Let’s be honest: if clutter were a sport, some of us would be Olympic-level athletes. Gold medalists. Champions. The Michael Phelps of “I’ll deal with that later.”
We’ve all done it — thrown mail onto a pile that now resembles a small, unstable mountain, kept a sweater “just in case,” or allowed our office desk to become a sort of archaeological site documenting our last seven lunches. 
And yet, deep down, beneath the piles, beneath the shame, beneath that half-used notebook you SWEAR you’ll get back to, you suspect that life would feel… better… if things were tidier.
You’re right.
Decluttering isn’t just about cleaning. It’s not about perfection, or buying matching baskets, or becoming a minimalist monk who owns two forks and one beige shirt.
Decluttering is about energy. It’s about focus. It’s about emotional relief.
It’s about not losing that one crucial document that you absolutely know you put “somewhere.”
It’s also about finally being able to see the surface of your coffee table again.
So, buckle up.
By the end of this blog, you’ll understand why decluttering for highly sensitive people is essential, how it increases your self-esteem, your mood, and your productivity — and why it’s the cheapest form of self-care available (unless you buy expensive storage bins “for motivation,” in which case I can’t help you).
You’ll also begin to understand why multitasking isn’t ideal for highly sensitive people; focusing on one task at a time brings real results.
Part I: The Psychology of Clutter (a.k.a. Why Your Stuff is Secretly Stressing You Out)
Most people think clutter is harmless.
“Oh, it’s just stuff,” they say.
“These clothes aren’t hurting anyone.”
“That stack of papers is fine as long as nobody sneezes.”
But science — and also your nervous system — says otherwise.
1. Clutter Increases Stress
Studies show that visual clutter raises cortisol, the “I’m overwhelmed, I’m tired, I’m going to lie face-down on the carpet now” hormone. When your home or office is filled with things you don’t need, your brain reads every item as an open tab.
And we all know how that goes:
- 3 tabs open: functional human
- 10 tabs open: chaotic neutral
- 37 tabs open: “Why is my computer screaming? Why am I screaming?”
- 84 tabs open: existential dread
Your clutter is psychological tabs you haven’t closed.
2. Clutter Reduces Focus
Ever tried writing an email while your desk looks like the aftermath of a minor tornado?
Suddenly, everything becomes interesting — the stapler, the pen you thought you lost, the receipt from 2019, the USB you’re scared to plug in.
Your brain tries to process everything around you, even if you’re not paying conscious attention to it.
Clutter: “LOOK AT ME.”
You: “I’m trying to work.”
Clutter: “BUT I EXIST.”
Your Brain: “I really dislike both of you.”
3. Clutter Quietly Drains Your Energy
Every item you don’t need becomes a tiny energy leak. It’s like your home has 47 tiny apps running in the background, draining your battery.
This is why you feel tired in your own living room.
This is why you avoid your office.
This is why you mysteriously lose motivation and then blame yourself as if low energy means moral failure, instead of “my environment is screaming, and I’m trying to scream louder.”
Part II: The Types of Clutter (Because Not All Chaos Is Created Equal)
You might think clutter is just “stuff,” but oh no. Clutter has categories. Personalities. Identity issues. Let’s meet a few.
1. Emotional Clutter
These are items you keep out of guilt or nostalgia:
- Clothes you loved in 2011
- Gifts from people you don’t even like anymore
- Random items from past relationships that haunt you energetically
- A notebook labelled “New Life Goals” that contains exactly one page
Emotional clutter whispers:
“You should keep me. Otherwise, you’re a monster.”
2. Aspirational Clutter
This is the stuff Future You never actually uses:
- The yoga mat you bought to reinvent yourself
- The watercolour set you used once
- The bread maker that now functions as a decorative kitchen sculpture
- Roller skates you bought during your “I need a quirky hobby” phase
Aspirational clutter shouts:
“One day! One day you’ll use me! Probably!”
No. No, you won’t.
3. “I Paid Money for That” Clutter
Ah, yes, the guilt-purchase category.
This includes:
- Anything expensive
- Anything purchased during a life crisis
- Anything purchased because Instagram told you it would “change your life.”
You keep it because you feel bad throwing money away.
Newsflash: the money is already gone.
4. “I Might Need That” Clutter
This is the trickiest one.
Examples include:
- Broken electronics
- Seven thousand cables
- A drawer full of instruction manuals no one in human history has ever needed
- Plastic containers without lids
- Lids without containers
These objects survive purely out of paranoia.
“What if I need it?”
You won’t. And if you do, you won’t remember you have it anyway.
Exemption: Exclude that Emergency Kit you have stashed away, you know, candles, blankets, flashlight, waterproof matches, dried food, etc. cuz you might need that in future, even if you haven’t yet).
5. The Spare Room, Storage Room, Basement and Garage (AKA The Dumping Grounds)
We know, shortcuts are tempting.
Which is why you’ll need to catch yourself before you rearrange your “stuff” from one room to another.
The turtle wins the race. Stay focused.
Start with one room, then move to the next, until all your spaces are decluttered.
When you’re on a much-needed break, imagine the ways you’ll reward yourself once you’re done.
While you’re at it, give thanks for the items you once used or enjoyed but no longer need in your space. This helps with the “letting go” process.
Visualize your new space in detail, enjoy this treat.
Part III: Decluttering Your Home (Room-by-Room With Humour to Soothe the Pain)
Decluttering can feel overwhelming, so here’s a playful breakdown.
Create piles: keep, sell, donate and/or recycle, and garbage.
Move to the next room.
1. The Living Room (a.k.a. The Museum of Random Objects)
This is where items go to… linger.
Your living room probably contains:
- Blankets that have migrated
- Coasters nobody uses
- Candles that have never been lit
- Throw pillows multiplying at an alarming rate
- Mysterious chargers
- That one object you keep moving but don’t actually want
To declutter the living room:
Step 1: Remove everything that doesn’t belong.
Step 2: Ask yourself if it sparks joy.
Step 3: Realize Marie Kondo was right.
Step 4: Sit down for a few minutes because you’re emotionally exhausted.
Step 5: Keep going anyway.
2. The Kitchen (Home of Aspirational Appliances)
You know what’s in your kitchen?
- An electric fry pan you never use
- At least four mugs too small for actual drinking
- Spices that expired during the Obama administration
- A drawer that contains 400 takeout menus and exactly one pen
To declutter the kitchen:
Throw out anything expired, sticky, rusting, cracked, unused, or mysterious.
If you haven’t used it in the past year or two or can’t identify an item within three seconds, it goes.
3. The Bedroom (Land of Clothing Regret)
You know the rule:
If you haven’t worn it in a year, it goes.
Exceptions:
No. There are none.
Stop holding onto fantasy outfits for fantasy events during your fantasy personality phase.
You know what you actually wear:
- Comfortable clothes
- Clothes that don’t itch
- Clothes that hide snacks
4. The Bathroom (Tiny Room, Big Chaos)
Why do we all keep:
- Empty shampoo bottles
- Ten body washes
- Skincare products that burned our faces
- Five expired sunscreens
- Hair ties that multiply like rabbits
Declutter ruthlessly. If it’s expired, toss it. If it doesn’t work, toss it. If it smells weird, definitely toss it.
Even better, make your own hand and body lotion and deodorant and use a shampoo bar and wooden toothbrush.
And a weird cheap hack, use cotton thread instead of plastic tooth floss, just double thread it.
Part IV: Decluttering Your Workspace (Where Productivity Goes to Die)
Your office matters. And by “office,” I also mean:
- Desk
- Craft table
- Laptop corner
- The dining table you pretend is a “workspace”
If your desk is cluttered, your brain is cluttered.
Signs Your Office Needs Decluttering:
- You lose pens daily
- You can’t find important documents
- You use your chair as a coat rack
- You have “piles” that are starting to develop personalities
- You work better at a coffee shop because “there’s less visual noise there”
How to Declutter Your Office
- Clear your desk surface completely
- Yes, completely. Don’t argue.
- Sort items by category
- Stationery, tech stuff, papers, things you swear you didn’t buy.
- Create zones
- A place for every item.
- Digitize everything humanly possible
- It’s 2025. We’re not hoarding paperwork like pioneers.
- Keep only essentials on your desk
- Laptop
- Notebook
- One pen
- Water
- Your hopes and dreams (optional)
Part V: The Magical Benefits of Decluttering
You already know it reduces stress, but here’s what people don’t expect.
1. You Suddenly Have More Energy
It’s wild. You throw out six trash bags of stuff, and suddenly your spirit is lighter. It’s like therapy, but cheaper and with more dust. 
2. You Become More Productive
Clutter is noise. Once the noise is gone, your brain stops pinging like a faulty Windows 95 machine.
3. Your Mood Improves
Clean spaces = calm nervous systems.
Calm nervous systems = fewer meltdowns over printer errors.
4. You Save Time
You stop losing things.
You stop looking for things.
You stop searching for your soul in piles of laundry.
5. You Feel More in Control
There’s something deeply empowering about intentionally shaping your space.
There’s a spiritual aspect to it, too; you’re exercising faith in the Creator, knowing that whatever you may need (not want, big difference) in the future, you’ll receive.
But first, you need to reject what isn’t necessary. 
Part VI: The Emotional Journey of Decluttering (Yes, It’s a Journey)
Stage 1: Denial
“It’s not that bad.”
(It’s extremely bad.)
Stage 2: Determination
“I’m doing this! LET’S GO.”
(You feel unstoppable for 11 minutes.)
Stage 3: The Dark Night of the Soul
The moment when everything is worse before it gets better.
You question your life choices.
You sit on the floor eating pretzels.
Stage 4: Narrowing the Chaos
Suddenly, you see progress. Hope returns.
Stage 5: Enlightenment 
You feel lighter. You feel clearer.
You whisper to yourself, “I will never live like that again.”
Stage 6: Relapse Prevention
Your new mantra:
I’m thinking of bringing (buying, accepting, e.t.c.) something into my space, is it necessary?
(Or at least try. Or at least consider trying.)
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do I feel emotionally attached to random objects?
Because humans are sentimental, sometimes delusional, and occasionally dramatic. Also, because your brain links memories (feelings) to physical items. Totally normal. Still not a reason to keep 47 souvenir keychains.
Where do I even start?
Start anywhere. Start with a drawer. Start with one shelf. Start by throwing out one thing. Momentum builds.
How long should decluttering take?
Forever.
Just kidding — it depends. Some people can do it in a weekend; others need weeks. Pace yourself. Hydrate. Have snacks. After you start, you’ll find it becomes a habit, and you’ll do it naturally on the daily.
Should I buy storage containers?
Not yet. Declutter first; THEN decide what needs storing. Otherwise, you just buy fancy boxes to hide chaos in.
What if my family doesn’t want to declutter?
Start with your own stuff. Lead by example. Bribe them. Threaten to hide the TV remote. Use whatever peaceful psychological tactics are necessary.
What if I get overwhelmed?
Take breaks. Turn on music. Ask a friend to help. Or pretend you’re on a reality show where people judge your clutter. Works surprisingly well.
What if I regret throwing something out?
You won’t.
And if you do, the emotional relief of a clean space > the inconvenience of replacing one item later.
Is decluttering the same as minimalism?
Nope. Minimalism is a lifestyle. Decluttering is maintenance. You can declutter and still own cozy things, colourful things, sentimental things, and multiple flavours of Pop-Tarts.
Conclusion: Your Environment Shapes You — So Shape It Back
Decluttering isn’t just cleaning — it’s reclaiming power.
It’s telling your space:
“You work for ME now.”
Every item you remove creates room for:
- clarity
- calm
- creativity
- breathing
- and possibly dancing around your living room because you can finally see the floor again.
You deserve spaces that support you, not drain you.
You deserve a home and office that feel peaceful.
You deserve to spend more time investing in self-care habits that support you.
You deserve to live without tripping over random objects that exist only to spite you.
You’ve got this.
Rayne Dowell is a blogger and declutter addict who once found three pairs of scissors, two remote controls, and a granola bar at the bottom of her “miscellaneous” drawer. She now writes humorous, heartfelt guides on personal growth, highly sensitive living, and why we all need fewer things and more naps.
