Gains From Clearing Clutter

March of Trash asks you to take action on clutter every day for a month.

One of the reasons clearing clutter can feel difficult, and why we may rely on March of Trash to focus our efforts, is that the emphasis is on taking things away. It can feel like a loss even though the physical thing you are losing is something you were never going to use. You get a more meaningful sense of what you accomplish when you can reframe clutter clearing in terms of what you have gained.

In physical terms you gain space and light, but it goes beyond that. Many people get a good feeling just from seeing that they have followed through on their plans and produced the outcome they had in mind, but the impact of clutter clearing persists longer than the glow of success.

Take some time to take in what you have gained by clearing clutter, whether it is freedom of action, a new strength of focus, or the relief at leaving the past behind. Think about what the effort and the results say about you as a person. Clutter clearing may have strengthened your sense of self or given you more confidence. You might feel more ready for what is coming next. These are just examples — notice whatever it is that comes up for you.

When you let go of one thing, you make room for something else. This is a necessary part of the rhythm of life — to make room for the things you really want, you must let go of the things you don’t really want. That is ultimately what decluttering is about.