In 2019 I wrote about 100 blog posts. Most were hosted on my site, but 17 were guest posts published on other blogs. It’s been interesting looking over which posts were read most. So without further adieu, these are the most popular decluttering and simplifying posts of the year for The Simplicity Habit.
The most popular decluttering and simplifying posts of the year
They’re listed countdown style from ten to one because New Year’s countdowns are still on my mind and well, it’s fun.
10. Reasons you keep clutter and how to overcome them
This post is about the nine most common reasons that people tend to hold onto clutter. The more I’ve talked to people and worked with clients, the more I see why people have the clutter that they do.
Clutter can be an artifact of avoidance, denial, sentimentality or any number of things. If you’re hanging onto something because of how much you spent on it, please don’t.
That item isn’t doing you any favors if you don’t love it or use it. It’s just reminding you of past mistakes. It is interesting to think about how many things we keep that make us feel bad and for no good reason.
Which of the nine reasons for clutter resonate the most with you? Once you begin to understand why you are hanging on to the clutter, it becomes easier to let it go.
9. What frugal decluttering is and how it’s different
This post is about how decluttering can be a greater challenge when you’re trying to be very frugal. When I first started trying to simplify our home, we weren’t in the best place financially. Letting go of anything felt like a greater challenge.
I wanted to try to get money back on the items I no longer wanted and really wanted to make sure I wasn’t going to have to replace anything that I got rid of. Being able to declutter is a privilege and one that can be complicated when you’re trying to save every penny
Is frugal decluttering a concept you can relate to? If so, check out the post for further thoughts on how I’ve worked to balance being frugal while also letting go of clutter.
8. Figuring out what clutter is in your home
This post helps you to evaluate what clutter is in your home. What is clutter to one person is not the same as what clutter is to someone else. Before you can work through the process of decluttering, you have to know how to identify it.
We all love different things. While one person could not imagine parting with their beloved mug collection another wouldn’t care about mugs but you wouldn’t dare mess with their collection of books.
Knowing yourself and your priorities will help you figure out what clutter is in your home.
7. Do this before you start decluttering
This post talks about the first most important step in decluttering, which is setting your goals. Often people want to jump straight into the declutter process without thinking through what the end objective is.
Taking just a little bit of time to define what decluttering success would look like for you and your home is a very helpful step to the process. You can’t know if you’ve accomplished the task if you aren’t sure what the finish line looks like.
Setting goals before you start decluttering also helps you to be motivated throughout the process. When you have a clear vision of the end result, it helps you to keep moving forward through the tougher part of decluttering.
6. Why I focus on simplicity, not minimalism
This post talks about how I choose to focus on simplifying rather than trying to become a minimalist. While there are varying definitions and degrees of minimalism, I tend to mostly stay away from the term.
Everyone has to decide for themselves was enough and too much look like for them. For me, that has meant choosing simplicity and opting for slower and simpler. I still don’t call myself a minimalist (due to my love of various things like throw pillows), but I do share the same philosophies and admire their work to increase awareness in the pursuit of choosing less.
Do you focus on simplicity or minimalism or neither? I don’t think there is a right answer or a need for labeling. You get to choose what amount of stuff is right for you.
5. How to decide what sentimental items to keep
This post was written to help people as they declutter the tough stuff, which for many people is sentimental items. Sometimes we get so fixated on what we are letting go of that we forget to look at what we are keeping.
For sentimental items, I’ve found that less is more and that saving a couple of very special pieces is much more meaningful than boxes full of other people’s stuff. Remember that a person is not their things so letting go of belongings doesn’t mean you are letting go of the person or your memories with them.
Are sentimental items a struggle for you? If so, I hope that this post helps you decide which sentimental items to keep and which to let go of.
4. What if there is no magic in tidying up?
This post was written after the Tidying Up craze in January 2019. The Netflix show started a decluttering craze. It did a lot of good for opening up conversations about the burden of stuff and decluttering.
There is a lot I enjoyed about the show, but there were some things I wasn’t as sure about. It’s easy to watch the magic of television and imagine it to be as easy as what you see in a heavily edited 45-minute segment.
Did you watch Tidying Up? I do wish there was a season 2 coming, but from what I’ve read there doesn’t seem to be one in the works yet.
3. Methods for decluttering your entire home
This post was a comprehensive look at a few methods for decluttering your home. Different approaches work for different people so it’s important to consider your personality and preferences as you decide which one to move forward with.
The room by room approach has always been my favorite and it’s what I recommend to my clients and also what I use for my decluttering course. It’s helpful to declutter with a plan so you always know what you’re doing next.
Regardless of which of the methods for decluttering your home you choose, consistency is the key to success.
2. The best blogs on simple living, minimalism, and decluttering
This post was a really fun round up to write about various blogs I have discovered this past year in the world of simplifying, decluttering, and minimalism. I originally wrote the post early in the year, but then updated it in the fall as I’d discovered more inspiring blogs that I wanted to include.
No matter where you are in your journey, there is a lot that can be gained by following people with a similar mindset to what you have or what you want to have. These writers help remind me to continue to pursue what’s important and not get caught up in a consumerist mentality.
I still follow all of the blogs in the best blogs on simple living, minimalism, and decluttering list. I’ve become friends with some of the writers which has been an added treat.
1. How to living simply in a consumer culture
This post was number one of my most popular decluttering and simplifying posts of the year. In a quest to declutter my life, I realized that wasn’t going to be just about how my home appeared.
Choosing less is countercultural. It requires extra effort and dedication. Opting to not have the latest and the greatest can be hard. It’s really helpful to be part of a like-minded community like Simplify & Declutter.
Working to live more simply in a consumer culture is always going to take intention and discipline, but with focus and ongoing encouragement, it is possible.
I hope you enjoyed the most popular decluttering and simplifying posts of the year. It will be interesting to see what happens in 2020!
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