6 THINGS I DO EVERYDAY TO DECLUTTER MY LIFE

Let me be honest with you. I’m kind of a freak when it comes to setting routines and decluttering both my physical and mental spaces. It’s pretty fitting that my #1 strength is discipline. However, I feel that so many people (especially college students) struggle with this area of their life. Why is it that I constantly hear, “Ugh I just need to get my life together.” Well, I’m not here to tell you how to “get your life together,” but I do want to share a few tangible tips that help me feel more in control of my life. These tips are very simple; they kind of seem like common sense. But these 6 simple steps can actually make a significant impact on your everyday life by allowing you to feel like you “have your life together” and move on to more important things.

Hang it up, fold it, throw it in a basket - NOT in a pile on the floor!

Before I get focused on schoolwork for the evening, I take a quick 10 minutes to tidy up my bedroom and bathroom. I throw any dirty clothes into a basket and hang up/fold clean clothes that are lying around. I’m usually running late in the mornings because I CANNOT wake up to my alarm, so I tend to leave the house in a whirlwind of multiple changed outfits. It would probably be helpful to choose my outfit the night before, but who knows what I’m going to be feeling when I wake up. Am I the only person incapable of making decisions like these?? Packing for vacation is the death of me!

Free your counters

Immediately after a meal, I load up my dishwasher and place non-dishwasher items IN THE SINK. It sounds so simple, but we all know those people who let their dishes pile up taking over all of the counter space until they finally wash them a week later. Hide them under the sink if you run out of sink space. Just get them off of the counter and out of sight. End of story.

Make yo bed!

There are some really smart people out there that say if you make your bed first thing every morning it gives you motivation to take on the rest of your day. That’s probably true and all, but I make my bed immediately after crawling out of it because otherwise I can’t fight the temptation to collapse back into it halfway through getting ready in the morning. Pick a reason that motivates you and reap the results of a more put-together lifestyle.

Be intentional about every hour

At the beginning of the week I make a homework plan so I know exactly how I’m going to be utilizing my free time. This ensures that I don’t forget to complete any assignments or (accidentally) not study for a test until the last minute. I check up on this every morning before I get started for the day and every night before I close my laptop.

Write down your goals….and keep looking at them

I use the Powersheets to plan and track my goals. I check up on my tending list first thing in the morning and right before bed. This helps to keep my goals in mind amidst life’s daily interruptions. And in true Katie fashion, each of my 7 goals for the year is color coded and thoughtfully planned out with steps I can take monthly, weekly, and daily. Have questions about how this looks? Please reach out to me! Talking goals is basically my love language.

Search for the good in each and every day

Every night before bed I lay on the floor and stretch for 10 minutes. This is a great time to sit in silence (without my phone!!!!) and reflect on my day. Sometimes I drink Chamomile tea to help me calm down if I’ve had a stressful day. I keep a small notebook on my nightstand and when I’m done stretching I write just a small blurb about what I’m feeling thankful for or what brought me joy that day. I’ve found this is the best method for me to end my day feeling full rather than focusing on my never ending to-do list.

I bet I know what you’re thinking, “This chick is totally OCD and is just downright crazy.” Although I may agree with you about the crazy part, these 6 steps have proven to be really effective in decluttering my life. I’m a firm believer that if you can devote a few minutes a day to something instead of trying to tackle it all at once after it’s gotten out of hand, your life will be SO much simpler. I aim to be as intentional with my time as can be. If that means I have to say no to something that will take away my “get organized” time, I just say no. Finding joy in your journey can be achieved by seeking small, manageable` steps that will simplify and declutter your life.