By Rita Wilkins
The Downsizing Designer

What does the popular Marie Kondo Netflix series, the art of Swedish death cleaning, and the Covid pandemic have in common?

Each has inspired a decluttering trend and movement that:

  • Caused us to rethink excess accumulation and overconsumption.
  • Inspired us to get rid of items we no longer want, need, or use.
  • Teaches the value and joy of a simpler life with less.

Some might even say that the traditional spring-cleaning season has now become a year-long event for many Americans because they see the value in a clutter-free home.

During the pandemic when we were stuck at home, we took a good hard look at

  • The piles of clutter that were all around us.
  • The tremendous amount of stuff we had accumulated over the years.
  • The stacks of boxes that had remained unopened for years.

But then, our eyes were opened!

We saw things we just didn’t see before when we were on the go and too busy to look or even to care.

When we were confined to our homes for the first time in a long time, we began to experience firsthand the negative impact of clutter.

The stress, the overwhelm, the distraction, and the inability to focus due to clutter.

And it was not just our stuff… it’s other people’s stuff too! Our spouse’s, our kid’s, our friend’s and family’s stuff that cluttered our minds and our homes.

So given that we now had more time on our hands, many of us were inspired to declutter, pare down our stuff, get rid of things we no longer wanted, needed, or would use, in order to create a more organized and peaceful space.

Image of a closet drawer with folded clothes that are organized.

The Urge to Purge helped us reclaim our homes.  It became known as the

Great American Clean Out or The Purging Tsunami.

Thumbnail image for video for the decluttering course called Extreme Party Method

Check out my newest ONLINE COURSE!

But what many Americans discovered in the process of decluttering was that…

Decluttering is far more than simply cleaning and organizing our physical stuff.

It’s also about decluttering our minds, freeing us from unhealthy emotional attachment to stuff that impacts our overall health and well-being, our focus and productivity, our overall happiness, and peace of mind.

For the first time in years, many people discovered a higher quality of life that was available to them when they were no longer drowning in their stuff.

Our brains naturally crave organization so that when our homes are lighter, our brains are also lighter and we can think more clearly.

This movement and trend to declutter is not going away. What is emerging is a simpler lifestyle that we desire and that we deserve.

Once you’ve experienced the benefits of a clutter-free home and lifestyle, you realize you have more time, energy, and freedom to enjoy more of what matters most to you

The NEW DECLUTTERING MOVEMENT was initially inspired by Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, then Margareta Magnusson’s book, The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning and further driven by the Covid pandemic.

 

3 Of the Biggest Impacts and Long-Term Effects of The Decluttering Trend and Movement

Many Americans are choosing…

1. TO MAKE DECLUTTERING A HABIT…  so that it becomes part of their daily routine, never letting clutter build up like it once did.

2. TO AVOID OVERSPENDING AND OVER CONSUMPTION, realizing that owning less allows them the freedom to live more.

3. TO LIVE A SIMPLER, MORE MEANINGFUL LIFE where they value more what they choose to keep.

How has the decluttering trend/movement impacted your life?

Have you decluttered and gotten rid of things you no longer want, need, or use?

You can schedule a free 30-minute phone consultation with me if you have any questions regarding right-sizing, downsizing, and decluttering.

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Rita Wilkins bio