and haven’t read it, do you genuinely still want to?

Or are you keeping it because you like the idea of being the person who reads that book?

Ask yourself:

“If I didn’t already own this book, would I choose to buy it today?”

If you would, keep it.

If you wouldn’t, that’s useful information.

You can always add the title to your reading list instead. You don’t need to keep a physical book in your home simply because you might want to read it one day.

You can declutter your stuff without decluttering your memories too.

6. Don’t keep books because you feel guilty

This is particularly important if you have books that were gifts.

Someone giving you a book was an act of kindness.

It doesn’t mean you’ve entered into a lifelong contract to keep it.

• Perhaps you read it and didn’t like it.
• Perhaps you’ve changed your interests.
• Perhaps you simply have too many books.

You can appreciate the thought behind a gift while recognising that the physical object no longer needs to stay with you.

The same applies to books you bought because you thought you should read them.

You don’t have to turn your bookshelf into a monument to all the things you once intended to do.

7. Keep sentimental books intentionally

This is where I think it’s important to make room for sentiment.

Some books aren’t there because they’re useful.

They’re there because they mean something.

I have those old books that belonged to my mum. I love them, even though I could probably find a newer copy of the same book very easily.

The smell of those old pages takes me straight back to watching my mum read.

Those books aren’t clutter to me.

They’re memories.

If you have books like this, keep them.

But keep them intentionally.

You don’t have to apply a ruthless decluttering rule to something that genuinely brings you joy or connects you to someone you love.

The question isn’t simply “Have I read this?”

Sometimes the better question is:

“Does this book have a meaningful place in my life?”

8. Think about the container concept

If you’re struggling to know when you’ve decluttered enough books, try using the container concept.

Instead of deciding that you should own a certain number of books, decide how much physical space you’re prepared to give them.

Perhaps you have:

• One large bookcase.
• Two shelves in a cupboard.
• A small bookshelf in your bedroom.
• One shelf for cookbooks and another for everything else.

That space becomes your container.

Your job isn’t to squeeze as many books as possible into it.

Your job is to choose which books deserve the space available.

This can make decluttering books much easier because you’re no longer asking:

“Which books am I allowed to get rid of?”

You’re asking:

“Which books do I most want to keep within the space I’ve chosen?”

If you have more books than will comfortably fit, that’s your signal to declutter.

And if your collection fits comfortably and you love all your books, perhaps you don’t need to declutter at all.

How many books should you keep?

There isn’t a magic number.

You don’t need to own 20 books because someone else says that’s enough.

You don’t need to reduce your collection to 10 books to qualify as a minimalist.

And you certainly don’t need to get rid of books you love simply because you have more books than somebody else thinks you should.

Instead, think about:

• How much space you have.
• How often you read.
• Whether you reread your books.
• Whether your collection reflects your current interests.
• Whether your books are easy to find.
• Whether your books bring you pleasure or create stress.

Your ideal number of books is the number that works for you.

What about Kindle books and audiobooks?

Digital books can be a useful alternative if you’re trying to reduce the physical space your reading habit takes up.

I enjoy audiobooks, particularly when I don’t have the time to sit down with a physical book.

Kindle books can also be a good option if you want to read something without adding another physical book to your shelves.

But I don’t think digital books need to replace physical books completely.

For me, sometimes there is simply nothing like holding a physical book and turning the pages.

So think about what works for you.

You might decide that:

• Books you want to reread are worth keeping physically.
• Books you’re unlikely to read again can be borrowed from the library.
• New books can be bought digitally.
• Audiobooks work well for books you want to enjoy while walking or doing other things.
• Physical copies are reserved for books you particularly love.

There isn’t one right way to read.

How to organise your books after decluttering

Once you’ve reduced your collection, you can decide how you’d like to organise the books you’ve kept.

And this is where having fewer books can make such a difference.

It’s much easier to create an organised bookshelf when you’re not trying to cram 300 books onto a shelf designed for 150.

Here are a few approaches you could try.

Organise books by author

Alphabetical order by author is a simple option, particularly if you have a lot of books.

It makes finding a particular book straightforward and works especially well if you tend to read particular authors.

Organise books by category

You could group books according to subject, such as:

• Fiction
• Personal development
• Cooking
• Travel
• History
• Business
• Parenting
• Health and wellbeing

This can make it easier to find something when you’re looking for a particular type of book.

Organise books by colour

Some people love organising books by colour.

It’s visually pleasing and can make a bookshelf feel more like part of your home’s decor.

It isn’t necessarily the most practical method if you’re constantly trying to remember whether a particular book has a blue or green spine, but if you love the way it looks, that’s a perfectly good reason to do it.

Organise books by how much you love them

This is one of my favourite ideas.

You could have your everyday favourites within easy reach, while less frequently used books go on higher shelves or into storage.

You might even create a small shelf for your absolute favourites — the books you know you’ll return to again and again.

What should you do with books you’re decluttering?

Once you’ve decided which books you’re ready to let go of, try to give them another life where possible.

Depending on their condition, you could:

• Donate them to a charity shop.
• Give them to friends or family.
• Pass them on through a community book exchange.
• Donate them to a school or community organisation where appropriate.
• Sell valuable or sought-after books.
• Take them to a local library if they accept donations.

Try not to let the “what do I do with these?” question stop you from making the decision.

You can work that part out afterwards.

Here is a guide which might be helpful on what to do with unwanted items after decluttering.

A simple book decluttering checklist

If you’re standing in front of an overflowing bookshelf and don’t know where to begin, use these questions:

Keep it if:

• You love it.
• You regularly reread it.
• You genuinely intend to read it.
• It’s useful to you.
• It has meaningful sentimental value.
• You would choose to buy it again today.

Let it go if:

• You’ve read it and don’t want to read it again.
• You didn’t enjoy it.
• You’re keeping it because you feel guilty.
• You’ve lost interest in the subject.
• You’ve owned it for years without reading it and no longer really want to.
• You can easily access the information elsewhere.
• It’s taking up space you would rather use for something else.

And remember: “I don’t want this anymore” is a perfectly good reason to let a book go.

You don’t need a more important justification.

Decluttering books isn’t about owning fewer for the sake of it

I think this is the part that’s easiest to forget.

Decluttering isn’t about reaching some imaginary level of minimalism where your shelves are almost empty.

It’s about making your home work better for you.

For me, that means keeping the books I genuinely love. It means keeping some of my mum’s old books because they connect me to her. It means letting go of books I’ve finished and don’t want to read again.

It also means accepting that my reading habits change.

There are times when I read constantly.

There are times when I’m too busy and frustrated that I don’t have more time to read.

There are times when my reading list grows faster than I can get through it.

That’s life.

And perhaps that’s why I don’t think we need rigid rules about books.

Instead, ask yourself whether the books you own are supporting the life you’re living now.

If they are, enjoy them.

Read them. Reread them. Keep them.

And if your bookshelves are full of books that belong to a different version of you, books you’ve finished with, books you’re keeping out of guilt, or books you no longer even want to read, give yourself permission to let some of them go.

You might be surprised by how much easier it is to find the books you really love once there’s a little more space around them.

WANT TO CLEAR YOUR CLUTTER TODAY?

If you’re ready to tackle more than just your books, my Clear Your Clutter workbook can help you work through the decluttering process step by step.

It includes a dedicated section and printable checklist on decluttering books, along with practical guidance to help you clear the clutter from other areas of your home too — so you can create more space, calm and breathing room in your everyday life.

Click here to learn more about the Clear Your Clutter Workbook.

The post How to Declutter Books: What to Keep, What to Let Go and How to Organise Your Books appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

SWEDISH DEATH CLEANING

Swedish death cleaning is a way of thoughtfully decluttering your possessions so that you keep what matters, let go of what you no longer need, and avoid leaving an overwhelming amount for someone else to deal with later. Despite its name, it isn’t really about death at all; it’s about living with less clutter, more intention and greater consideration for the people you love.

If you’ve heard the phrase Swedish death cleaning before, you might have wondered what on earth it means. The name sounds rather dramatic, doesn’t it?

But the idea behind it is actually much gentler.

Swedish death cleaning is about looking at the things you own and asking yourself whether you really need, use or love them — and whether someone else would be left with the job of sorting through them if you weren’t here to do it yourself.

I have a very personal reason for understanding why this matters.

When my dad died, my mum was not only dealing with the enormous grief of losing her husband. She also had to deal with all his belongings.

My dad was a hoarder, and over the years he’d accumulated a huge amount of stuff. After he retired, he’d built up his own little carpentry and furniture-making business, so there were tools, DIY equipment and all sorts of associated bits and pieces.

Some of the equipment was enormous.

There were big pieces of machinery that my mum didn’t know how to use, didn’t need and didn’t know how to get rid of. There were boxes of things whose purpose she didn’t understand and possessions that had clearly been important to my dad but weren’t useful to her.

It was stressful at a time when she was already navigating grief.

Eventually, she worked her way through it all. But I think the experience stayed with her.

After she’d managed to deal with my dad’s possessions, she decided that she didn’t want to leave me with an equally overwhelming amount of stuff to deal with when she died.

And I think that’s where Swedish death cleaning can be particularly powerful.

It isn’t about being morbid.

It’s about being considerate.

Further Reading: Decluttering After Bereavement: 7 Ways to Declutter After Losing Someone You Love

What is Swedish death cleaning?

Swedish death cleaning is a decluttering approach that encourages you to think carefully about the possessions you own and what will happen to them in the future.

The idea was popularised by Swedish author Margareta Magnusson in her book The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning.

At its heart is a simple question:

“What will happen to all this stuff when I’m no longer here?”

That might sound rather stark, but it can actually be a liberating question.

Instead of endlessly accumulating things because we have space for them, we start to think about what deserves a place in our homes.

We can ask ourselves:

• Do I use this?
• Do I love it?
• Does it have genuine sentimental value?
• Would someone else know what to do with it?
• Am I keeping it because I want it, or because I feel I should?
• If I were moving house, would I take it with me?
• Would I want someone else to have to sort through this?

The purpose isn’t to get rid of everything.

It’s to become more intentional about what we keep.

Further Reading: 7 Ways to Start Decluttering When You Have a Lifetime of Stuff

Why is it called Swedish Death Cleaning?

The name comes from the idea that you can make things easier for the people you leave behind by sorting through your possessions while you’re still able to do so.

And although the phrase includes the word death, I think it’s helpful to look beyond the name.

This isn’t really about thinking about dying.

It’s about thinking about living.

It’s about looking around your home and deciding whether the things you’ve accumulated still belong in the life you’re living today.

It’s also about kindness.

If you’ve ever had to clear the belongings of someone you love, you’ll know that it can be emotionally and practically exhausting.

Sometimes you’re grieving while simultaneously having to make hundreds of decisions.

• What is this?
• Should I keep it?
• Would they have wanted me to keep it?
• Where can I take it?
• Can I sell it?
• Can I donate it?
• How do I dispose of it?

Those decisions can become an enormous burden.

Swedish death cleaning offers a way of reducing that burden before it ever becomes somebody else’s responsibility.

Further Reading: 7 Reasons Why Decluttering Now Could Be One of the Kindest Gifts You Leave Your Children

Swedish death cleaning isn’t just for older people

This is one of the things I like about the underlying idea.

You don’t have to be elderly or facing the end of your life to use Swedish death cleaning principles.

You can simply use them as another way of thinking about your possessions.

• Perhaps you’ve accumulated things over twenty or thirty years.
• Perhaps you’ve moved house several times but never really decluttered between moves.
• Perhaps your children have grown up and you’ve still got cupboards full of things from when they were small.
• Perhaps you’ve inherited possessions from your parents.

Or perhaps you’ve simply reached the point where you look around your home and think:

“How did we end up with all this stuff?”

You don’t need a dramatic reason to start simplifying.

You can simply decide that you’d like to live with less.

How to start Swedish death cleaning

You don’t need to empty your entire house and create piles all over the floor.

In fact, if you find decluttering overwhelming, I’d recommend starting much smaller.

Choose one cupboard, one drawer or one category of possessions.

Then work through it thoughtfully.

1. Start with the easy things

Don’t begin with your most sentimental possessions.

Start with things you already know you don’t need.

Look for:

• Broken items you’re never going to repair.
• Duplicates.
• Clothes you never wear.
• Out-of-date paperwork.
• Unused kitchen gadgets.
• Things you’ve been keeping “just in case”.
• Items you don’t even remember owning.

These decisions will help you build momentum without immediately confronting the emotionally difficult things.

2. Ask whether you would choose to keep it today

We accumulate possessions gradually.

Something comes into our home because we need it, someone gives it to us, we buy it because we like it or we think it might be useful.

Then it stays.

And stays.

And stays.

Years later, we’re still storing it without ever questioning whether it belongs in our lives.

So ask yourself:

“If I didn’t already own this, would I choose to bring it into my home today?”

If the answer is no, that’s worth paying attention to.

You don’t have to get rid of everything you wouldn’t buy again, but it’s a useful question when you’re struggling to decide.

3. Think about the people you love

This is at the heart of Swedish death cleaning.

Imagine someone else having to sort through your belongings.

• Would they know what things are?
• Would they know what is valuable?
• Would they understand why something is important to you?
• Would they have to make hundreds of decisions about things you could easily decide for yourself now?

My mum’s experience after my dad died made this particularly real for our family.

She didn’t want me to have to deal with what she’d been left with.

That didn’t mean she suddenly became a minimalist or threw away everything she owned.

It simply meant that she became more thoughtful about what she accumulated and what she kept.

4. Deal with the things nobody else would want

This is a really useful part of the Swedish death cleaning philosophy.

There are often things in our homes that are difficult to dispose of.

Perhaps you have:

• Old chemicals or paint.
• Broken electrical equipment.
• Specialist tools.
• Large pieces of machinery.
• Boxes of cables.
• Old computers.
• Unwanted collections.
• Bulky furniture.
• Hobby equipment.
• Things that have particular disposal requirements.

You might know exactly what these things are.

Someone else may not.

And if you leave them behind, they may have to work out what to do with them at precisely the time when they’re least emotionally equipped to deal with it.

This doesn’t mean you need to dispose of everything immediately.

But if there’s something particularly awkward, bulky or specialist, it can be kind to deal with it while you’re able to explain what it is and find the right way to pass it on, sell it, donate it or dispose of it.

5. Leave sentimental possessions until later

Not everything needs to be dealt with immediately.

In fact, I think this is one of the most important things to remember when you’re decluttering.

Sentimental possessions can be difficult because you’re not just deciding about an object.

You’re deciding about a memory.

That’s why I wouldn’t start your decluttering journey with old photographs, letters or possessions belonging to someone you love.

Deal with the easy things first.

Then, when you’re ready, you can give sentimental possessions the time and attention they deserve.

And sometimes you’ll decide to keep them.

That’s okay.

Swedish death cleaning isn’t about eliminating sentimentality from your home.

It’s about making conscious choices.

6. Create a “throw away” box

One idea associated with Swedish death cleaning is the concept of keeping a small collection of things that are personal to you and that you’d like to be discarded rather than passed on.

These might be things that have meaning to you but wouldn’t necessarily have meaning to anybody else.

It’s a useful reminder that not everything needs to become somebody else’s responsibility.

You can be thoughtful about what you leave behind without expecting another person to preserve everything that mattered to you.

7. Tell people about the things that matter

Decluttering can sometimes reveal things that you didn’t realise were important.

• Perhaps you have a piece of jewellery that belonged to your grandmother.
• Perhaps there’s a painting you’ve had for years.
• Perhaps there’s a particular book that has a special story attached to it.

Don’t assume that everyone else knows why you love something.

Tell them.

You might even decide to make a note about certain sentimental possessions so that the story doesn’t disappear when you do.

The object is only part of the memory.

The story behind it can be just as valuable.

What should you declutter first?

If you’re not sure where to start with Swedish death cleaning, I would choose the least emotional category you can think of.

For example:

1. Broken or unusable items.
2. Duplicates.
3. Clothes you no longer wear.
4. Unused kitchen equipment.
5. Old paperwork.
6. Hobby supplies you no longer use.
7. Bulky items that are difficult to dispose of.
8. Things you’ve been keeping “just in case”.
9. Items you’ve completely forgotten about.
10. Sentimental possessions.
11. Items that potentially make your home unsafe as your needs change.

You don’t need to work through the list in one weekend.

Choose one category and see how you get on.

What about things you might use one day?

“Just in case” is one of the most powerful phrases in a cluttered home.

Sometimes keeping something for a future possibility makes perfect sense.

But sometimes we’re keeping things for a future version of ourselves who may never arrive.

Ask yourself:

“How likely am I really to use this?”

And:

“If I needed this in the future, could I borrow, hire or replace it?”

You don’t have to become ruthless.

You’re simply checking whether the space and responsibility of keeping something is worth it.

What about family heirlooms?

This can be particularly complicated.

You might have inherited possessions because you assumed they were important to your family.

But you don’t have to keep every family possession simply because it has been passed down to you.

Choose the things that genuinely mean something.

• Perhaps it’s an old photograph.
• A piece of jewellery.
• A favourite recipe book.
• A chair that reminds you of your grandparents.
• Or, in my case, some of my mum’s old books.

The fact that something belonged to someone you love doesn’t automatically mean you need to keep everything they owned.

Keep the memories you value, not necessarily every object connected to them.

Swedish death cleaning and living more simply

Although Swedish death cleaning is often presented as a method for dealing with possessions towards the end of life, I think there’s something useful here for all of us.

It encourages us to question the constant accumulation of stuff.

• We buy something.
• We find somewhere to store it.
• We forget about it.
• We buy something else.
• Eventually, our homes become full of things that require our attention, our storage space and sometimes our guilt.

What if we interrupted that cycle?

What if we became a little more intentional about what comes into our homes in the first place?

And what if we regularly asked ourselves whether the things we already own still deserve the space they take up?

That’s not morbid.

It’s simply mindful.

You don’t have to declutter everything

I think this is particularly important.

When you hear about a decluttering method, it’s easy to imagine that you’re supposed to apply it rigidly to every single possession.

You don’t.

• You can keep things simply because you love them.
• You can keep things because they make you happy.
• You can keep things because they’re useful.
• You can keep things because they’re connected to someone you love.
• You can even keep things that aren’t particularly practical because they tell a story about your life.

Decluttering isn’t about getting rid of everything that isn’t strictly necessary.

It’s about making room for what matters.

What I like about Swedish death cleaning

For me, the most valuable part of Swedish death cleaning isn’t the idea of preparing for death.

It’s the idea of taking responsibility for our possessions while we’re able to do so.

My mum experienced first-hand how difficult it can be to deal with someone else’s belongings while you’re grieving.

She didn’t want to leave me with that same experience.

And I think that’s a lovely example of how decluttering can be an act of kindness.

We often think of decluttering as something we do for ourselves.

• A tidier home.
• More space.
• Less visual clutter.
• Be less embarrassed when visitors come over.
• An easier time finding things.

But sometimes, decluttering can also be something we do for the people we love.

We can make decisions now so that they don’t have to make them later.

And perhaps that’s the most positive way to think about Swedish death cleaning.

It’s not really about death.

It’s about living thoughtfully.

It’s about deciding what deserves a place in your home and your life.

It’s about being grateful for the things that have served you and being willing to let go when they’ve reached the end of their usefulness.

And it’s about remembering that our possessions don’t have to become somebody else’s problem.

So, rather than looking around your home and thinking, “One day someone will have to deal with all this,” perhaps you could ask yourself a gentler question:

“What could I deal with today that would make life easier for me — and perhaps for someone I love?”

You don’t need to declutter your entire home.

• Choose one drawer.
• One cupboard.
• One box.
• One category.
• Just two minutes every day.

Start there.

A simpler home is rarely created in one dramatic afternoon. More often, it’s created through lots of small decisions about what we choose to keep, what we’re ready to let go of, and what really matters to us.

WANT TO DECLUTTER RIGHT NOW?

If you’re ready to take your decluttering a little further, my Clear Your Clutter workbook will guide you through the process step by step. It includes practical prompts and exercises to help you decide what to keep, what to let go of and how to create more space and calm throughout your home.

Click here to learn more about Clear Your Clutter.

The post Swedish Death Cleaning: What It Is and How to Use This Decluttering Method appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.

How to Spend Less Time Cleaning

The easiest way to spend less time cleaning is to have less to clean, tidy and maintain in the first place.

Combine that with a few simple daily habits and realistic cleaning routines, and you can keep your home manageable without spending hours on housework.

Housework doesn’t have to be complicated or take up all your precious time and energy.

I know that because one of the reasons I wanted to simplify my own life was my home. There was a time when it felt less like a place of joy, relaxation and laughter and more like another thing on my never-ending to-do list.

There was always something to tidy, something to clean, laundry to deal with, toys and belongings to put away and surfaces that seemed to need attention.

One of the biggest changes I made was to declutter and streamline my home.

And something interesting happened.

The less I owned, the less I had to look after.

There was less stuff to move when I wanted to dust. Fewer things cluttering up surfaces. Less to tidy away. Less to organise. And, perhaps most importantly, less visual clutter making my home feel like it needed my attention all the time.

That’s why I think spending less time cleaning starts before you even pick up the duster.

It starts with simplifying.

12 WAYS TO SPEND LESS TIME CLEANING

Here are some of the things that have helped me spend less time cleaning and create a home that is easier to maintain.

1. Have Less Stuff to Clean

This might sound obvious, but if you have fewer possessions, you have fewer things to clean, tidy, move around and look after.

Think about a kitchen worktop covered with appliances, jars, paperwork and other bits and pieces.

Before you can wipe the worktop, you have to move everything.

Now imagine the same worktop with just the things you use regularly.

The cleaning itself hasn’t changed. But the amount of preparation needed to do it has.

The same applies to shelves, floors, bedside tables, bathroom surfaces, cupboards and pretty much every other area of your home.

As Annie Dillard put it:

“Whatever takes up your space, takes up your time.”

That’s something I think about often when I’m deciding whether to keep something.

• Do I really love this enough to want to spend time looking after it?
• Would I notice if it wasn’t here?
• Does it make my life easier, better or more enjoyable?
• Or has it simply stayed because I’ve never stopped to question whether I still need it?

If you want to spend less time cleaning, decluttering is one of the most effective places to start.

You can read more about this in my guide to how to declutter your home and life.

2. Keep Surfaces as Clear as You Can

Clear surfaces are much easier to clean.

You don’t need to have completely empty rooms or embrace an extreme minimalist lifestyle. It’s simply about noticing which surfaces regularly become difficult to clean because they’re covered with things.

Kitchen worktops are a good example.

So are dining tables, coffee tables, bedside tables and bathroom counters.

If a surface is constantly covered with things, ask yourself whether everything really needs to live there.

• Could some of it have a proper home elsewhere?
• Could you get rid of some of it?
• Could you simply have less on display?

You might find that clearing one particularly cluttered surface makes cleaning that whole area noticeably easier.

And once you’ve experienced that, you may start looking at other areas of your home in the same way.

Here are some tips for a simpler home.

3. Do a Little and Often

If you leave all your housework until it becomes a huge job, it’s much harder to get started.

Instead, try doing smaller amounts more regularly.

You could set a timer for 10, 15 or 30 minutes and concentrate on one particular area or task.

You don’t have to keep going until the whole house is spotless.

When the timer goes off, stop.

Short bursts of housework can feel much more manageable than the idea of spending an entire afternoon cleaning.

You can also use small pockets of time that already exist in your day.

• While the kettle boils, wipe down the kitchen worktop.
• While dinner is cooking, clear away some of the day’s clutter.
• After your shower, give the bathroom a quick wipe if it needs it.

The aim isn’t to turn every spare minute into cleaning time.

It’s to prevent small jobs from becoming big ones.

Further Reading: 2-Minute Habits That Make My Life Easier

4. Create Simple Daily Cleaning Habits

I find that a few small routines make much more difference than trying to clean everything from top to bottom every day.

These are some of the cleaner home habits that help keep my home ticking over.

Make your bed

Making the bed takes very little time but can make the whole bedroom feel calmer and more organised.

It also creates a simple start-of-day habit.

You don’t need a perfect bedroom. Just having the bed made can make the room feel noticeably better.

Reset the kitchen after meals

Try not to let dishes, food and dirty surfaces build up throughout the day if you can help it.

Put dishes into the dishwasher or wash them, wipe down the main surfaces and put food away.

A few minutes after a meal can save you from facing a much bigger job later.

Keep on top of the laundry

Laundry can quickly become one of those jobs that feels overwhelming when it gets left too long.

Find a rhythm that works for your household.

That might mean doing a small load regularly rather than waiting until the laundry basket is overflowing.

There’s no single right routine. The important thing is finding something that prevents laundry from becoming a huge backlog.

Give the bathroom a quick check

Bathrooms are one of those areas where a few small habits can prevent cleaning from becoming a bigger job.

If you notice a spill, smear or splash, deal with it when you see it rather than waiting until it has dried or built up.

You don’t need to scrub the whole bathroom every time you walk past it.

Just deal with what needs attention.

Put your home to bed each night

One of my favourite habits is a quick evening reset.

Return things to where they belong, clear the kitchen surfaces, straighten cushions and deal with anything that has been left out during the day.

It doesn’t have to take long.

The idea is simply to avoid waking up to yesterday’s mess.

A little reset in the evening can make the next morning feel much calmer.

5. Give Everything a Home

One of the reasons tidying can take so long is that things don’t have an obvious place to go.

If you regularly find yourself moving the same things from one surface to another, it may be worth asking whether they have a proper home.

A home doesn’t have to mean a perfectly organised storage system.

It might simply mean:

• keys live in one particular place
• paperwork has a designated spot
• coats go on the same hooks
• shoes have somewhere to be put away
• toys have a basket or cupboard
• cleaning supplies are easy to find
• everyday items are stored where you naturally use them

The easier something is to put away, the more likely you are to do it.

And when things are regularly put back where they belong, there’s less tidying to do later.

6. Make Cleaning Easy to Start

If you have to hunt around for cleaning products every time you need them, you’re adding unnecessary friction to a simple job.

Keep the cleaning supplies you actually use somewhere convenient.

You could keep some products together in one cleaning cupboard or basket, or keep a small selection in the rooms where you use them most.

For example, I like having the things I need for the bathroom easily accessible because it means I can deal with something quickly when I notice it needs cleaning.

The same principle applies to your cleaning equipment.

You don’t need a cupboard full of specialist products and gadgets.

Keep things simple and make the jobs you regularly do as easy as possible to start.

Can you find a way to make cleaning more fun?

7. Share the Housework

If you share your home with other people, you shouldn’t automatically be responsible for all the cleaning.

Housework is household work.

Everyone who is able to contribute can have some responsibility for keeping the home running.

That might mean sharing specific jobs or simply making sure everyone gets into the habit of putting their own things away and helping with everyday tasks.

Children can also get involved with age-appropriate household chores. It’s not only helpful to you; it teaches them valuable life skills too.

You can read more about kids and chores and how to encourage children to help at home.

The aim isn’t to create a complicated rota that everyone has to follow perfectly.

It’s to make maintaining the home a shared responsibility rather than something that automatically falls to one person.

8. Clean as You Go

Cleaning as you go can sound like another thing to remember, but once it becomes part of your normal routine, it can actually save time.

For example:

• Put ingredients away while you’re cooking.
• Wipe up spills when they happen.
• Put things back after you’ve finished using them.
• Load the dishwasher as you go.
• Wipe the kitchen worktop after preparing food.
• Return things to their proper homes rather than leaving them on the nearest surface.

The important thing is not to turn every activity into an opportunity for housework.

It’s simply about finishing small jobs rather than leaving them for later.

That way, the mess doesn’t have as much chance to accumulate.

This is where small habits for a tidy home really help.

9. Forget About a Perfectly Clean Home

Your home is for living in.

It doesn’t need to look like a show home all the time.

There will be days when the laundry is waiting to be folded. There will be crumbs on the floor, fingerprints on the windows and things left on the kitchen worktop.

That’s normal.

I’ve learned that trying to maintain a perfectly clean home can take up far more time and energy than it’s worth.

Unless you clean constantly and nobody actually lives in your home, it’s never going to be spotless.

And that’s okay.

I prefer a home that is clean enough, tidy enough and comfortable enough for us to actually live our lives.

Done is often better than perfect.

You can clean more thoroughly when something genuinely needs it. But you don’t need to spend your life chasing a standard of cleanliness that isn’t realistic or necessary.

10. Focus on the Cleaning That Actually Matters

Not every cleaning job needs to happen every day.

Some things genuinely need regular attention.

Other things can wait.

Think about what makes your home feel clean and comfortable to you.

Perhaps it’s:

• clean kitchen surfaces
• a reasonably tidy bathroom
• clean floors
• fresh bedding
• keeping on top of laundry
• clearing clutter from the main living spaces

Those might be your priorities.

Other jobs can be done less frequently.

You don’t need to follow somebody else’s cleaning schedule simply because that’s how they look after their home.

Your home, your household and your priorities are different.

Create a household routine around what actually matters to you.

11. Don’t Let Clutter Become a Cleaning Problem

One of the best ways to spend less time cleaning is to stop unnecessary clutter coming into your home in the first place.

Every new possession takes up space.

And many possessions also need to be stored, dusted, cleaned, maintained, moved or eventually decluttered.

That’s why I think simplifying your home and simplifying your cleaning routine go hand in hand.

When you notice that a particular area is constantly difficult to clean, don’t automatically look for a better storage solution.

• Ask yourself whether you simply have too much there.
• Perhaps the problem isn’t that you need another basket.
• Perhaps you need fewer things.

This is one of the reasons I always recommend decluttering before organising.

You can read more about why you should declutter instead of organise.

12. Create a Cleaning Routine That Works for You

There’s no perfect cleaning routine.

The best one is the one that fits your life and is realistic enough for you to keep doing.

You might prefer:

• a few minutes every day
• one larger cleaning session each week
• different tasks on different days
• cleaning as you go
• a combination of all of these

Personally, I find that small regular habits help prevent my home from reaching the point where it needs a huge cleaning session.

But your routine might look completely different.

The important thing is that it makes your life easier rather than becoming another thing you’re constantly failing to keep up with.

If you miss a day, start again the next day.

If your routine stops working, change it.

Your cleaning routine should serve you — not the other way around.

How Can I Clean Less?

If you want to spend less time cleaning, I’d start by asking yourself three questions:

1. Do I have too much stuff?

The more you own, the more you have to tidy, clean, move and maintain.

2. What jobs make the biggest difference?

Focus your time on the things that genuinely make your home feel clean and comfortable.

3. What could I do differently so the mess doesn’t build up?

A few small habits can prevent a much bigger job later.

You don’t necessarily need to clean faster.

You may simply need to create less work for yourself in the first place.

A Simpler Way to Keep Your Home Clean

I think we sometimes make cleaning harder than it needs to be.

We buy more cleaning products. We create complicated routines. We try to keep every room spotless. We organise our belongings into increasingly elaborate storage systems.

And then we wonder why looking after our home takes so much time.

• What if we approached it from the other direction?
• What if we owned less?
• What if we kept fewer things on our surfaces?
• What if everything had an easy place to go?
• What if we dealt with small jobs before they became big ones?
• What if we accepted that clean enough really can be good enough?

That’s the approach I prefer.

A simpler home isn’t necessarily a perfectly clean home. It’s a home that is easier to live in and easier to look after.

And that can give you something far more valuable than a spotless house: more time and energy for the rest of your life.

Further Reading

If you’d like to simplify your home and spend less time looking after it, you might also enjoy:

• How to Use the One Hour Cleaning Method to Clean Your Home More Efficiently
• 20 Daily Habits for a Clutter-Free Home – simple habits to help keep clutter under control.
• How to Enjoy Your Home More Without Buying Anything New
• How to Reset Your Home in a Flash – quick ways to restore order when things have got a little out of hand.
• Decluttering and Home Management Tips for When You’re Feeling Overwhelmed

Clear Your Clutter Workbook

If you’re ready to take the decluttering side of this a little further, my Clear Your Clutter workbook will guide you through the process step by step. It includes practical prompts and exercises to help you decide what to keep, what to let go of and how to create more space and calm throughout your home.

Click here to learn more about Clear Your Clutter.

The post How to Spend Less Time Cleaning: Simple Minimalist Cleaning Routines appeared first on BALANCE THROUGH SIMPLICITY.