I Unexpectedly Had Surgery - Here's What I Learned About Myself + My Home

My health took an unexpected turn for the worse this summer and it completely caught me off guard. Here’s how it went down and what I learned about myself and home in the chaos.

The summer started off just as expected, with all the normal summer vibes in full force. I cruised into it with a pause on my business, to focus more intentionally on time with my kids, without the pressure of achievement/deadlines looming (incredibly grateful to adjust my work schedule around their yearly rhythms).

Morning walks, bike rides, park visits, VBS week to spiritually reset, beading fun + classes to learn new skills at my friend Abi’s store - Bead Made Beads, kicking the soccer ball around, meeting up with friends in the early mornings before the heat ramped up, eating our weight in ice pops, watching the cucumbers / tomatoes / herbs / flowers take off in the garden, making pickles, a few soccer camps, swimming / all the water things, loads of trips to the library…you name it, the summer was indeed so GOOD.

Colorful summer beading vibes.

Learning how to make Morse Code bracelets.

I’m purposely leaving out some details here, but come late June, I had some pain in my upper abdomen that I thought was related to a stomach muscle strain. Back in May, I was convinced I had strained something lifting weights. I’m an avid kettle bell person and at the time, I worked them into my early morning work outs 4-5 times a week. So a muscle strain, while coaching two youth soccer teams, was definitely not out of the question. Over the next few months I would have these “muscle flare ups” as a I called them, that felt like an intense stomach cramp. I just had to ride them out until it “released”. I would recline in a chair, sip water, take deep breaths and put a heating pad on it. It would last anywhere from 45 minutes to 6-8hrs +. I only had this experience a few times and assumed this strained muscle had gotten aggravated by something I was doing, so I down shifted all my weights and changed my workout patterns.

Weeks would go by at a time without a hint of any issues. Life felt completely normal. My sleep would improve and things seemed to be healing. Then come July, things started to ramp up again. These “episodes” were becoming more frequent. At one point, I started to rethink what might be going on. I did some research and starting considering the idea that I might have a peptic ulcer that was infected. I started paying attention to the foods I was eating to see if there was any correlation or particular triggers. I stopped eating most dairy, did not take any medications for pain (NSAIDS), avoided spicy or greasy foods and had very little caffeine. We already cook a lot at home so it was easy to navigate avoiding certain foods because I knew what was going into everything I was eating. Surely I could get to the bottom of this with these adjustments.

Our family escaped for a week to the hill country area of Kyle, south of Austin, for several days in the middle of July. When I say escaped, I mean that literally. My husband was also having some health issues as well at the time (I’ll spare you those details) and I was in complete confusion as to what was going on with me. But this week, we all got a break. We took a deep breath. We picked up my parents early on Monday and headed out for the week to rest and relax. It was a wonderful week of being in country isolation, an infinite amount of birds singing, continuous breezes, sunshine, swimming and inspiring architecture. We needed this time so much. We had no clue what was coming next.

Drank my matcha here for the week + listened to the birds all week. Heaven.

The coolest covered salt water pool I ever did see at the Plant at Kyle.

Nature showing off in the Texas hill country.

When we got back, by the end of the weekend, my episodes continued to get worse, regardless of what I was eating. My concern started to grow exponentially. One morning I called my general practitioner just to be evaluated, even though I didn’t have a ton of concrete information to share. This was in the middle /later in July, and even after telling them I was having bad reactions to a suspected stomach ulcer, I still couldn’t get into to see anyone until August 7th, which was almost 3 weeks after my call into the them. It felt like an impossible stretch of time. There was zero sense of urgency.

On July 20th, I had one of the worst “episodes” to date. I had extreme stomach pain that made me throw up on and off for hours on end. It started in the morning when I got up, things leveled out for a few hours, then went right back into it. It was completely debilitating. I couldn’t move, I couldn’t get comfortable. I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t care for my family. I knew this in no way was sustainable, yet I still had to wait several weeks to get into the doctor. I was extremely worried, concerned, and also trying to get my kids ready to go back to school…can’t stop the mom duties.

After I got through that last round, things leveled out a bit and I had some hope. I had maybe 1-2 minor “episodes” but I was able to work through them and keep going. I wanted my kids to have a great end to summer. I didn’t want whatever was going on with me to get in the way.

Now let’s fast forward a bit to Friday August 1st. I had just spent the previous day in the hospital with my husband while he waited for an MRI and for a procedure to be scheduled (again, going to spare you the details). When I woke up that Friday morning, the pain I experienced was the worst to date (some of the worst in my entire life) and it was all over my abdomen, not just isolated to one spot. I had barely eaten the night before because it was a late night picking up kids staying with family while I was at the hospital, etc. I was suppose to go up to the hospital for my husband to have 2 procedures that day and I couldn’t move…I couldn’t stop throwing up (among other symptoms) and I felt like someone had poured acid inside my body coupled with stabbing pain. Nothing about this was normal. I talked with my father in law (while in the fetal position on the floor of my bathroom) and asked him to take over with Luke at the hospital. I debated calling 911 but I was worried about my kids and where they would go and who would take care of them. I got through an intense wave, texted my mom that I needed her to make the 3 hour drive up to help me, and she did, no questions asked. Thank you God for a mom that cares deeply and will drop anything to help her kids. I am so grateful.

My oldest daughter played “mom” that day and took care of herself and her little sister. She also frequently checked in on me. She made meals for them. She entertained them. She played with her. She read with her. Gosh my kids are amazing. I sat in the recliner in my bedroom all day, trying to sip on water but couldn’t keep anything down. To say I was scared was such an understatement. I felt a huge sigh of relief when my mom arrived that afternoon and I knew my kids would be taken care of for the evening.

The next morning, August 2nd (also my 17th wedding anniversary, HA!), I got up early, scheduled an appointment at a local urgent care for 8am, and dragged myself there. I had no energy, no stamina and very little hope that I was going to get much help. But I had to try. Luke was still in the hospital recovering for his two procedures from the day before. With my mom around to help with my girls, I was free to try to run around and attempt to get myself some help. Once I got to urgent care, we did blood labs and those were sent off. The doctor also gave me a referral for a full abdominal ultrasound for the stomach pain I was experiencing. Between the labs and ultrasound being scheduled, the ball was rolling. I felt like maybe we were getting somewhere. By Monday morning, I was able to get in for the abdominal imaging. I pushed for a rush on the results and thankfully after many conversations with people in person, phone calls and SO much waiting/dropped phone calls (and don’t get me started on that obnoxious hip hop style elevator music I listened to on hold during 90% of my medical phone calls), I started to get some answers.

Somewhere in this mess, my husband came home from the hospital. I assumed some care duties to help him with post surgery healing. It was not glamorous but I did what needed to be done. We kept the ship afloat.

On Tuesday morning, I went back to urgent care for them to give me the imaging and blood panel results because nothing would load virtually in my account like they told me it would (I just love when technology works completely against you in a desperate time).

The guy at the front desk handed me some papers. ‘Extreme cholelithiasis’ is what I read halfway down the top paper in the stack he handed me. I pointed to this term and asked the person at the front desk “what does this mean?” One of the medical techs came over and confirmed the definition on the results and she said to me the words “SEVERE GALLSTONES”.

I cussed out loud (something like HOLY SH**). This is 100% out of character for me by the way. Not an avid cusser by nature. I could NOT believe what I was hearing. I could not have been more caught off guard. I left with my paperwork completely stunned, feeling like I was in an alternate universe.

The next 48 hours were a blur, as I waited for my August 7th appointment (that I had ironically made several weeks ago thinking I had an ulcer). Thursday eventually came, I fasted for my next round of labs, and got a full assessment with all the new information I had brought to my nurse practitioner (the only person I could get in to see) and got an immediate referral for a surgeon. I called them in the car after the appointment.

The first surgeon they referred me to couldn’t see me for a full month. I ask for any other surgeon available, who was also well known in the surgery community, and I was able to get in the next day for a pre-surgery appointment. Done. At the appointment, the surgeon told me I had 2 options - that I could “deal with it” (that I ONLY had 5 gallstones in my gallbladder, HA!) OR have my gallbladder removed (which was recommended based on intensity of my symptoms). Well folks, those “only 5 gallstones” nearly killed me. So the decision was simple. My gallbladder removal surgery was scheduled for the next available slot with my new surgeon on August 19, 2025.

Feeling glamorous getting ready for surgery after an extra 1.5 hour delay.

Week+ post surgery check in. I found new gray hairs. Yay for me! I earned those!

I went on a low/no fat eating regiment to prep my body for surgery and to deter it from any more gallbladder attacks. (I’m still eating in this camp now to let my body adjust to my new normal, a few weeks post surgery).

Fast forward to my surgery day and everything went as planned. Thank you God for this boring, uneventful surgery day! As I type this, I am one day away from my post op appointment and I’m on the mend. I’m easing back into things and my incisions are healing as well expected. These battle scars will leaving a lasting impression on me, that’s for sure. We’re getting on the other side of this mess.

But it’s been SCARY as hell. I will not sugar coat it.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MYSELF

• Asking for help can feel deflating and debilitating, yet I had no choice. I let my mother fully step in when I needed her, I allowed my father in law to care for my husband in the hospital when I couldn’t be there, I let me kids do more than their fair share around the house when I couldn’t do much of anything, I let friends take things off my plate daily, I said no to a lot.

• I am only 1 person and I have limits. Again, this is not enjoyable to admit. I’ve slowly been swirling around with this idea over the past few years, but it has come to a head the last month. We cannot be “on” all the time, deep rest feels hard, and our health is essential.

• I care very deeply for others and try to show up for them loyally as much as I can, so others were willing to do the same for me. I’m so grateful for the friendships and relationships in my life - particularly the people who step up for you apologetically during hard moments, when they aren’t sure how to help, but they still show up. That’s the type of person I want to be.

• You’re going to be disappointed by people. Some people know you’re going through a hard time and don’t want to “bother you”, yet their silence of not reaching out is far worse. Also, some people aren’t privy to the knowledge of knowing you’re having a hard time and that makes it clear who you can lean on and who you can’t. Not everyone can be in your inner circle and that’s OK.

Self-serve pantry, all day everyday. Always trying to make it easy for anyone to see everything + grab what’s needed.

Our mantle is visible through most of the home. It’s a place where I’ve tried to create visual cues of calm + cozy.

WHAT I LEARNED ABOUT MY HOME

• My home is decluttered and organized enough for other people to take over, keep the ship afloat, find things, make food and also take care of themselves in the home. How do we do this? I’ll circle back to this and break it down in a future blog post.

• Minimal cleaning was done (and no one cared about it for good reason) for almost 3 weeks and the house was still easy to maintain and not a total hot mess / laundry, dishes, wiping down the counters sometimes and the occasional sweeping of the floor kept things functional.

• My home is set up for other people to easily take over and help. As my kids have gotten older, I’ve constantly redesigned systems and locations of things to allow more independence from them with food, clean up, projects, creating, laundry, etc. They could chip in easily and take on a lot of tasks because the home sets them up for success.

• My mother, our extended stay house guest for several weeks before and after my surgery, could settled into our home rhythms and be taken care of and comfortable without much effort from me. Her basics were taken care of - a clean bed, bathroom space, a spot for her clothing, access to laundry if needed, she knew where the french press was to make her morning coffee, food was available and easy to find in the fridge and pantry, etc. The home was not a chaotic obstacle for a house guest. She could assist during a stressful time but still be comfortable.

TAKE AWAYS FOR YOUR OWN LIFE + HOME

• Listen to your body, early and often. Don’t spend too much time gathering lots of information so you’re “ready” for a doctors visit. If something feels off, go see someone, even if you have to see several doctors. Just do it.

• Fight for yourself always and be your own advocate. The number of times I had to ask more questions and not accept what I was being told was astonishing. Listen. Ask questions. Make the phone calls. Show up in person to keep things moving. It’s worth it.

• Ask for help and know you’re worth receiving the help.

• Create systems in your home that allow for the ebbs and flows of life’s chaos to keep you and your family grounded and taken care of when inside your home.

• Have extremely simple, nourishing foods on hand at all times that take little to no effort to prepare. Oatmeal, potatoes, sweet potatoes, cereal, raw veggies, fruit, eggs, toast, etc. Create a list that works for you and your home so you can stay fed even when you’re not well or just completely exhausted.

• Remove physical obstacles in your home that make daily tasks hard to do. Get rid of extra “stuff” that doesn’t help you live well or do your daily home routines easily. These things drain your time and your energy.

• Edit ruthlessly. Your thoughts. Your belongings. Your time. Yours spaces.

Sending you lots of love and hugs. Thanks again to everyone who checked in on me. You are wonderful.

See you in the next post.

*big hugs* // Kristin

Improve Your Kitchen in 3 Steps: An Intentional Decluttering Guide

I’ve thought long and hard about what 3 things I can usher you to declutter in your kitchen that will make the MOST immediate impact if you do them. Through rigorous testing lots of methods to streamline kitchen, and through observation of routine patterns/working in many kitchens, I think I’ve nailed it! This 3 part list to declutter in your kitchen below will help you simplify, streamline and improve efficiency quickly throughout your entire space!

Make sure to check out my Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (inside our All Access Home Bundle) if you want to dig even deeper into this topic of all things kitchen, with strategic steps to follow, without the overwhelm!

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #1:

EXPIRED FOOD + FOOD YOU DON’T LIKE HAS TO GO.

You might have expected me to tell you to start by decluttering the ridiculous amount of travel water bottles (and yes, I do want you to do this, but later!!), however I want you to start with one of the easiest things to purge in your kitchen / things that you should have zero emotional investment in - expired goods and foods you’re simply not eating!

DO IT: Set a timer and scan all your food zones for expired items and foods not being eaten.

• check the pantry, the things shoved in the back of the fridge,

• the condiments in the side of the fridge door

• check the freezer for items with freezer burn (or you have no idea how old it is),

• toss plastic bags of things that you know are more than months old, etc.

• toss spices that no longer smell or taste like they normally should.

• while you’re scanning, toss items that are opened that you no longer want to eat or know you won’t eat in the future

• donate unopened, non-expired foods to your local food bank / check locally for needs

• recycle as much packaging as possible (paper based boxes, metal lids, metal cans, glass jars, plastic bottles - check locally)

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: Take note of things you might need to restock on or will no longer buy to avoid future waste and save money!

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #2:

EDIT YOUR COUNTERTOPS RIGOROUSLY.

Kitchen countertops are notorious for attracting clutter, which makes it even harder to do basic, daily tasks in your kitchen, like prepping food or making a quick breakfast. To stay on top of this, here’s a few tips to help you edit what’s out on your countertops today, and make your kitchen counters more usable with more space moving forward.

DO IT: Take these steps to start your countertops editing process.

• First, put anything away that doesn’t need to be out on the counters - clean dishes, dirty dishes, utensils that can go back in drawers, trash, recycling, toss moldy fruit, etc.

• Second, do an appliance edit. Does that blender really have to be out on your countertop or could it get tucked away close to where you like to use it? How often do you use your toaster? If it’s not daily, I’d consider putting it an cabinet close by where you’ll plug it in and only bring it out when you need it.

• Lastly, challenge yourself to keep out as little as possible. After the first two rounds of edits, take inventory of all the things still out on your countertops. What do you see? Now assess each item and ask if it is absolutely essential to have out - do you actually use it and is it frequently helpful for you in your kitchen? If yes, could it get tucked away and still be helpful?

• Scan for donations as you go. As you’re moving through these steps, you might find items that you simply don’t need anymore, don’t use or don’t like anymore. Have a box or bag handy to put these items in + get them ready to drop off at a donation site locally, or schedule a pick up. Make sure these items are clean, in good working shape and could be immediately helpful in someone else’s home.

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: Test having out as little as possible on your kitchen countertops for the next week and see how it goes. If you need to pull something back out because it’s better for your kitchen routines, go for it. But try to see if you can try out something new and see if the extra space benefits you more than things taking up valuable real estate on your countertops.

KITCHEN DECLUTTER FOCUS #3:

DO A KITCHEN ROUTINES EFFICIENCY AUDIT.

The simplest way I can put this is that you’re going to scan your kitchen for inefficiencies that are making you work harder than you need to be. Think about where you use things in your kitchen - do you have things in drawers or cabinets close to where you actually use them?

DO IT: Consider these examples for reference to compare to your own kitchen + let them help you come up with your own inefficiencies to remove! Once you find an efficiency in your kitchen, consider what’s the easiest and simplest way to fix the problem.

• If you always chop / prep veggies in one zone of your kitchen, are you chopping knives close by or are you always walking across the kitchen for them?

• Do you keep your wood stirring spoons for pots near the stove so they’re easy to grab?

• Are your cooking spices within reach of where you cook with them?

• Are the breakfast essentials you always use in the morning easy to grab in your pantry or fridge?

• Are most of the dishes you unload from the dishwasher put away right right next to or above the dishwasher to minimize time spent on unloading?

• Go through and hunt for inefficiencies and see what things you can move around to make routines in your kitchen easier.

Bonus Step for Decluttering Rock Stars: While you hunt for inefficiencies, also consider items being placed in a hierarchy of importance. ‘Always used’ items should be easy to see, easy to grab, eye level and easy to put away. ‘Lesser or sometimes used’ items can be off to the side, up high, down low or towards the back of the drawer, shelf or cabinet. Aim to have as few of these “sometimes” use items. We want our kitchen to mostly hold things we are actively using, all the time, and that make life easier for us in the kitchen!

Now it’s your turn! Try out these 3 steps to help simplify your kitchen and instantly boost how efficiently you can do ALL the food things. Test these out and let me know down in the comments what was most helpful for you!

PS. If you want to dive in even deeper into all things KITCHEN, you’ll want to check out my Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (inside our All Access Home Bundle) - you’ll find all things decluttering, organizing, space planning, low cost swaps to elevate your kitchen and MORE!

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Check out more KITCHEN TOOLS here!

+ Check out more free resources + all things KITCHEN here on the website for you to benefit from!

+ Dive deeper into all things KITCHEN from decluttering, space planning, organization, design + low cost solutions with refreshes + upgrades inside of our Ultimate Kitchen + Pantry Guide (you can find this inside the All Access Home Bundle).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

Decluttering With Your Kids: How To Tackle Common Roadblocks

If there was ever a HOT topic to discuss…it would be decluttering ALL the kids stuff - but more importantly, decluttering WITH your kids! I’ve had parents openly tell me it’s just not possible and that everyone ends up fighting and/or crying. So I’m on a mission to show you that there’s another way and that it IS possible to declutter WITH your kids without a tussle!

Before we layout some strategic steps to decluttering with your kids in your home, let’s get out there all the different roadblocks that might prevent you from decluttering in your home with your kids. Do any of these help you feel seen? No judgement, these are challenges popping up in EVERY home!

A few ways you might see roadblocks decluttering w/ kids surface in your home:

✔️you’re feeling like there’s no time to declutter
✔️you don’t think it’s possible because of the age of your kids
✔️you feeling sentimental about your kids growing up so it’s hard to part with things because you don’t want to let go
✔️you’re not sure how much to hold on to for siblings or future children
✔️you’re overwhelmed with where to start ✔️you don’t know how to initiate it with your kids or how to do it
✔️your kids seem to be overly attached to their stuff ✔️your kids would rather be doing something else and don’t want to do it

….and there’s so much more!

Now that we have some clarity about what might be causing physical or mental roadblocks preventing decluttering from happening in your home with your kids, let’s talk about strategies and solutions!

1. MEET YOUR KIDS WHERE THEY’RE AT.

If you want to start decluttering with your kids, you’ll want to think through where to start. For example, a 2 year cannot declutter an entire library of books on their own. Can they go through 5 books at a time with you and select their favorites? Yes, they can! Can your 5 year old declutter their entire wardrobe by themselves in 10 minutes? Likely not. We’ll dive into more specifics about what might be age appropriate for your kids next, but you can also get the full breakdown on how to do this inside my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering. Aim for small goals for decluttering that are realistic for your child’s age, focused around things they enjoy.

2. ADJUST YOUR EXPECTATIONS!

And I want you to really lean into this idea…because trust me, everything will go smoother once you do! If this is the first time you have ever decluttered with your kids and you’d peg them as borderline hoarders, don’t expect much. Much like a muscle your training to do something new, progress takes time. If your kid parts with even one item or is considering parting with something, consider it a win!

Some general guides for kids by age group to start decluttering with them:

Ages: 0-2 / Parents will drive the decluttering for their children. By age 2 you can start talking about clothing they have grown out of. Are those shoes too tight? Do you enjoy looking at this book still? Start weaving these simple concepts into conversations to build on for the future.

Ages: 3-5 / Everyone can take a more active roll in decluttering. Work through small groups of books, toys you see them no longer play with or have developmentally outgrown. They can declutter and remove things they don’t want anymore from their small treasures/junk drawer. Clothing they have outgrown is a quick one to identify. Take note of things they love, have grown out of, that needs to be replaced.

Ages: 6-11 / Beyond keeping their favorites or things that still fit, this is a great time to discuss the cycle of things and how to filter/intentionally bring things in the home. If you have less, you have less to manage and less to be responsible for. There’s also less clean up! Categories of items in short bursts are best to hold attention, like pants, chapter books, sports equipment, activity books, etc. Create categories that make sense for kids and your family. Let them help come up with these categories.

Ages: 12+ / As we build on the concepts from prior age groups, this age range starts to grasp the concept of how things shape their environment. How do they want their room to feel? What would make their closet easier to get dressed from? What do they want to showcase? What do they value? By working with them to answer these questions, it becomes easier to declutter when values are clarified and it’s top of mind. We filter and edit out spaces together to create a home we love and that takes care of us.

See more in depth strategies and details by age group in my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering.

3. MAKE THINGS FEEL SMALL TO AVOID OVERWHELM.

Think time, energy and focus. When you have time, even a small chunk, put 10 minutes on the timer and do a short decluttering burst in one drawer or one small category like shoes. Only focus on those things and put blinders on to everything else. Make the process as small and simple as possible. Choose small categories and small zones to declutter.

If you’re struggling to find small categories to declutter (because you’re feeling overwhelmed with all the stuff), create a small group to declutter out of a larger group. For example, if you have a huge book library and you want to start decluttering your stash, choose one shelf, one category of books (like nature books or non-fiction), or by color of the spine (today lets go through all the books with a blue spine only). These strategies will help the process feel ‘small’ and less overwhelming.

4. SHOW RESPECT + VALIDATION FOR YOUR KIDS WHILE DECLUTTERING TOGETHER.

When we do this, we teach our kids to trust themselves and their decisions. This skill will get fine-tuned over time and with practice. If you’re questioning a decision they’re making or they’re on the fence about something, offer to place the item in a holding area that you’ll revisit it in a month. Write it down on the calendar as a reminder to circle back. This will keep you both moving and validated. It’s also OK to ask open ended questions like “tell me why you’re ready to part with this” OR “I see you haven’t worn this in a while, is there a reason you’re hanging on to it?” You might find there’s no fight with the items and it’s easy for them to part with. Be open to the process going smoothly, especially with more practice!

Start communication about things that need to be gone through with more open ended questions that help your kids identify when something is a ‘keep’ and when something is a ‘let go of’ item. Here’s some examples of how their responses might sound in your home:

• I don’t want this shirt anymore because the sleeves feel itchy.

• I have other board games that are more fun to play than this one.

• I’ve read these books 5 times already and I’m ready to move on.

• My toes are shoved up to the top of my shoes when I’m walking.

• I really like the color purple right now for clothing and not red.

• I don’t like wearing skirts to school anymore.

Their reasoning for keeping or parting with something will be raw and straight forward. Do not expect them to use adult logic and don’t force it on them either. Keep the dialog on their terms, in their words and be sure to do more listening than talking!

5. INFUSE FUN INTO YOUR DECLUTTERING!

My favorite thing to do with my kids while decluttering is let them be the DJ and pick the music. If both kids are decluttering, they each get to DJ for 5-10 minute blocks. We also bring in baskets, boxes or bags that the kids can use to put their decluttered items into that turns more into a game where they’re shooting things into a basket! Find ways to have fun along the way, and plan a reward in at the end after progress is made - maybe a trip to get an ice cream or a slush, or money in their piggy bank towards their new shoes their saving up for. Decluttering can become part of family chores/responsibilities in a family economy to learn tangible skills about money (one idea).

Don’t underestimate the value of bringing games into the mix when you’re decluttering! One idea I’ve rigorously tested in my own home is a bowl full of declutter topics to pull from for a few quick bursts of decluttering. Make a list of a few categories like: shoes, books, earrings, fiction books, balls, outdoor toys, etc. Anythings goes! Get creative! Ask your kids what topics should go into the bowl to give them more control. Write topics on a small piece of paper, fold them up and drop them in the bowl. Let one of your kids pick one, put 10 minutes on the timer (and turn on some good music) and go! If you have several kids, they can each taking a turn picking a decluttering topic from the bowl. I promise it’s fun! Have a box or bag ready for them to drop donations in. Find a lot more ideas on different ways to declutter in your home in my Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering.

But whatever you’re doing, keep it light, keep it fun, maybe add some snacks in too for maximum success! You’ve got this! And make sure to check out even more free resources HERE in our Kids/Family Zone!

P.S. If you’d like to learn ALL the ins and outs of how to declutter with your kids (without the overwhelm + fighting), how to do this by age group, what exactly to say to them to get them decluttering, how to know what to keep and what not to, lots of examples on how to facilitate the process and so much more, please check out my Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering.

Bonus organizing tips inside + money saving tips in this guide too you’re going to LOVE! I created this digital guide specifically for struggling parents/mamas who want to learn these skills and stop struggling with a chaotic home that’s drowning in kids stuff. It is possible + I can’t wait to show you how to do it HERE! It’s time to have your time, energy + sanity back!

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Check out the KIDS STUFF zone for more free resources!

+ A game-changing resource for families: Parents + Kids Guide to Decluttering is a must for any family!!

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop_kids for more KIDS decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

Navigating Sentimental Clutter In Your Home: A Helpful Checklist

Sentimental clutter makes up a HUGE part of all the clutter in most homes, believe it or not. It’s often the hardest to part with because it can be difficult to make decisions around it. The meaning these items hold can come from anywhere. It can also be hard to identify when you have these items. We rarely take the time to slow down and decide if we’re keeping something simply because it’s sentimental or because it adds value to our life. The sentimental nature of items in our home make this part a bit blurry.

To clear up some of the confusion around this topic, here we’re going to offer you a way to understand why it’s challenging to deal with, how to identify sentimental clutter in your home, and a strategic checklist to help you make decisions, so it’s easier to part with.

1. WHY IS SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER SO TRICKY TO DEAL WITH?

It’s tricky because we have feelings and emotions tied to objects, which is far more common than you’d think! It pulls in guilt, expectations of others, and often unrealistic expectations of ourselves. Sometimes we hold onto things because we fear judgement of others or disappointing someone that may not even be around us anymore (a past relationship) or someone who has passed away. Sometimes we think if we let go of something, a part of us will be gone forever or memories of someone won’t live on. The most important part of dealing with sentimental clutter is being transparent with yourself on why you’re holding on to something. Then you can start addressing what needs to help next with it, in a way that is aligned with your values and your goals. Write it down if it helps you to make more sense of the item(s) so you can gain clarity on how to move on to the next step.

2. HOW TO KNOW IF YOU HAVE SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER.

Not all clutter is created equal. Some is everyday clutter (things that are reoccurring like mail, paper bags, school paper, receipts, etc.). Other clutter is occasional, as in things that become clutter when our life shifts, we outgrow things or our basic needs change. Then there’s sentimental clutter. Here’s how to know if you have any lingering around in your home.

✔ It has inherent meaning to you for some reason - memories, an occasion that meant something to you, it might be tied to a person, an experience or maybe it was inherited. You feel something more for this item than just any ordinary object in your home.

✔ If you have a sentimental items that you use, love + enjoy, then it is NOT clutter - just so you know, it’s OK to keep sentimental items around in your home, just as long as they are valuable and useful to you in your daily life. Also make sure that you have space for them and they enhance your life, not take away from it. It needs to check off all these boxes.

✔ You are not using it, you’re not enjoying it or you might be avoiding it - this is the part that makes it ‘clutter’ because you’re holding on to it just because it has some personal tie to it.

✔ You might not like the item, as it’s not your taste or aesthetic or doesn’t fit with your lifestyle - you’re still holding on to it because of memories or experience with it.

✔ You might have a negative association with it, but memories force you to hold on to it - we tend to force ourselves into keeping things, even if the memories are mixed (as in not all good) surrounding the item, simply because it is tied to people or the past.

✔ You feel guilty about parting with the item, which is why you’ve held on to it for so long - guilt is really common with sentimental items, which leaves us feeling stuck about what to do with them.

So now that you’ve identified something that is sentimental clutter in your home, let’s talk about what to do with these items next.

3. HOW TO PREPARE TO PART WITH SENTIMENTAL ITEMS THAT HAVE BECOME CLUTTER.

✔ Connect with family or friends that might want the item - if you have an inherited item or something that you know someone in your close circle might have interest in, start there. Offer up the item and see if there’s any takers. If not, move on to these next options.

✔ Determine if the item can be donated or is still useful to someone else - is the item in good, usable shape? Could a resale shop turn around and sell the item? Could a charity offer it immediate to someone in need and they’re able to immediate use it in their home? If yes, you can donate the item. Make sure it is clean and is good, working condition. Imagine being on the receiving end of it and the quality/care for the item you’d hope for. Aim for that.

✔ Align your donation with your values - one of the best ways to get over the roadblock of donating decluttered items is by donating to a cause or charity that you’re invested in or respect their mission. Here’s some examples to get you started - donate decluttered goods. Always do a local search to see what’s in your area, and do reach out via phone or email to see what their needs are, etc. You can also send an itemized list of things you have and their condition and they’ll let you know what they can take prior to you hauling everything over.

✔ If you’re interested in selling the item, consider these guidelines: let’s say you’ve inherited a baby grand piano from someone and you don’t play piano and never plan to - this piece is now taking up half your living room and you’d rather prioritize more living space in your home than something that will never get used. Solution: consider local music schools, local music instructors, or place a listing out on facebook market place, for example. Do some local research for a gauge on selling prices to get started. Give yourself a timeline on how long you’ll wait for a buyer (I suggest 2-3 months tops for higher value items, one month maximum for lower value items), then have a back up plan for the item if it doesn’t sell. Back Up Plan Example: donate to a local school you know would greatly benefit from for the music your piano will create for many years to come. When you align your donations with doing good in your community, it will be far easier to part with, promise!

✔ If the items cannot be immediately useful to someone else or beyond repair, consider recycling. Our primary goal is to divert items from the landfill if at all possible. Consider a variety of recycling efforts, like appliances or textile recycling. You can offer something up for free on freecycle or a ‘buy nothing’ group in your area on facebook. Someone may have a vision for this item, has a knack for repairing things, could recycle the scraps or has interest in repurposing the item. Here’s some recycling options to consider HERE. Also check locally.

✔ If the item must head to the trash, let’s do it responsibly. Make sure to check out the ‘toss’ list in my link HERE for ways to toss items in an environmentally responsible way, depending on the item. I hope you’ll find this list helpful now and will be a continuous resource for you in the future.

4. FILTER FUTURE SENTIMENTAL CLUTTER WITH THESE TIPS.

✔ If you’re offered something that you simply don’t want, you can say NO. Do not feel pressured to take something or hold on to something if you do not want the item, regardless of who’s giving it to you. This will stop a lot of clutter from coming into your in the first place.

✔ If you end up with sentimental items you don’t need, part with them as soon as possible. Even while holding your personal boundaries if what’s coming into your home, sometimes things find their way in anyway, or you change your mind. Look back at the lists above for more ideas on what to do with the items, but aim to remove them as soon as possible. They items lingering around in your home only drain you and prevent you from creating a home environment full of spaces that take care of you.

✔ Let go of guilt when parting with sentimental items. You NEVER have to keep something if you don’t want to, regardless of the reason. You don’t have to explain yourself to others while making the decision if you don’t want to. Let go of the worry that someone will be disappointed if you don’t keep something (if they do, I would reconsider their role in your life if they truly are that unsupportive of your decisions).

✔ This is a reminder that someone who has passed away is not going to be upset with you for letting something go you don’t need in your home. I can guarantee you that someone who’s passed away that you love (that you’ve inherited something from) wants you to live a joyful, wonderful life where you’re not surrounded by things that you don’t use or love. Period. Let that sink in. Read it over again as many times as you need to.

Now what additional sentimental clutter questions do you have? What items are hanging you up in your home and causing you to feel stuck? I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

P.S. If you’d like to take a deeper dive into decluttering: here’s a list of resources to help you take action + learn exactly how to declutter in your own home, regardless of the item, without the overwhelm. Small bursts of time + intentional strategy is the key!

+ Download my free declutter guide

+ Decluttering 101 tips + strategies

+ See our clients’ favorite decluttering resources:

All Access Home Bundle (includes 9 of our top declutter/organizing guides!)

Declutter Your Home Masterclass (with a robust section on sentimental clutter + more tools with personal examples to help you navigate them)

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

1 Week Home Reset Kit

Decluttering Your Home While Mourning The Loss Of A Pet

I am currently mourning the loss of our dog, Chai, after 16 wonderful years together with her. The pain is raw and real, but as I’m finding, life keeps moving. As a decluttering expert, dealing with sentimental clutter is a large part of what I’ve talked through with my clients over the years. As of now, I’ve essentially taken myself on as a client and want to share the process with you.

Since I am currently in the thick of the loss of my own dog, I wanted to offer you assistance navigating the items they leave behind, should you find yourself in this situation now or in the future. I’ve got you. We’re going to find our way through this together.

WHY YOU MIGHT WANT TO DECLUTTER WHILE YOU’RE MOURNING THE LOSS OF A PET:

• to help process / confront uncomfortable feelings

• help with acceptance of the permanent life shift you’re going through

• enjoy memories + stories about your animal

• help give words / discussion to the pain you’re feeling

• discover treasures that are a positive, joyful reminder of your pet

• make an impact in your local community by donating pet goods that can be useful now

• create space for new things in your future - be ready for good things coming!

START WHEN YOU CAN + ARE READY TO.

I was shocked that I was OK with removing /decluttering a few things the same day we had to say goodbye to our dog. I just went with it, checking in with my family if they were OK with me removing some of the items out of respect for them as well. For example, within a few hours I was OK with cleaning, drying and putting away her water dish, food dish and tray. The bowl could be reused in the kitchen, as it only held water prior. The food dish is being saved for a future pet and was relocated to a shelf in the garage for now. The tray we kept in the same spot on the floor in our kitchen and a gentle reminder of her and will likely be the spot a future dog will eat/drink at.

There were many other things that took more time address or I am still dealing with. Over the next few days after she passed, I was able to work through a few more items over the weekend, mostly because some items needed to be tossed or recycled, which was going to get picked up that Monday.

A few more items were dealt with the following week, and there’s a handful of things we are still going through or that we haven’t touched yet. I’ll share more about these here next. But all that to say, do what you can, when you can. It’s good enough. Move at whatever pace you feel comfortable.

WHAT TO DO WITH PET ITEMS YOU’RE DECLUTTERING.

RETURN anything unopened if you feel comfortable doing so.

(I did this with a rug I was planning to use for our dog to help her not slip on a section of hard flooring in our home. I had kept the tags still on and I had saved my receipt, since I wasn’t sure if it was the right rug).

DONATE items that are clean and in good, reusable shape to local animal shelters. Contact them directly to verify what they will accept / current needs. Sometimes their websites do not have the most current info on what is needed most in their shelter, as those needs can shift weekly I’d imagine.

(I sent an itemized list of the adult dog food we had, vitamins, supplements and dog treats via email to our local animal shelter. They were happy to accept all donations I offered. I put the dog food in several 2 gallon bags with the type of food labeled on the outside of the bag. The drop off experience was extremely quick and easy, as they already have a donation drop off location right in the front).

ASK your local animal shelter what things they are accepting. Ours mentioned they could also take towels of all sizes and blankets to keep the animals warm. They cannot take sheets or pillow cases. Those would be better used at local women and kids shelter, for example.

(We did not have any additional items to donate at this time, but by asking them about all the items they take - we now have this info filed away for future decluttering efforts).

ASK + OFFER if your vet will accept returns on unopened/unused medications. Ours would not, but my in-laws have a new pup that will need the same medicine in a few months, so they offered to buy it from us when it’s needed.

(PS. To be clear, I’m not suggesting reselling pet medicine, but our vet suggested we do this since he knows my in-laws dog will need it soon, as he is their vet as well. We’ve been trying to recover the cost of over $200 for an unopened box of medicine we purchased just weeks before Chai passed away. We’d love to be able to put that money aside for a future dog and the supplies that will be needed. Fingers crossed!)

SHRED + RECYCLE receipts or bills from the vet or other related paperwork. TIP: You can only recycle paper-based receipts (they don’t make a black mark when you run your nail over it). Get these items out of your home and free up some extra space in your files, at your desk and on your counters. You deserve this.

(All of our vet bills recently, and a few that were filed away, all had a lot of personal information that needed to be scratched out and/or shredded. I’m only holding onto one receipt currently, as I filed for a rebate on a NexGard product - I’ll shred everything once the rebate shows up).

RECYCLE textiles with a company like Trashie (they are my go to) to divert textiles beyond reuse from the landfill. It’s a paid service I believe is worth the cost if you don’t have a local textile recycling service available to you (like myself). These are items that are beyond donating and someone else can’t reuse them in their current state.

(Things I sent to textile recycling after my dog passed away: the outer layer of a dog bed, extra layers of old blankets and an mattress pad we used to build up one of her beds, and old body pillow that was worn down she used along the wall in one of her beds - all of these items were washed and dried before I shipped them).

TOSS anything that cannot be recycled, cannot be donated, is soiled, damaged and cannot be repurposed. Some things are just trash, and no, you are not a bad person.

(Things we had to toss: the inner bedding layer of a dog bed, foam padding used to build up one of the dog beds that couldn’t be reused, packaging we couldn’t recycle while consolidating treats to donate).

GIFT items to friends or family that have an animal like yours. Be mindful that food and treats will be harder to giveaway, as animals have to be eased into new foods when they are introduced because of how delicate their digestive system is.

(We weren’t able to gift anything of Chai’s, but focused on local donations and textile recycling).

KEEP items that you can still use, repurpose or use in the future if you have space for it. This can also include a few keepsake items you want to have around to remember your pet.

(Items we kept from our dog include: her collar - we plan to make this into a keychain for our car keys, her tray / food / water bowl - these will be used for a future dog when we get one, collar tags for our keepsake box, travel bowls / leash for a future dog).

LINKS Here’s My Declutter For Good links list, including a section dedicated entirely to animals. There’s lots of great ideas for donating to animals to get you started. Make sure to do a search to better support your local community.

REMEMBERING YOUR PET WITH A FEW KEEPS.

One thing we did within our family to remember our dog, Chai, was to create a memorial spot in our backyard that we’ll fill with beautiful flowers in the spring. It’s now a peaceful spot that we can go to and sit with her, while calmly listening to birds and whatever else nature presents. This is also the spot where I sat down, just hours after her passing, I saw my first cardinal sightings while I was crying and missing her so deeply. The cardinals calmed my energy and they grace me with their presence every few days so far. I had no clue that cardinals had spiritual meaning and connection with those who have passed, animals in particular. You can read more about this here if you’re interested.

I’ve also make lockets for myself and my girls with some of our favorite pictures of Chai in them. I wear mine everyday. My girls have bigger ones at their bedside and smaller ones that they can wear whenever they want to, especially on those days they’re missing her extra. I see them kiss their bigger locket goodnight and they say goodnight to Chai and I know it helps them feel close to her.

In the living room, we have a small wooden box with a few things that were hers or remind us of her. The doctor from Lap of Love saved some fur from my favorite speckled spots on her leg that’s in a small container, a few photos, folded up poems that were giving to us, and the collar tags with her name on them. There’s also a sea stone in there that reminds me of Chai’s beach trip with us when she was just a puppy.

Lap of Love also made us a clay impression of her paw that has her name on it. It is so precious. I can put my hand in it anytime and it eases my pain of missing her a bit because it’s such a tangible reminder of her. I plan to take a photo of this clay impression and other photos to make a Christmas tree ornament for her this year so we can have her here with us on our tree for years to come.

Something my girls have asked for is a ‘book of Chai’, basically a book of photos of her. Since I’ve been dragging my feet on family photo books for a while, this is the kick in the pants for me to finally try out some different companies to see which one I like the best. Send all our recommendations in the comments below if you’ve had a particularly great experience with a photo book printing company. Currently I am looking at Once Upon and Chatbooks.

Right now, these are the things getting us through these first dark days without her, that will hopefully sustain us into future weeks, months and years as we continue on without her here. However you want to remember your pet, make sure it respects the physical space you have and brings you joy, however you wish to do it.

In the future days, weeks and months, the decluttering effort will continue. The best I can do is stay open to the pace that my heart can handle, while focusing on creating space to be flooded with sweet memories and physical space for what life brings ahead.

Sending you love + big hugs. // Kristin

Decluttering Your Home: The Good, The Bad + The Unexpected Results.

I’m writing this as a PSA for all of us out there on our home decluttering journey…the seasoned declutterer, to the just starting, ‘it is my first rodeo’ crew. I want you to know what you’re up against when you declutter in your home. What benefits can you expect? What roadblocks are lurking around to jump in your way? I want to take away the mystery, once and for all!

Decluttering, like many things, has so many stigmas around it: it leads to a scarcity mindset, it’s a waste of time, it takes too long, you’ll give away things you shouldn’t, you’ll let be left with a stark white, boring home, etc. Once we unpack the truth about decluttering, you’ll be able to see which of these will easily fall off the bandwagon of stigmas.

So we’re going to lay it all out of the table here so you know EXACTLY what to expect the next time you start decluttering in your home, whether it’s your 1000th time or your 1st. Let’s dig into the clutter!

1. YOU MIGHT FEEL FRUSTRATED AT FIRST.

When you start decluttering, there’s a lot of unknowns. What decisions will I make? Will I make the right ones? Can I get through the stuff I want to? And I’ll just shoot you straight - starting decluttering is the worst part. But once you get going, it gets easier and then the actual motivation comes to keep you going!

2. THERE’S NOT GOING TO BE A ‘RIGHT TIME’ TO START.

A lot of people get caught up in waiting for the ‘right time’ to declutter, only to find that everyday life will bulldoze your time. Decluttering must be intentionally planned into your time, but it doesn’t have to take a lot of time.

And guess what, never will there be a ‘right’ day to start. But here’s the good news, ANY day can be the best day to start. Start small. I’m talking 5 minutes and your everyday bag. See where it goes from there. If you’re worried about having enough time in your day? Declutter a high traffic space in your home. Worried about getting your kids out the door to school with less chaos? Declutter your drop/exit zone. Want to get dressed easier each day? Declutter your clothing closet/drawers.

To recap: declutter to save time - and stop worrying about the right to start because it doesn’t exist!

3. THERE WILL BE THINGS YOU ENJOY ABOUT IT.

Yes, let’s imagine us enjoying the decluttering process…it’s possible! You might discover things you’ve been looking for. You might learn about things you no longer need so you don’t waste money down the line. You’ll clarify what is useful, valuable and life-giving to you and, most importantly, what’s draining you. You might find you love the quick dopamine burst you get having a short 10 minute decluttering sesh to clear out a drawer or your everyday bag; this short burst helps you feel a bit more in control of things during your chaotic day. There’s a lot more to this, but this is just the start of reasons why you might end up enjoying decluttering!

4. YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME REGRETS.

Truthfully, I can count on less than one hand that I either forgot I had decluttered something and went looking for it or I wanted it back. And even when this happened, I quickly moved on from it and it was not an actual issue. I was quickly fine with it being gone. If you find yourself in this situation, ask some more questions about why you are looking for it, see if you can use something else, and then if you absolutely must replace it, make sure it is something you’ll use frequently and have adequate space for. If you considered decluttering it at one point, it’s likely not worth bringing it back in your home, even in a newer or different version.

I believe the biggest regrets of decluttering come from realizing that you should have done it sooner. The weight of your stuff becomes apparent when you start removing things from your home that you don’t use or love. When you start feeling that physical shift in your home environment, you’ll wish you would have let yourself part with these things sooner, despite being unsure about how you’d feel after. Now you know.

5. YOU MAY HAVE TO PUSH PAST SOME GUILT.

The guilt that surfaces while decluttering is real. Some of it surfaces as sunk costs. This is money you spent on the item and feel bad or embarrassed about spending what you did, only to be left with something you don’t use. The bigger embarrassment here is not that you spent good, hard-earned money on something, its doing nothing about it. As a result, you end up surrounding yourself with things that weigh you down, cluttering up your daily routines and life, making them harder than they need to be. This is a strong cocktail for preventing you from living well!

Guilt also comes in the form of time. The longer you wait to declutter that spare bedroom, the closet you’ve been avoiding, your crowded kitchen drawers, the harder it is for your brain to take action. But again, remember the secret sauce to success here is merely starting! Start messy. Start unsure. But just start!

Guilt also comes from self-doubt. This guilt comes from believing you’re not good at decluttering, not a good homemaker, or have lost control over your home. Allowed of thoughts can make you quit all together. And I have to tell you, none of this is true. This is your brain sharing tricky, unhelpful thoughts with you that we CAN redirect to get unstuck. You are good enough and you CAN make some small shifts to change everything! You CAN!

6. YOU’LL FEEL LIGHTER IN MANY WAYS.

The lightness in your home after you’ve decluttered is unmatched. Once you’ve removed things from your physical space that you no longer need, the space that is created and reduced visual fatigue, simply because of looking at less, creates a new level of calm in your brain. Creating spaces in your home that help you rest and recharge is essential for your overall well-being.

You’ll be shocked at the peace you create in your mind by decluttering areas that are not readily visible. You know what’s there. Your brain and your body keeps a log of all the zones in your home that need help, that frustrate you, that you spend countless hours digging through to find things. I don’t believe in ‘out of sight, out of mind’ is a real thing. You mind is keeping a log and it’s causing stress that we then carry daily in our body. When you attack these forgotten spaces, you’ll feel unexpected peace.

This new level of peace comes from knowing you can find something, even if it’s hidden. Knowing that you can open your kitchen cabinet and see everything in order at a glance, that your kids can help themselves to toys and be able to put them away, that you can see the food low in stock in your pantry and reduce waste because you know what you have.

This lightness takes the feelings of frustration and the unknown we discussed at the beginning, and turns them into known, predictable ease throughout your home. It allows you to clarify essentials/values, helping you create visible simplicity by taking control over your spaces, simply by removing what you don’t use, value or love from your home. These things leaving your home are what allows you to create space for the life you want.

WHAT TO DO NEXT:

Are you ready to learn strategic steps to help simplify the process of decluttering in your own home? Learn to declutter anything, anywhere in your home in small bursts, without the overwhelm.

Check out my slew of decluttering resources below to help you take action now. ↓↓↓↓↓

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Check out more free decluttering resources HERE!

+ Check out more decluttering tools + guides HERE!

+ See our clients’ favorite decluttering resources:

All Access Home Bundle (includes 9 of our top declutter/organizing guides!)

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

1 Week Home Reset Kit

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home + simplify our everyday to live better.

Please drop any comments + questions below. I’d love to here from you! // Kristin

What To Do With Gifts + Unwanted Gifts After The Holidays

Your holiday decor might still be sprinkled around or you’ve happily packed it away…but guess what’s still lingering around in your home? ALL THE GIFTS! While there’s nothing wrong with friends and loved ones showering you with joyful bits and acknowledgement during the holidays, have you ever considered that not all of it has to stay?

Gifts, whether they’re something you asked for, were giving on a whim, you love the gift or it’s not your jam…they ALL have an impact on your home.

Now that it’s deep into January, we’re going to quickly assess all the items that have come in the door in the last few months from the holidays, decide what to keep and what needs to go (resourcefully/responsibly) in a quick effort to reset your home for the new year!

1. ASSESS WHAT’S WALKED INTO YOUR HOME DURING THE HOLIDAYS.

Take a scan of ALL the things new to your home since the holidays. Gifts, decor, treats, etc. This includes things you brought in for yourself + things that others gifted to you.

+ While you’re doing this, take inventory of items you either

1) Do not like 2) Are on the fence about. Pull these items aside to assess further in our next steps. You can do this room by room or simply by doing a quick walking scan throughout your home or wherever these items have landed.

+ Recycle any bulky packaging, boxes, papers that are no longer needed from gifts. Most wrapping papers cannot be recycled unfortunately. Brown kraft paper and 100% paper based gifts wraps can be recycled! Recycle papers, manuals, paper-based receipts you don’t need to instantly lighten your load of ‘stuff’ in your home. These are all the “clutter extras’ that often come along with gifts that can take over your home if you don’t keep tabs on it!

2. ASK MORE QUESTIONS AROUND GIFTS YOU ARE ON THE FENCE ABOUT OR DO NOT LIKE.

Here’s a quick checklist to help you assess gifts you’re unsure about or aren’t sure what to do with them next.

ASK:

+ Do you like the item at all? Would you consider buying this item with your own money (whether it was on sale or not)?

+ Do you already have something similar that you use regularly prefer/love more? If keeping this item, is it a duplicate and will it actually get used regularly?

+ Do you have space for the item? Are you OK with the time it will take to manage/care for the item in your home?

+ Does this item have a negative association with it? Does it trigger a negativity memory, reminders or thought patterns just by looking at it? (DON’T KEEP)

For gifts you do not like, are not your aesthetic, you already have or simply has a negative association with it, these items need to GO.

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FOR ITEMS YOU’VE DECIDED NOT TO KEEP:

+ You can seek a return/exchange if you can nail down where the item came from + get something else you’ll enjoy more or need more at this time.

+ Donate or giveaway the items (assuming it’s a good shape + can be useful to someone else). Also consider the option to recycle the item when applicable (check locally).

+ Check locally for charities where someone in need could use your household items immediately (women and children’s shelter for example).

+ Do a swap with a friend. They might have a few things they’d love to swap with you for something you happen to have!

+ Consider re-gifting this item for a future gift to someone else. While this might sound tacky initially, I think this idea is resourceful + helps minimize waste, especially if you know someone who would love an item that you don’t love.

+ For items you plan to re-gift, make sure you have space to hold onto it until you can gift it. If you’re worried about giving it back to someone accidentally, add a little note to the item of who is was from, so when you go to create your next gift, you know who NOT to give it to! Easy!

3. FOR ITEMS YOU PLAN TO KEEP, LET’S FIND THEM A PROPER HOME.

Just because you love the item, doesn’t mean it’s going to easily find a landing spot in your home. Here’s how to find your ‘keep’ items a new permanent landing spot.

+ First, confirm if by keeping this item IF something else in your home needs to leave. Ex. You received a new chopping knife you prefer MORE than your old one because you like the size even more than what you currently have. The old chopping knife can go (donate if still in good shape) + keep the new one. No need to keep both!

+ Consider the 1 in 1 out rule, if this is applicable to you + your home right now. Ex.1: You received a new book + you can let go of another book you’re not going to read or enjoy again. Ex. 2: You’re in the process of rebuilding your sweaters collection + you want to keep what you have plus the new sweater you just received (the rule would not apply here because of your current needs to rebuild part of your wardrobe).

+ Figure out what area of your home this item should live. If you were gifted a new blanket, put it near your favorite cozy reading corner or over a piece of furniture/end of the bed to grab easily. Make it easy to enjoy and use this new gift in your home.

+ For items that don’t need to stay out all the time, tuck it away in a place where you will use it the most. Ex.1: You have brand new gloves. During this colder season, put them near all your outdoor gear in a hanging basket that’s easy to grab on your exit route out the door. Ex.2: You just received a new kitchen utensil - place the item in the drawer ideally right below the counter top where you will use it the most, based on its function.

Put things where you’ll use + enjoy them the most. Keep it simple!

4. SET STRONGER GIFTING BOUNDARIES MOVING FORWARD.

For future holidays, birthdays, etc. remember to communicate needs, preferences + requests with those you’re closest to.

+ Real reality, this still might not work…in which case, please revisit steps 1-3!

+ If you receive something that you already have or have something very similar to, it’s OK to let them know + respectfully try to sort out a return/swap. This just happened to me with sunglasses! I was able to work with customer service over email + return the sunglasses for a new pair that I now love + wear daily!

+ Intentionally declutter before these times of the year so you have more clarity on your needs before going into the holiday season so you can give family/friends some specific, clear direction on preferences.

+ Remember: Clear is kind. Unclear is unkind! Communicate clearly for best results!

+ Know that you can be gracious + grateful for a gift + it still not work for you. You can then do something resourceful with this unwanted gift or send it on it’s way WITHOUT GUILT. Deal?!

After a gift has been given to you, it’s now YOURS + YOU get to decide what YOU want to do with it. Don’t let the fear of guilt force you into keeping something that will simply become clutter in your home. Nothing about this is a gift at all!

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WHAT TO DO NEXT:

+ Download my free declutter guide to get you taking quick + easy decluttering action in your own home (linked in profile).

+ Click the follow button for @fuzzyhipposhop to follow along for more decluttering tips + basics to get you unstuck in your home on instagram!

+ Check out more free decluttering resources HERE!

+ Check out more decluttering tools + guides HERE!

Thanks for following along as we lighten the load of home AFTER the holidays + reset our spaces/routines for the new year!

Sending you lots of love + peace in 2025.

Please drop any comments + questions below. I’d love to here from you! // Kristin

Declutter 100 Items in 30 Minutes Challenge - Part I

A few weeks ago, I was feeling overwhelmed in my home and was noticing random things for days on end that needed to be decluttered. I kept pushing them off saying I would come back to it on the weekend. With soccer, family time and gardening needs ramping back up, I kept forgetting to come back to it. So in the middle of the week, while my kids were at school and I was taking a break from my home and work to do list, I set the timer for 30 minutes to declutter. Today I’m sharing the process and the results.

A bit more background on this - I spent my time in only a few zones in my home; this was not a full house effort. Because the timer being on for only 30 minutes, I had to merely scan for items I could easily declutter, without much thought. They had to be quick, easy decisions. The overall goal of this challenge is to get things out of the house I already knew needed to go, and maybe find a few treasures along the way!

Another tip - I did not spend time reorganizing things in the spots I was decluttering during the 30 minutes. I circled back after to tidy things up and reset / reorganize any spots that needed it. Focus on speed decluttering for those 30 minutes only. Reorganize if need later on.

Alright, well do you want to see the results?

TIP: Decluttering your every day bags are a great place to start to make quick, mindless decluttering decisions in a snap!

Reminder: This is not a full house declutter. This is what I call “hit the highlights in a few zones for 30 minutes” decluttering. Or you can focus on just one zone. It’s totally up to you! I had a few spots in mind that I knew needed my attention and that I could make quick decisions in, so those were priority for this quick decluttering session.

My favorite Time Timer to get set up.

Our ThredUp collection box for decluttered items.

A peek in on our declutter box a few minutes in!

A hallway zone before I decluttered some decor.

What items to look for while you’re decluttering:

✔duplicates not in use ✔broken items ✔things no longer in use or outgrown ✔items and extra packaging/paper that can be recycled ✔items that are just trash ✔things in good shape but you’ve fallen out of love with to donate ✔collect items that need to be put away elsewhere in the house or given away/returned to someone ✔remove expired items like toiletries and food items (that’s as mindless of a decision as it gets!) ✔take note of wasted items that you won’t buy again or will buy less of in the future ✔take note of anything you run across that needs to be restocked

Categories to sort your items into as you declutter:

Donate (clean, in good shape, someone else can use the item)

Recycle (can be recycled in your area, check locally)

Textile Recycle (I do this separately with various companies like For Days or Ridwell might be in your area - check locally for other free options close to you)

Sell (for this round, it’s only books we’ll sell to Half Price Books)

Relocate (items removed from one area that you want to keep but need to go in another area of the house or given to someone/returned)

Trash (well, it’s just trash and it is the last resort if it doesn’t fall into any of the above categories)

You can have bags, boxes or baskets dedicated to each category as you go, or just throw everything in one bin (like in your laundry baskets for example) and sort things when you’re done. Use what you have and keep it simple!

Here’s the breakdown below of what I decluttered. After the 30 minutes, I sorted everything into categories then totaled them up.

✔Donate: 25

• 3 oven mitts

• 1 unscented candle

• 2 over the door hooks

• 1 kids tshirt

• 3 vase/vessels

• 1 glass cleaning

• 1 drawstring bag

• 1 bag Velcro pieces

• 1 bag extra headphone ear covers

• 3 key chains

• 1 birthday necklace

• 1 mini sewing case

• 1 mystery cord

• 15 hair new accessories

✔Sell: 8

• 8 books (will take to half price)

✔Recycle: 32

• 4 tea bag boxes

• 1 Empty vitamin bottle

• 12 paper towel/toilet paper rolls

• 1 plastic yogurt container

• 2 magazines

• 1 cardboard box

• 1 paper item

• 1 plastic tray

• 2 spice jars (clean out first)

• 1 empty spray vitamin bottle

• 6 random pieces of paper

✔Textile Recycle: 1

• 1 old kitchen towel

✔Relocate: 12

• 3 kids bracelets

• 2 packs of seeds

• 1 clip

• 6 large shells

✔Trash: 61

• 3 receipts

• 34 tea bags

• 1 bag sugar sprinkles

• 1 empty super glue bottle

• 19 plastic knives

• 3 pieces random trash

✔Decluttering total: 139

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You can see the full break down of this Declutter Challenge, with short videos, more photos and details in my Challenge Highlight on the gram.

Check out our donation resources and more HERE.

See more Sell, Donate, Recycle + Toss Resources HERE

My donations from this round went to Leukemia of Texas Resale Center.

So what’s next?

Now it’s time for YOU to dive into your own (short burst of time) declutter challenge! Use whatever time you have, 10, 15, 20 minutes or 30 if you’d like, and see what you can do! This is how decluttering in real life actually works, when we can sprinkle it into our everyday, when we can, as time permits. But don’t obsess about the number of items leaving your home, just aim to remove things you know you no longer need, in as little time as possible (with as little mental effort as possible)!

I know I’ll be back with another round of this soon because my garage has been calling my name…see you then!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

Free Declutter Guide

Learn the basics of Decluttering

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Work with Kristin

Why Clutter + Mess Are Different (And Why You Need To Care About It)

After countless conversations with clients, family and friends, it has become abundantly clear that there’s lots of confusion around the difference between clutter and mess in the home. And why should you even care about their differences? Because they effect your home and life in drastically different ways. How many times have you heard from someone (or you’ve said it) “my home is an absolutely mess!!” Probably ALL of us! But is it just mess or is it possibly clutter?

The reason why we need to care about the difference between clutter and mess is that you need to deal with them differently. I have different strategies to help you improve your home environment and live better in your home when you tackle them each intentionally.

So today we’re going to clarify the differences between clutter and mess, so you can get both under control, prevent them from surfacing and simplify managing your home for good.

So what does MESS look like in your home?

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✔ Most mess is created by things that will likely stay in the home (with few exceptions like leftover paper scraps from a craft that can be recycled).

✔ They’re things actively in use it just might be temporarily out of place.

✔ They’re things involved in your everyday that you want to keep like clothing you’re wearing often (that need to be hung up/put away), toys the kids are playing with (that need to be put back in their baskets), books that are still being read (that need to be placed back on the shelf), kitchenware and tools that help make your meal prep/cooking go smoothly (that need to get tuck back in the cabinet).

✔ They’re items that likely need to be relocated, cleaned or put back in it’s home. But they’re all items that are essentials for your home and are actively being loved and used. They just might need a little reset or tidying!

What does CLUTTER look like in your home?

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NOTE: There’s reoccurring clutter and occasional clutter. Let’s break it down next so you know how to spot them both and easily deal with them.

✔ Reoccurring clutter comes into your home or surfaces frequently simply because of daily life. It can easily pile up if ignored (like mail, trash in your everyday bag, school papers/art/information, expired foods, expired toiletries, etc.)

✔ Occasional clutter surfaces as a response to changes/shifts in your life. Clothing being outgrown, aesthetic tastes changing, developmental needs changing or by needs that surface because of shifts in daily life (outgrown clothing, toys that are no longer being played with, books that are no longer being read, decor that you’ve fallen out of love with, clothing you are avoiding in your closet, items you no longer need after a move to a new home in a new city).

✔ They’re in the mix with your everyday essentials and are making your daily tasks harder than they need to be.

✔ They’re items that need to leave the home, like a stack of mail that needs to be gone through taking up valuable countertop space in your kitchen.

✔ Clutter wastes your time and causes you to dig through through it to get to the stuff you actually want to use/consume.

✔ Clutter wastes your energy by forcing you to devote effort and bandwidth to manage things that don’t support your everyday, basic needs. Clutter makes life harder than it needs to be.

Now are you ready for solutions on how to deal with CLUTTER + MESS? Oh good!

How to deal with MESS in your home.

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✔ Opt in for a daily reset, even if it’s just for a few minutes. Mess (items that will stay in your home but need to be tidied) can benefit from a daily check in, whatever time of day works for you.

✔ Utilize a large “relocate basket” throughout the day/week for items that need to be put away. The home can have one of these, one for each person in home, or a few for high traffic areas in the home. Choose what works best for you and your family. Walk your home with a large bag or basket and put everything in it that needs to go back to another room. Next, where you’re able to, put things back, room by room, until the container is empty. Done!

✔ Clean up as you go, when you can. This will save you from a mountain of things to put away at the end of the day. Focus on common use items like dirty dishes, worn clothing, most used table tops, counter tops and toy clean up.

✔ Time block reset times for the home during the week or for certain zones of the house that tend to attract more mess (like the kitchen, living room or play zones). Set a timer for a short time to do a room or general home reset. Reward yourself when you’re done!

✔ Recruit help and encourage everyone in the home to take care of the needs of the home. Show each person what they can to do contribute. Everyone who lives in the home should chip into this effort in an age appropriate way.

How to deal with CLUTTER in your home.

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✔ Check in weekly on reoccurring clutter creators, like mail, school work/papers, and food. Tailor this to the needs in your home.

✔ Make quick decisions about clutter. Focus on removing items first that don’t require thought, like expired products/food, mail, school papers, invitations, magazines, trash, recyclable goods, clothing that doesn’t fit anyone in the home anymore.

✔ Don’t over-complicate eliminating clutter from your home. Focus on the facts about item and why it needs to leave your home (ex. the food is expired, it must be thrown out because it’s not safe to consume) to help you make quick decisions.

✔ Observe common clutter zones/category in your home. Think kids clothing, toys, mail, consumables (toiletries, food, consumables, etc.). These hot spots in your home should be top of mind for items that need to be removed frequently from your home. Check in on them as often as your able to, minimally once a month.

✔ Create a designated spot for these decluttered items that will move on to donations, like clothing, books, toys and decor. Recycle as much as possible (check locally for what’s excepted). Drop off donation items once a month, or as soon as possible!

✔ When decluttering items that you feel more connected to, make sure they are actively in use, bring joy/value to the home and make life easier. At least 2 of these attributes should be at play, but ideally all 3 are at play. Anything that has a negative association with it, that mentally drains to you or brings up painful memories, should be removed from the home immediately.

✔ Prevent clutter from coming in your home through intentional consumption. Delay purchases and do research first to make more sound buying decisions, avoid duplicates, use what you already own, borrow from family/friends, and utilize free resources in your community (like buy nothing groups, libraries, etc.).

Now let’s recap what we’ve learned about MESS + CLUTTER.

Mess is temporary and easy to reset/clean up.

Clutter should not stay in your home and is not an active part of your daily life and is not bringing value to your everyday.

Resetting the home and frequent check-ins on reoccurring clutter (like mail) and occasional clutter (like outgrown clothing/toys) will keep your home functioning smoothly and efficiently! And oh by the way, you’ll save an incredible amount of time, energy, and money, allowing you to create a more peaceful home. Yes, please!

So next time you see a pile of chaos in your home, make sure you ask yourself “is this mess or is it clutter”? This is simple question will help you can take quick action to deal with it. You’ve got this my friend!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

Free Declutter Guide

Learn the basics of Decluttering

Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering

Declutter Your Home Masterclass

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part III): Results to Expect in the Coming Months + Years in Your Home

So what happens in the coming months and years after you’ve decluttered? And what benefits can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

If you missed the previous blog posts on this topic, you can find them here and then come on back to us! Benefits of Decluttering (Part I - Immediate Results) / Benefits of Decluttering (Part II - Results the Days + Weeks After)

We’re deep into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part III, the benefits you can expect in the months and years after you’ve decluttered in your home.

1. You’ll save $ + reduce waste.

Decluttering has so many benefits that are ongoing LONG after you’ve decluttered that you need to be aware of.

✓ You’ll save money by not overbuying + reducing impulse buying.

✓ The decluttering process helps you take inventory of what exactly is in your home, what you need + what you already have enough of.

✓ You’ll notice BIG $ savings in your kitchen (intentionally buying groceries), bathrooms (toiletries you actually use + can store), closets (only clothing, shoes, accessories you need/love), + with your kids (clothing, toys, books that are age appropriate/fit).

✓ Awareness of what you already own helps you reduce waste by not bringing things into your home that you don’t need/less to manage.

✓ You’ll gain more clarity on what should be allowed into your home + what will just end up being another thing to manage/take away your time.

2. You’ll reduce stress + have more peace in your home.

This is one of the hardest things to help someone (or a client) understand until they’re living it. You often hear “don’t sweat the small stuff (the details)”…and an unpopular opinion here, you need to. Your entire day is made up of the small stuff/details, and if those details are draining, taking too many steps and miserable, well…that sounds down right awful! The small stuff matters. The details of our life matter.

✓ Stress in the home is a byproduct of managing too much and inefficiencies in daily routines sprinkled all over the home.

✓ Reducing clutter in your home brings a lightness into your home by way of less objects to look at and maintain.

✓ Physical and mental energy is freed up, bringing more peace into your home. This lightness and peaces allows daily routines and habits to be less stressful. Couple this with greater organization throughout your home and WOW, life gets really good!

3. You’ll be able to rest better + recharge in your home.

Decluttering your home completely changes your home environment. It creates spaces that support the individuals in the home, not spaces that fight against you and drain you. Long after you declutter, you’ll see the benefits in how you can more deeply and effectively recharge in your home.

✓ Decluttering the home is a key stepping stone to creating spaces that become your refuge from the chaos of the outside world.

✓ The result of more peace in your home (as we just discussed) allows you to rest more in your home + feel recharged by simply being in your home environment.

✓ As months and years go by, we either create spaces that drain us or allow us to thrive (we must choose wisely).

Real talk: We cannot get away from the daily responsibilities of life and unpredictable stressors that pop up, but we can make them easier to deal with by way of less clutter, less in your home to manage and by surrounding yourself only with items you use, love and bring value to your life/home.

4. You won’t have to declutter as much.

Now I have your attention I’m sure!!

There’s ebbs and flows with decluttering. At the beginning, when you first start the process, there’s likely going to be a lot more time, effort and energy exerted to hit the ground running. Many want to quit here before it gets good…please don’t! Later on, as you hone your decluttering skills and build confidence in your decision making, it becomes a way of life and much less time is spent on it.

✓ Decluttering is a way of life.

It’s not about spending countless hours removing things from your home. It’s about donating the shoes your child has grown out of. It’s about doing a seasonal pass through of your outerwear and donating it to a local church or shelter. It’s about removing expired items and taking note of the ones you will no longer buy.

✓ Decluttering is about focusing on the essentials (the things you need to thrive in your home everyday) and making every item in your home earn its place in your home.

✓ Decluttering is most effective in short bursts, in the months and years down the road, to check in on/maintain what you’ve already started.

✓ You become a more intentional consumer and therefore less clutter walks in your door to begin with! Woo hoo!!!

Beyond the energy and sanity you’ll save, the money you’ll save over the coming months and years after decluttering will blow your mind. My clients frequently share with me how they easily they recover the costs of decluttering support/guides and even make money after decluttering from selling items/not overbuying things for their home.

These simple acts of decluttering in your home have massive, long term effects you can feel GOOD about! Keep going, you can do it! All your effort is worth it, promise.

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Declutter Your Home Masterclass Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part II): Results to Expect in the Coming Days + Weeks in your Home

So what happens in the coming days and weeks after you’ve decluttered? And what benefits can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

If you missed PART I of the benefits of decluttering blog series, you can find it HERE, then come back to us!

We’re deep into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part II, the benefits you can expect in the coming days and weeks after you’ve decluttered in your home.

1. You’ll save time + energy.

While you’ll notice this immediately, this becomes more obvious a week or so after you’ve decluttered in a space. Let me give you some examples of how this can play out.

In the Kitchen:

• Your food prep takes a fraction of the time because you’re not fumbling through drawers digging for the right chopping knife or tools to get it done.

In the Bathroom:

• You’ve removed all the products/toiletries you don’t use or have expired + have only kept the ones you use regularly in an easy to find, easy to reach spot so your morning routine goes so much smoother.

In the Closet:

• You’ve paired down your hanging clothes/drawers to clothing you wear regularly, enjoy wearing + fit well. Getting dressed is no longer a chore + you can easily see and access what you’ve decided to keep.

Small bits of time saving equal large amounts of time gained over time, resulting in less energy spent on daily tasks because they’re easier to complete. Yes, please!

2. You’ll crave more efficiency throughout your home + know how to make it happen.

Buckle up because things are about to get REALLY GOOD! Once you declutter in one area of your home and experience how life feels in a newly streamlined spot in your home, it’s contagious!

You’ll begin to notice other “inefficiencies” throughout your home and that’s OK! An overstuffed drawer, a cluttered counter, a bag with a bunch of random in it so you can’t find anything, spots throughout your home that collect clutter piles, spots where kids struggle to put things away…it will feel like there’s spot light over these spots because you now know how to detect them and how to resolve them! Woohoo!

DO NOT BE AFRAID OF FINDING MORE CLUTTER TO DEAL WITH IN YOUR HOME (I’m not yelling, I’m just really passionate)!!

✓Take things one zone (start small) at a time, as you are able to. ✓Declutter that spot to support what you typically do in that spot/things you’d like to do there in the future. ✓Declutter around those goals + then start living with it!

You will have higher standards for the quality of your home environment now + that’s OK!! Welcome to living your best life!

3. You’ll become more intentional about your days + your life.

While we tend to focus on the “physical stuff” creating clutter in your home, when you declutter throughout your home, you realize the impact ‘things’ can have on you time/schedule.

Our days become filled up with inefficient tasks + managing stuff that we don’t even need or want. So many things become so much harder, take too many steps + take up way more time than they need to simply because of having too much stuff/things in the wrong spots in your home.

✓ You’ll start to become more intentional and protective about how you use your time.

✓ You’'ll clarify what’s most important to you + how that translate to how to spend your hours each day.

✓ Dare I say you might even start “decluttering your schedule” + removing things from it that no longer add value to your life.

Just as we do this with physical objects through decluttering, you’ll learn there’s a directly connection to your time as well.

Your time is so precious + invaluable, protect it fiercely my friend!

REMINDER: Sometimes decluttering in a spot might simply mean rearranging or moving items in a way where they’re easier to see + use. It’s not always about getting rid of stuff!

COMING UP NEXT in Part III of the Benefits of Decluttering…

The results you can expect in the coming months + years after decluttering in your home! See you in the next post!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Declutter Your Home Masterclass Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products

Work with Kristin

Benefits of Decluttering (Part I): Results to Expect Immediately in Your Home

So what happens in your home immediately after you declutter in it? What results can you expect? We’ll dive into all of this today!

We’re moving into a 3 part blog series where we discuss all the benefits of decluttering at various stages after you declutter. The value in taking the time to break this down is to help you know what’s ahead and encourage you anytime you start decluttering. So let’s begin with Part I, the immediate benefits and results you can expect when you declutter in your home.

1. Your home will look different.

I’m guessing you knew this part. But let’s unpack it a bit further. When you declutter, your home will look different by way of removing items you no longer need or relocating items that would be best suited for other areas of your home. You’ll see spaces differently as you start to peel back the layers of “non-essentials” that have taken over your home and remove them from your space. This will reduce “visual clutter” that can stack up throughout your home.

Focus on removing items collecting on horizontal surfaces (like counter tops and tops of furniture) that can be donate, recycled, toss or simply tucked away (if it needs to be kept but doesn’t have to be out). Focus on removing items that might be tucked away (and out of sight) that make finding your everyday “essentials” more difficult. Essentials in your home make daily life easier. Decluttering aims to create more ease and more peace throughout your home, putting those essentials into focus.

You’ll also start seeing all your favorite items around your home with fresh eyes. Your favorites (most valued and love items) will take center stage because they’re no longer covered up by items that have no meaning or value to you. Your favorite collections, furniture, artwork, books, photos, etc. will take prominence in your home and add to your daily joy and happiness in your home!

2. Your home will feel different.

The reason why your home will feel different as you move through it (after decluttering in any space) is because there’s physically less stuff weighing down your environment. Each and every item in your home grabs for your attention, so you must be incredibly intentional about what you allow into your home, knowing that it will ultimately pull from your energy/daily bandwidth.

In my own home, and often reported from my clients, is a feeling of ease and lightness that happens in their home as they move through their decluttered spaces. There’s two parts to this: 1) The removal of and lessening of physical objects you have to maintain/clean/care for creates physical lightness and 2) reducing the mental load of things in your space creates mental lightness. The mental load is the weigh of objects grabbing for your attention without you even knowing it, creating visual clutter for your brain to continually process and spend energy on. You feel the relief of this “intangible weight” lifted once items you no longer need are removed from a space and your brain no longer has to make decisions about them. It’s a gift. Get ready for greater focus, clarity of thoughts and calm.

3. You’ll gain confidence with your decision making.

This is often one of the most invaluable and overlooked benefits you’ll gain immediately after decluttering - confidence in your decision making.

Decluttering, as I love to describe to my clients, is much like a muscle. The more you practice, the more you strengthen and fine tune this muscle. If you’ve found yourself struggling to make decisions in other parts of your life, you’ll find decluttering a drawer and making quick, simple decisions a boost for your overall decision making skills.

Decluttering helps you value your current seasons of life, trust yourself/your thoughts, clarify your needs and build confidence in your ability to intentionally act on them. One of the greatest noted stressors in life comes from delayed decision making or procrastination , which often comes from overwhelm. To curb this, start small…I mean really small. One corner of a counter, one small drawer, an everyday bag…then go from there!

COMING UP NEXT in Part II of the Benefits of Decluttering…

The results you can expect in the coming days + weeks after decluttering in your home! See you in the next post!

If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering + lightening the physical + mental load in your home, here’s a few great places to start.

No B.S. Guide To Decluttering Parents + Kids Guide To Decluttering

Free Declutter Guide Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics

Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products