Decluttering Didn’t Work

Beyond Decluttering: A Personal Story

I used to think decluttering was easy. I made storage space under the bed, filled my wardrobe from top to bottom, and organized everything neatly. After cleaning, the house looked great—but only for a short time. Within a few days, things would get messy again. Instead of feeling relieved, I felt even more stressed.

Is It Just My Personality?

I started to wonder if I was just naturally messy. Maybe this was part of who I am? Should I change and become more organized? But honestly, that didn’t feel right. Trying to live perfectly neat all the time felt like denying who I really was. I didn’t want to live like I had some kind of organizing obsession.

Or Is It How I’m Doing It?

Then I thought, maybe I was using the wrong methods.
I read books about decluttering and watched videos online. At first, they seemed helpful, but after some time, the mess always came back. Even when I carefully organized everything, the space still felt cluttered.

That’s when I found Marie Kondo’s book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up.

She wrote:

She also said:

When I read that, something clicked. I realized the problem wasn’t how I organized things—it was my mindset.

How Moving Changed My Perspective

Looking back, I feel lucky that we had to move. It forced me to face the reality of all the stuff I had accumulated. When we packed up the entire house, most of our belongings went into storage for a few months. During that time, I only kept the things we truly needed.

The books, clothes, and random items I had saved “just in case” stayed sealed in their boxes. As the weeks passed, I realized I didn’t miss them at all. If I hadn’t needed them for months, I started wondering—did I really need them in the first place?

That experience shifted my mindset in a way I hadn’t expected. Sometimes, life gives you just the push you need, and for me, that push came with packing tape and moving boxes.

Shopping Was the Bigger Issue

Even though I had fewer things at home, my shopping habits hadn’t really changed. I paused online shopping for a while, but I still found myself buying things in person. There was always a reason—a sale I couldn’t pass up, a souvenir from a trip, or the irresistible pull of something labeled “limited edition.”

At first, it felt harmless. But over time, I realized something deeper was happening.

I wasn’t just collecting things—I was holding onto the feeling that I might need more.
I bought things because I convinced myself they were special or useful, but many of them ended up sitting untouched. The items I truly valued were buried under impulsive purchases made for "just in case" moments.

A Different Way to See Things

I didn’t change overnight, but little by little, I started to focus on what really matters.

Decluttering became less about making space and more about choosing what was important. It helped me reset and think about what I actually wanted in my life.

In my next newsletter, I’ll share how this small shift affected my daily life and how I started living differently.

Thank you for reading,
Penny

From my journey to yours - Founder of Tidalove