The Secret to Decluttering Your Entire Life
Rise + shine Friday Video Timer! It’s time for you end of the work-week dose of happy.
Today’s topic gets me really pumped. As a self-proclaimed organizational captain, I have tons of opinions + rants + bag of tricks when it comes to clutter.
I define “clutter” as the noise that distracts you on your quest to epic. Like when you accumulate one too many supplies. I mean, how many scissors do you really need? Or like when you hold on to business cards for decades. I’m guessing just in case Google gets kidnapped by aliens, right? Or like when you hold on to clothes that you no longer use but swear will eventually come back in style. Yeah right! Ohhh + oh + my favorite, when you safe old-fashioned décor to repurpose it with those cool DIY tutorials you found on Pinterest, some day. Yeah + I’m going to give up cupcakes. Bazinga!
The list could turn this into a 30-day lecture with no nap breaks, but instead I’ve opted for the fun version. In today’s episode I’m sharing the secret to decluttering your entire life once in for all, because I know that when the chaos is gone it brings with it clarity + space for your epic life.
And to make this really actionable I’m also sharing with you a list of small steps you can take each day to get you closer to you mess-free nirvana.
Simplicity is revolutionary – Tweet this!
Small steps create giant leaps over time – Tweet this!
Now, if you want to bullet proof your decluttering journey, make sure to join the Life is Messy Bootcamp family. Registration is closing soon to make way for Version 2013, when the price will at least double, but not for current members of course. Early adopters always receive VIP treatment when it comes to upgrades + bonuses + cupcakes. Always. Join the revolution now!
Well, you know the drill. The comments are officially open for your brilliant ideas. Please share some of the baby steps you take to get organized – things that are manageable + easy to implement + realistic, but nonetheless make you feel like a goddess when you accomplish them. Jot them below for borrowing rights.
Thank you so much for tuning in + being a part of this community! I cherish you.
xo,
Mayi Carles
19 Responses to The Secret to Decluttering Your Entire Life
Spill Open
Come on in! Yes you, in your paint stained pajamas if you wish. This is your space to dream up + spill open your splendidly messy life in progress. You're bound to leave here feeling happier + super empowered + most certainly loved.
My favorite de-cluttering tip is to track everything that you do for an entire 24 hour period of time + then take that list and cross out EVERYTHING that is holding you back from accomplishing your dreams. This way you are de-cluttering your whole entire DAY – it’s like cleaning out your mental closet + mentally checking for the big old yucky monsters that are hiding underneath your bed.
xoxo,
Kim
Ohhh YEAH! I’m so surprised were time goes when I do that exercise. It’s scary but SOOOOO illuminating
that’s a great idea, Kim, (and one i’ve never heard or read before). awesome!
HAHAHAHAHAHA! AMAZING! I’ll need to come up with a new FVT because and send it toooo you!!! So cool!
As for you ideas they are truly simple and great but so hard to follow… I always seem to attached to the “old stuff”!
It’s hard to let go…
YEAHHHHH you need to
I would love to see how you FVT 
Oh finally it’s Friday video time!
Thank you Mayi for really great tips! “Simplicity is revolutionary.” “Small steps make giant leaps over time.” ( wrote down in my notebook with a big star!)
I love to write to do lists to remind myself of what to do.
But I found myself less motivated if I see a bunch of things on my list, usually I wrote something that is too big to solve, or just too many little things. So my to do list is alway too big and full of writings. (omg i realised just now)
So I de-clutter it to cupcake size that is more do-able, also make it more simple( i have habit to write little details of how to do/where should go/how do i get there, and draw a map/ and just endless details about the tasks), and I won’t feel too pressure about it.
xxx, Lorraine
Ungoing to do lists scare the crap out of me hehehehe. I need daily to do lists instead + a moleskin journal to write everything that I eventually want to do, but what I focus my attention is on the present TO DO LIST. It’s humble + manageable + the best part is that I’m always (well almost always) triumphant
Love it! The Friday video time clips at the end were hilarious, too!
I do a much better job of doing what I set out to do when I have two lists. One is a “to do” list & the other is a “done” list. Everything I need to do for the day, as well as some things I think I can realistically do go onto the “to do” list. As I do things during the day, I put them onto my “done” list, even if it’s little or a portion of a task (like putting laundry into the dryer). I get such a great sense of accomplishment + it totally keeps me on target. If I could stick to doing this every day…
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA + when will we be seeing how you Friday Video Time? LOL!
By the way, LOVED your tip of two separate lists
Mayi, I loved today’s FVT! I am a bit of a organisational freak (although you wouldn’t always know it!!) so I loved your tips. I like the idea of doing a 60 day menu! I always do a weekly plan of what I’m going to eat, which helps me so much with sticking to my budget and I don’t have to think about what I’m cooking. 60 days ahead though… that would save me LOADS of time!
I shall be coming back to this video for more tips over time.
Virtual high fives fellow organizational freak
LOL. Planning your meals one week in advance is good enough in my books. Actually, what I meant my a 60 day meal plan is to have 60 recipes with their grocery to match but without specific dates. As you go, each week, you pick the ones your palette is craving. It works for us. Although we never truly stick to our meal plan 100%. Some nights we are like SCREW IT, where going out hehehehe. But I like that beautiful mess, sometimes 
Oh Mayi, I love your Friday Video Time! You are so funny and adorable. I’m definitely going to send you my own FVT clip!
I am so guilty of cluttering up my home with magazines, old curtains, pre-pregnancy jeans, you name it. I even clutter my web browsing with multiple tabs! I seriously need to work on this. Thank you for your tips!!
Awwwwww! You are too adorable Constança. A FVT interpretation of you is on top of my bucket list hehehehehehe. Cannot wait to see that.
I can totally relate to the pre-pregnancy jeans hehehe, even though I’m not or ever have been pregnant LOL, I shed all my body fat for the wedding, but after the honeymoon + christmas it was all back hehehe. Now I’m in denial + don’t want to throw my “wedding season jeans” + cute dresses. We girls can be so funny with our wardrobes sometimes
Great FVT, Mayi! <3
it's a fairly small thing but rather than crossing out things on my to-do list after i've done them, i highlight them. crossing something out just feels so negative to me. and using lovely colored highlighters to *ahem* highlight what i've accomplished makes me feel so much better.
Hi Mayi! Loved this FVT…. Decluttering is a favourite topic of mine but my hubby is a hoarder so it’s hard sometimes – I get in trouble for throwing things out quite regularly! I had an idea a while back to throw away one item from my wardrobe every day for a month. After the video I am inspired to actually do this! I also try to spend 5 minutes each morning decluttering my computer – you can delete a lot in 5 mins but setting a 5 minute time limit means it doesn’t feel like it’s taking up much of your time. Thanks for your ever-inspiring blog! X
i feel for you, jennifer. my hubby is a hoarder too. he’s a sculptor so i understand that some of the things he keeps / hoards may *someday* be art but he hoards just about everything. it’s really frustrating. i’ve started challenging him to either re-purpose some of his objects, donate them, or take them to the recycling shop. slowly… but surely…
You are so fun to watch! Love your advice and how to get your message through. Decluttering can really give us a big breather. It’s like turning your life around 360 degrees when all you did was clear up everything that’s in your way. Thanks for posting this Mayi!
Hey ALL! I have tried to use planners and notebooks and just can’t seem to commit for some reason. Anyone else have this issue?? I think it’s just a matter of implementing and putting organization into practice everyday so that you develop a habit. I need to get more organized because things can just scatter and turn into complete overwhelm.
Anyone here use online organizational tools? I’ve tried evernote app to gather thoughts throughout the day when I’m traveling on the subway and a thought pops into my head, I just type it in my phone.
Oh la la!!!!
So after too many broken promisses that I’d clean it all up, I’m actually on the right track now! 
And oh, it feels so good!
I’m mentally counting all the hidden mess I actually have at home… ‘Cause you know what? Receiving guests to whom you want to present a perfectly clean and organized home is one of the best things to motivate you to get into action and do it for real! And since I had guests over last weekend, we cleaned up the house as much as possible (at least two bags of paper clutter went away + other stuff). But, I must confess, there’s always the mess within the closets and drawers… And there I still have a whole lot to take care of!
Well, the hardest part is done, so now it’s just a matter of maintaining it like so (which is bound to be easier) and working on the remaining parts step by step, as you said it, right?
Now, to all you FVT players at the end… You totally rocked it!!!! So fun to watch!!!
XOXO
Cathy