Welcome to Week 1! I’m absolutely thrilled to be embarking on this transformation journey with you. In just four weeks, you’ll be standing in your beautifully renewed space, and I can already picture how amazing you’re going to feel when it’s done.
Before we begin, I’d love for you to understand The Four Pillars of Home Harmony. These are foundational when it comes to understanding the approach we will use in this program.
About Decluttering
When it comes to decluttering, there’s a few things to consider. If you haven’t already, I recommend taking a look at this blog article: Why Decluttering Comes First
These intensive sessions involve a lot of fatiguing, fast-paced decision-making, so it’s really important to set yourself up for success.
Here’s a few more things to consider before the day to ensure the smoothest and easiest decluttering session possible.
Taking Care of Yourself
It is important to take good care of yourself before, and throughout the session.
So here’s a few tips around your psychical care:
- Enjoy a substantial meal - you’ll want to be fueled and ready
- Have water bottles within easy reach
- Consider preparing a hot drink in a thermos (coffee or tea work wonderfully)
- Pack some easy snacks like trail mix or a sushi roll to keep your energy up
Trust me, these small preparations make such a difference to the day!
What You’ll Need
Black Durable Trash Bags
Since the whole goal of decluttering is letting things go, have plenty of sturdy bags ready. We want to make it as easy as possible to remove anything that no longer belongs.
A ‘Donatable’ Donate Box
You’ll likely have items still in great condition that deserve a second life.
Here’s my recommendation: use a box or container that you can donate along with the items inside.
When the box is full, simply place it in your car at the end of our session. Then, when you drop it at your local charity, you can leave the whole thing behind - box and all. This is honestly the easiest and most effective way to handle donations.
A Time-Will-Tell Box
Sometimes, it’s really hard to let the little things go. We just can’t bring ourselves to do it yet.
But I want you to experience what living in your space with less stuff could actually be like. Sometimes we just need to feel how liberating it is to understand it fully.
Here’s the beautiful solution: if you really want to keep something, but it’s not necessarily a ‘must have’, a time-will-tell box is perfect for you.
You’re not throwing it out, you’re not selling it, and you’re not donating it - you’re simply getting it out of sight and out of mind, at least for the time being.
If you have the space, I highly recommend setting up a time-will-tell box. Place uncertain items inside and put a time limit on it.
If, in say 12 months, you haven’t needed the item (or even missed it), chances are you’ve naturally detached from it enough to make a clear decision about whether to throw it out, donate it, or sell it.
Why 12 months? This timeframe lets you test whether you actually use the item. It takes you through all four seasons - summer holidays, winter hiking, spring cleaning, autumn gatherings. If you haven’t reached for it even once through an entire year, it’s probably not worth the precious space it’s taking up.
Optional Cleaning Supplies (Use Sparingly!)
I know how tempting it is to clean once you’ve uncovered hidden surfaces! While I don’t generally recommend cleaning during decluttering, I understand that urge can be impossible to resist.
If you must, keep it minimal:
- A handheld vacuum (optional)
- Some all-purpose cleaner and paper towel (optional)
This should satisfy those cleaning urges while keeping your focus where it belongs - on decluttering. I promise you’ll have plenty of time to deep clean once the transformation is complete.
A Dedicated Notepad and Pen
This is important! Throughout our journey together, we’ll be using this notebook to:
- Write down your “rules of engagement” as we define them them
- Discern your categories for this space
- Journal your thoughts and feelings in Week 2
I love using a real notepad and pen. There’s something powerful about handwriting. It slows our brain down, creates space between our thoughts and our reactions, and helps us gain the clarity we need to make confident decisions. This process really responds to that mindful, handwritten approach.
FAQs
“Help! I’m feeling anxious about facing this task - I don’t feel ready yet!”
For many people, decluttering has the potential to bring up deep emotions.
If anxiety is creeping in before our session, here are some gentle ways to care for yourself:
1. The Walk & Warm Drink Remedy Have a hot (or iced) chocolate milk and go for a walk outside. There are few things in life that don’t feel at least a little better after this simple ritual.
2. Breathwork Take five minutes to breathe deeply - in through your nose for four counts, hold for four, out through your mouth for six. Repeat until you feel your shoulders drop.
3. Journaling Perhaps this process is bringing up feelings that need space to be expressed. Try these prompts:
- “What am I really afraid will happen (if I let these things go?)”
- “What would I love this space to feel like when we’re done?”
Remember No one is here to judge you. Not me, not anyone. I’m incredibly proud of you for taking this first step. Whatever feelings are coming up, we’ll work through them together. You’re going to end up with a space that feels amazing - and you deserve that.
The Sell vs. Donate Question
This comes up a lot, and I get it. When we’re letting go of items in good condition, it can feel wasteful not to try selling them.
Here’s my honest perspective: consider the true cost.
Selling items means photographing them, writing descriptions, posting online, responding to messages, negotiating prices, and arranging pickups. For many people, these items will continue to sit in a pile for months with the best intentions, becoming just another item on that never-ending to-do list.
If you’re time-poor, I genuinely suggest donating.
You’re giving these items a beautiful second life while supporting your local charity. Plus, you’re freeing yourself from the burden of “getting around to it.”
I know it can feel uncomfortable to donate valuable things. But that’s okay. Sit with that discomfort for a moment. Sometimes the discomfort becomes our greatest teacher, helping us consume more mindfully in the future.
How Big is a Time-Will-Tell Box?
A time-will-tell box is as big as you need it to be - and as big as you can comfortably fit.
This will vary for everyone. Some people take this concept to the nth degree, where they might have a time-will-tell room (otherwise known as the “doom room”), or in some cases, even a storage unit!
Whatever size works for you, there are a couple of important things to consider:
1. This is an interim tool: It’s here to help you detach slowly and gently. This isn’t meant to be a permanent solution - it’s a bridge between where you are now and where you’re going.
2. There’s a real cost to holding onto too much: If you need to hold on for now, that’s absolutely fine. But it’s worth considering the true cost. Think about your mortgage or rent, your utilities, and calculate the space these items are taking up. There’s a clear, quantifiable cost to storing things indefinitely.
3. You can only hold onto as much as you actually have space for: Nothing less, nothing more. Your home’s capacity is what it is, and respecting that boundary is part of creating the harmonious space you deserve.
The key is being honest with yourself about what “temporarily holding on” really means, and making sure it doesn’t become another form of clutter that weighs on you.
I can’t wait to begin! See you soon for your session.
💕 Lauren (Domestic Angel)