When you start clearing the stuff in your home, you might discover that everything you have reminds you of your past life. It looks familiar, but you haven’t used it in years or decades.
Many people tend to create a shrine of their past life, where there is little room for the life they want to live now. We hang onto things that once made us happy but no longer serve us, as though we’re trying to preserve a version of life that’s already changed.
When life changes, so should our homes. Maybe you had a large household and needed more stuff, but now you live alone, holding on to the gadgets for eight.
Letting go of those old versions of ourselves can feel emotional, but it’s also incredibly liberating. Our homes can feel lighter, calmer and more aligned when we organize based on our current lifestyle instead of hanging on to the past. How can that change begin?
Tip one: Take a walk through your home with fresh eyes. As you enter each room, look at what's there and ask yourself: “Does this reflect the life I’m living now?”
The sewing machine you haven’t touched in five years, the bin full of baby clothes when your children are adults now, the stacks of cookbooks when takeout is more your style now. Do these items contribute to your life today?
Tip two: Appreciate the past. You don’t have to let go of everything from former chapters of your life.
Choose a few meaningful mementos that remind you of the joy from those days, such as a framed photo of your child and a special picture from a family favourite holiday. Share some of the things with your family.
Your memories aren’t in the clutter. They’re in your heart.
Tip three: Make room for what you need now. Maybe you’ve taken up writing, cooking or gardening. Have you started a home-based business, or are you focusing more on self-care?
Organizing for who you are now means creating space for these new activities. Set up that writing corner. Make room on your kitchen counter for your smoothie blender. Create a cozy reading nook where the playpen used to be.
Tip four: Allow yourself to change. We often keep things “just in case” we become that version of ourselves again. But growth doesn’t always mean going back.
You’re allowed to outgrow hobbies, routines and even identities. Organizing with intention means accepting who you are now with new goals and opportunities.
Tip five. This isn’t a one-time job. We keep changing, and so should our spaces. Every few months, revisit your home with this question: “Does this support the life I’m living now?” If the answer is no, it’s okay to make adjustments.
When your home reflects your current self, it becomes a place that nourishes and energizes you, instead of one that feels stuck in the past. You deserve a house that’s ready for you now, not who you used to be, but who you are today.
Transformational life coach Ranka Burzan owns a professional organizing company in the qathet region and has written several books on reducing clutter. For more information, email [email protected].
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