Mindful Decluttering Live: From Clutter To Joy!

Can’t make the weekly lives? This recorded session of Mindful Decluttering lets you tackle clutter alongside friends, with gentle guidance, motivation, and a shared sense of community.

You'll be guided through mindful decluttering techniques, blending the KonMari Method, self-compassion practices, and the Pomodoro Technique to help you stay focused and motivated.

You're not alone on this journey - let this session be your companion as you clear space with intention, alongside a supportive, like-minded community. Whether you're tidying up a single drawer or tackling a major decluttering project, you'll gain practical tips, encouragement, and inspiration to make lasting changes.

Press play, take a deep breath, and let’s declutter - together!

Transcript

Just have a little check-in with yourself.

How are you feeling?

Maybe some of us are feeling excited.

Maybe some of us are feeling a little bit daunted.

If you want to just drop it into the chat,

Even an emoji is okay too.

Just kind of reflect on it and feel free to share.

Karen says,

Good morning.

It's very cold which messes with my physical and mental energy.

Yeah,

I get you.

I feel you.

I actually just turned on the heat because I was feeling a bit cold as well.

I did a meditation before the live.

I try to take sensory breaks between calls,

Especially as a highly sensitive person too.

So you know when you first wake up,

You're a little bit colder too.

So I was like,

Oh yeah,

Feeling a little bit chilly.

So I feel you too,

Karen.

Yeah,

The temperature just dropped dramatically overnight too here.

So you know,

It's that beautiful reminder of how everything is constantly shimmering and changing.

Cecilia,

I've been tired and cold right down to the bones.

Yeah,

And you're on the West Coast too,

Right?

So let's just create a really beautiful,

Cozy space here together.

We'll warm each other.

So hi,

Great to see everyone here as well.

Yeah.

So I also want to just check in on what are you,

Is there something that you're planning on organizing today?

What are you bringing to our session today?

Whether it's a smaller project where you might be thinking,

I want to tackle this pile of mail that's right here or receipts.

Maybe it's,

Maybe it's a drawer.

Maybe you're ready to embark on the Komari journey and I can guide you through that too if you want to go through the steps and the framework of it.

So let me know what drew you into today's session.

I know that January typically is a more decluttering,

Energy focused month as well.

So I think that's also why a lot of us are here.

And my aim is to create a really nourishing nonjudgmental space so that we can move forward with the grounding support of self-compassion as we learn to let go in a healthy way.

So Robin says,

My table's changing up.

They are for better production.

Amazing.

And Becky,

Hello from Washington.

And Karen,

You're going to be doing the linens today.

Amazing.

Hello,

Ellen.

And CJ,

Good morning.

Up at 3.

30,

Couldn't sleep.

So busy already here in Northern California.

Yeah,

I love that.

And I also just want to celebrate everyone,

The choices that we make,

What we say yes to as well is a really big factor in how we manage our energy,

Especially during the winter months when we are typically more cocooning too.

So I want to celebrate you for being here because it's so easy to just be like,

Oh,

I'm just going to do some mindless scrolling or some mindless watching.

But you're choosing to gather,

To connect,

And to be productive.

And this is a necessary form of self-care.

So it is a beautiful form of energy practice.

Your home is an extension of your energy field.

So the more we take care of it,

The more energy we will have as well.

And especially for the winter months,

I actually have a track.

It's called Why Decluttering is the Antidote for Winter Blues,

Which is up on my profile as well.

But basically,

It is about when we declutter,

We're actually creating space for self-care practices.

It's like,

Oh,

I found all of these face masks that I want to use.

Or it might be,

Oh,

These hobbies.

Like,

Hey,

I've always wanted to take up this hobby,

But it's kind of been collecting dust.

Winter's a perfect time to create that cozy space to embark on new creative projects too.

So hi,

Amy from Florida and Kalika.

Toiletries under the bathroom sink,

Amazing.

And I'll be guiding you guys through this.

So I'll time you.

And we're going to start in just a second.

Angela says,

I'm taking a pic and writing descriptions to sell some of my declutter things on Facebook Marketplace.

Amazing,

Perfect use of the time.

I actually helped one of my friends with selling on a European-based marketplace yesterday.

So for anyone who's selling things,

I can give you some tips as well because I actually have a background in retail and marketing too.

CJ,

By 4 AM,

I have cleared fridge and freezer compost and recyclables,

Working on mail and papers today.

Wonderful,

CJ.

I am loving that energy.

Angela,

I never thought of our home as an extension of my energy field.

Makes so much sense.

Yeah,

Absolutely.

And especially when you're giving away the things as well,

Mindfully,

It is such an energy boost.

So I am sending you all of that energy,

Angela,

As you post things up.

So I'll just give you a quick tip before we start,

Right?

Because if you are going to be selling things,

It doesn't hurt to have a lot of photos because it just also will instill trust.

So that's one of the things I was helping my friend with yesterday because she was selling baby clothes.

So I was like,

Take pictures,

Lots of pictures,

You know,

Even the tags.

If there are any imperfections as well,

Just to highlight it because that will create that trust and people are more likely to,

It'll be an easy yes purchase.

Cecilia,

Rebecca,

You inspire me.

That's why I'm here.

I'm going to put away the clean towels.

That's the easiest part of my laundry.

After that,

I'm going to put the finishing touches of my driftwood seahorse.

Today is art day.

Amazing.

Cecilia,

Please take a picture.

Oh my gosh,

Would love to see your driftwood seahorse.

Seahorse is one of my child's spare animals.

Yeah.

And I also want to celebrate you,

Cecilia,

Because you have identified what is that low-hanging fruit,

Right?

Clean towels,

Right?

So okay.

So let's get started,

Guys.

So yeah,

Just take a moment to just infuse that energy into yourself,

Feeling that energy and the momentum that we are gathering from everyone from all corners of the world.

You can feel to close your eyes like me,

If you choose to,

Or keep it open and just soak up all of the joyful,

Productive energy that you have just heard from everyone's beautiful,

Beautiful sharing.

Infuse that into your practice and radiate gratitude onto yourself and all those around you.

And entrust your future to your inner knowing.

Okay,

Guys,

Let's get started.

I will time you 25 minutes.

So for people who are new here,

We do it in 25 minute sprints and I will time you on it.

Let me just put my timer on and then we'll take a micro break and then we'll do another sprint,

Right?

So this is just to keep us going.

I'll also let you know when you have five minutes left.

And I often find that when we say that,

Oh yeah,

Five more minutes left,

Then that really does spur on a bit of the adrenaline as well and then really gets us going.

And remember,

It's not a race.

We don't have to feel like we need to get everything done,

But it's more about the progress rather than perfection.

We're celebrating progress each and every step of the way.

I do Pomodoro a little bit different from other teachers that you might see on Insight Timer here.

I do it the more traditional way on my platform just because everyone is ready to go.

But I find that on Insight Timer,

Because we do have friends who just come in,

They're curious as well.

So it almost becomes like I structure the Insight Timer ones more like a podcast.

So I'm just talking about decluttering and helping to troubleshoot as well.

So it's not necessarily like a silent working session.

So it's a different kind of style and I hope that you enjoy it too.

What do I want to share?

I had a few things I wanted to share.

So yesterday,

I got a question on my course.

So I have a course on Insight Timer,

Which is called Befriending Your Inner Critic by Decluttering Your Heart,

Home,

And Mind.

And there,

Someone had asked a question.

It's do we also declutter our relationships too?

Oh,

Caitlyn,

Thank you so much for coming.

I don't like the quiet work along sessions.

I like being and feeling involved.

I love it.

And Caitlyn is an incredible teacher and crochet slash crafting guru.

So for anyone who wants to go into mindful crafting,

Meditation and crafting sessions,

Go and check out Caitlyn Lojo's profile as well.

So yeah,

I think it is interesting,

Right?

That is also part of the crafting circles.

Because you know,

Because you're together,

You're working on your projects,

But you're also like chit chatting away while we're crocheting or knitting away.

So it does make the time go by faster.

And I do know some people do prefer to listen to,

You know,

Podcasts during their decluttering session too.

I also often use it as a time to catch up with people.

So if there are people that I haven't caught up with in a while,

And my family lives spread across the world.

So my parents are,

They're very complicated.

So they spend,

And I was just saying this to my friend today,

Like,

We're such an atypical family.

So my parents are retired,

But they spend their time between six cities.

And so that's kind of what I do too.

Like I try to call my parents as often as I can,

Wherever I can fit into their schedule.

And oftentimes,

I'll just,

You know,

Use that time like I'm folding laundry,

Or I'll be decluttering something and I'll have the phone on speaker too.

So it almost feels like you have someone next to you,

Right?

So I wanted to share that tip too,

Because I think it's quite nice when we are actually pairing it with a joyful activity.

Something that typically feels daunting feels more something that you look forward to.

Yeah.

And Karen,

This stuff works better for me.

I have ADHD.

Yeah.

And I am also neurodivergent because I am a highly sensitive person.

I do wonder,

I'm not diagnosed,

But I also wonder,

I'm like,

Oh,

Maybe,

Maybe there's like autism traits in there as well.

So there is studies coming out about the highly sensitive brain and the link to autism too.

So anyways,

I'm digressing.

And Karen says,

I love Caitlin's group.

I work in my counted cross-stitch because I don't crochet much these days.

I love that so much,

Karen.

Yeah.

And we also have Chef Melanie who brings in her mindful cooking,

Right?

To Insight Timer too.

So,

So many ways,

Like mindfulness,

You know,

Meditation is a formal practice,

But mindfulness can be infused in every area of our life.

So that's why I'm also obsessed with teaching people that decluttering and taking care of our home is also an act of mindfulness.

And I'm going to share my favorite quote from Thich Nhat Hanh that I say every single time,

The feeling that a task is a nuisance will soon disappear when it is done in mindfulness.

So even the act of like,

You know,

Cleaning the bathroom,

We can actually infuse positive,

Joyful energy if we do it in mindfulness.

And what is mindfulness?

And there are the core attitudes of mindfulness,

Right?

So I'm going to pull it up,

But you know,

Obviously one of them is letting go.

Another one is gratitude as well.

So I'm going to read them out to you.

The Nine Attitudes of Mindfulness by Jon Kabat-Zinn.

He actually has a really,

Really brilliant YouTube video on it.

So in the beginning of the pandemic,

When there was so much uncertainty,

And especially as a HSP too,

I was like,

Okay,

I need to take care of myself.

Like that's where I had my epiphany.

I realized I had just started my business as a KonMari consultant.

So for people who are not familiar,

KonMari is Marie Kondo's company,

Right?

So KonMari is her company and I am a certified consultant is her method.

So yeah,

It was at that time,

I just decided I was like,

I need to take care of myself,

Then my family,

And then my business.

I was like,

These are my priorities.

And thankfully,

Through that foundation of self-compassion,

I actually started waking up at 4am.

I knew I needed alone time because we're all stuck at home.

I started waking up at 4am in order to meditate and work out before the family woke up so that at least I will have some alone time and space while we were all at home.

And it was through that,

I dabbled in meditation for quite a long time,

But it was through that I was able to really create that solid practice.

So I'm grateful for some of the silver linings that the pandemic had brought.

And one of the things I also listened to on repeat is the Nine Attitudes of Mindfulness from Jon Kabat-Zinn.

And there was a YouTube video on it.

So I just listened to it on repeat.

So the Nine Attitudes of Mindfulness are non-judgment,

Experience the present moment without judging it.

Patience,

Accept that things happen in their own time.

Beginner's mind,

See things around you as if for the first time.

Each moment is new.

Trust,

Trust that your body,

Your breath,

And your mind can heal and support themselves.

Non-striving,

Focus on being present and engaged in the current moment.

Acceptance,

Recognizing that things are the way they are,

Even if they aren't the way you want them to be.

Letting go,

Be the opposite of clinging or grasping.

Gratitude,

Be grateful for what you have.

And generosity,

Be generous with what you have.

And this practice of decluttering in a mindful way,

We are actually embodying each and every one of these nine attitudes.

Non-judgment,

You're not going to judge yourself.

Patience,

Because it's not a reality show,

Guys.

As much as we want that magic wand to have that before and after,

We've got to be patient.

Beginner's mind,

To be able to see the situation,

Even if we are activated by emotions of the energetic charges of what is in front of us,

Being able to see it from a different perspective with the wisdom that you now have.

It might be something that activates you from many,

Many years ago.

Trust as well.

Trusting,

When we do let go of something that,

Oh,

I'll be able to find a replacement,

Or that I won't need it,

Or whatever it might be.

Trust.

Acceptance as well.

It can be applied in so many different ways.

Acceptance for a relationship that may no longer be in your life.

Letting go,

Of course.

This is the ultimate letting go practice.

We just keep on letting go of the physical and the non-tangible.

It creates that practice and that comfort with being comfortable with what healthy letting go is.

Gratitude,

Because the KonMari method is all rooted in gratitude.

We are using gratitude to guide us in letting go.

Friends,

As you're going through your belongings right now,

For the friends who are,

Remember,

It's that simple gratitude.

Whatever challenging emotions that we might be feeling,

It always goes back to just saying,

Thank you.

Thank you to yourself for trying your best at that moment.

It might be an impulse purchase,

And just saying,

Thank you.

Oh,

I now know.

I fed into the impulses,

And I now know better.

Thank you.

So many ways to express gratitude.

It's the lessons that we learn,

And then we carry forward.

And last but not least,

Generosity is one of my favorites.

So I'm so delighted to hear that.

But there's so many ways that we can have mindful exit plans,

Right?

Like also with Angela as well.

You're selling something.

You're able to benefit others too,

And they're getting a good deal,

Right?

So it no longer becomes a weight in your home.

It actually becomes a source of light for others,

Not only for yourself,

But also others too.

I'm also going to share a beautiful story that I heard from another consultant earlier today too.

So Caitlin says,

Oh,

Good morning,

Janna.

Janna,

Thank you so much for being here as well.

And yes,

Caitlin says,

Cleaning is one big mindful practice.

So I love this take on the decluttering.

Thank you.

Yes,

Yes,

Yes.

Paulette,

I really need to learn to take care of myself.

And Paulette,

Being here is a form of self-care.

So I want everyone to just remember that as well.

It's so easy to feel like we're not enough,

Or even we are too much.

I often oscillate between the two on a daily basis,

Actually.

And that's the thing,

Right?

We are all human.

We are feeling the full spectrum.

And it is through that letting go.

And it's not just about letting go.

When we are letting go,

Then we create that capacity to learn how to love ourselves in a more nourishing way.

Because it's so easy to think that,

Oh,

You know what?

I'm going to do is my me time.

I'm going to do some mindless watching,

Mindless scrolling,

Or whatever.

But it doesn't leave us feeling any better,

Right?

Or even junk food,

Too.

So that's also why I'm obsessed with teaching this method.

Because it's not just about what we're putting inside of our homes that we become conscious and aware of.

When you choose joy,

You start to become really conscious of hearing your inner knowing of what you truly need,

What your mind,

Your body,

Your spirit truly needs.

And it's through the activation of self-compassion,

It becomes easier.

You just simply crave soulful,

Deep conversations versus the surface level stuff.

You're able to step away and say no,

Honoring yourself instead of tolerating and putting yourself through situations.

And now let's also be clear.

I mean,

The challenges are part and parcel of life.

We are going to face challenging situations,

But it's through that self-compassion work that we are able to seek out the strength to get through any challenges with compassion and grace.

And then April as well,

Love your nine addresses.

I actually woke up in time to see you.

Oh,

I'm so grateful to see you.

I remember you went through your tidying festival last year,

Right?

And you did amazing.

So yeah,

Thank you for always being that source of inspiration as well.

Yeah.

And yes,

Caitlin has a live in 40 minutes.

Yes.

So for anyone who wants to have some creative rest,

I'm a really big fan of the seven types of rest,

Which is a free track on my insight timer profile as well.

So you can have that listen.

This goes really beautifully,

Paulette,

In learning how to take care of yourself.

So it's called the seven types of rest,

And you can check that out because that will actually help us to ping our mind into what do I really need right now?

Actually,

So creative rest,

It's not only creating things like knitting and it's also being out in nature.

Decluttering is also a form of creative rest.

I actually see decluttering as almost like a puzzle,

You know?

Yeah.

Oh,

Thank you,

Caitlin for yes,

The affirmation track.

Yes.

I also have a decluttering track that just came out yesterday too.

So thank you so much.

And Nicole,

Can you repeat what you said about dealing with things with compassion and grace?

Gosh.

Okay.

This is my issue with my spotting memory as well.

So yeah,

Like when you're dealing with the things,

It depends on what the things are.

Sometimes we feel very active when we see,

When we feel certain things,

It might be,

Oh,

You know what,

Like I bought this,

But you know,

It's maybe it's that sense of regret,

You know,

Or remorse.

Maybe it's a,

It's a sense of sadness because it might remind you of a relationship that is no longer in your life too.

So that's where we use the compassion,

The grace,

And also ultimately using gratitude to help soften the edges.

So I had this with a cohort earlier this week,

And we're going through the closet.

I call it the self-care closet journey.

I'm not using the word challenge because I want it to be inclusive.

And also,

You know,

Sometimes the word challenge can feel very tiring as well.

It's different for everybody.

I know some people feel really spurred by challenges,

But I feel like it is a journey,

Right?

But yeah,

Somebody has said,

You know,

They went through their clothing and their tops and there were items that were barely worn and they felt sad about it,

You know,

But what they did was we use that compassion and grace and we hold on to the knowledge and the wisdom that it imparts on us.

So if it's a physical item,

It might look like,

Hey,

This material isn't suitable for me.

Thank you so much.

Or this is my past life,

Right,

Caitlin?

Exactly.

It's like that's,

That's a former version of myself.

I'm no longer in that field or I no longer need to be wearing,

You know,

Like a formal wear,

Right?

And it is that gratitude and release so that we're creating that spaciousness for the next chapter that we're embarking on.

So when my husband,

He left his consulting job and one of the first things that we did was we actually went through and joy checked his closet.

And it is such a beautiful practice.

And the more that we practice it,

It really does not take very much time because you've already set the foundation.

So the foundation is called the tidying festival.

So even the use of words,

Right?

The use of words,

Instead of saying like,

It was decluttering,

Marie Kondo calls it a tidying festival.

So when you embark on this journey,

Starting from clothes all the way down to our sentimental items,

It's called a tidying festival.

That's your first foundation lane.

And then afterwards,

The maintenance is called joy checking.

So my husband,

After he left,

And Kareem is also a teacher here on Insight Timer,

By the way,

I'm going to do a little shameless plug for him too.

If anyone is living with any chronic conditions,

You can also check out his courses and his meditation as well.

He's actually just finishing up getting his master's in mindfulness.

So Jana,

Yeah,

Like,

So when you were asking,

How's Kareem doing?

He hasn't been doing lives on Insight Timer for a while because he's been quite stretched with the master's and also he's working for a couple companies as well,

Mindfulness related.

So which is fantastic.

He's able to infuse his past life of the corporate work into the mindfulness world too.

So I'm really excited for him about that.

But yeah,

We looked through his closet,

And we got rid of like,

Almost all of his formal wear,

All the dress shirts and stuff he kept too.

So just in case he needs it for those sorts of meetings or events.

And we let it go with gratitude.

Right?

We're letting it go not with that scarcity of like,

Oh,

What if I need it?

Or oh,

I'm keeping it because it's expensive or whatever.

We're blessing it too.

We're letting it go with gratitude.

I posted it up in one of those,

You know,

Buy nothing free Facebook groups.

And a woman had taken it for her son who had just graduated.

And he just got his law degree.

So the formal wear was able to benefit someone who is just starting out in their career.

So beautiful,

Right?

Like just being able to recognize that.

Another thing is,

You know,

We talked about this last week in the decluttering session as well.

Oh,

Before I go into that,

For friends who are decluttering,

You have just under five minutes left of the sprint.

So go for it.

And yeah,

We what was I saying just now?

I lost my train of thought.

Let me come back to me.

Let me just look at the let me look at the chat first.

Um,

Yes.

Yeah.

And especially for for anyone who's here,

Who is a mother as well,

Letting go of the clothes,

Right?

Like,

Because it is,

You're also coming to terms with various versions of yourself.

When I work with pregnant women in particular,

And you know,

We're still not quite sure what our identity is going to be.

So I often say,

Yeah,

I'll give another tip to for not just mothers too.

But I'll go into the mothers one first,

Which is a lot of times they'll say,

Oh,

I want to lose weight.

Like once I get back to my pre baby weight,

Then I want to look into I'm like,

Okay,

Sure.

So we go we put it into a box.

And then when we open it up again,

It's,

It's really the reflection of is this who I am now?

Maybe these clothes were from your,

You know,

20s,

Or those partying eras or whatever it might be,

Right.

And it's just being able to be in the present moment of recognizing who you are now.

And having a closet that supports because obviously the first year it's like,

You know,

You might be nursing,

Then you might need to wear breastfeeding,

Friendly clothing,

Or especially with young children,

Too,

You might not be wearing things that are going to be constrictive,

You might need to be bending down more to pick up the kids,

Etc.

So your,

Your closet and what you wear will support you in whatever identity that you are in that that stage of life,

You know,

And it's also knowing that is constantly shimmering and changing.

But it is funny,

Because most of the time when people look back,

Even though they can fit into it,

They look in the box.

And they're like,

This is not who I am anymore.

So let me just scroll a little bit as well.

Yeah,

Cecilia journey feels much better than challenge.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

And Cecilia,

I saw the tank thought that was my sisters from the 70s.

Totally.

I don't advocate by saying,

Oh,

If you had this for this long,

Then you need to get rid of it.

No,

Because it's all about the quality how something makes you feel like I have things that are like very,

Very old as well.

But they're in great condition.

And it makes me really happy too.

So this method is all about leaning into your joy.

When you're going through your belonging,

Just go and ask yourself,

Does this bring me joy?

Does it serve a purpose,

You know,

And then that actually helps to guide our decision making it from a joy based love filled perspective.

And Liddy says hello from Canada.

Thank you so much for your positive energy.

Caitlin says random person question.

Do y'all have his and hers closets?

I do.

My very first apartment had two closets in the bedroom too.

And I love the organization of possibilities.

Yeah,

I love that.

In my old place in Malaysia,

We had a walk in closet and we each had a side.

So we had that his and hers.

Currently,

We have a smaller closet space,

But we have one of those long dressers,

Like six drawers,

So three drawers on each side.

So he gets three drawers,

And I have three drawers.

And because with the KonMari method,

We do typically fold a lot of the clothes.

So I don't need a lot of hanging space.

And then in the closet itself,

Then he gets one side,

I get the other side.

And yeah,

Thank you,

Cecilia.

Yeah,

Being able to donate and give in such a meaningful way as well.

It just helps us to realize that,

You know,

The acquiring and the hoarding of stuff,

Of wealth,

Whatever,

Actually,

It's so much better when we give,

Right?

Okay,

Guys.

So there is our first sprint done.

So for friends who are decluttering,

Let's just take a nice stretch as well.

Just like bring some movement into your body.

You might want to do a little bit of stretching like how I'm doing right now.

If you need a bathroom break,

Then go for it.

That is one of the occupational hazards of being unorganized.

Sometimes you get into these really awkward positions for long periods of time.

And then you're like,

Oh,

No,

My,

You know,

I've given myself a dead leg.

Also remember to hydrate too.

I am doing my best to keep hydrated.

I have actually created a habit tracker as well.

I wish I could show you guys.

It's upstairs right now.

So in my habit tracker,

I actually have a template for it too.

It is 30 minutes minimum of meditation,

30 minutes of yoga,

30 minutes of walking,

Gratitude journal,

Kindness,

1.

7 liters of water.

So those are my six things that I get to check off every single day.

Yeah.

And that's okay.

That's where the compassion and grace comes from.

Because some days you're like,

Okay,

I wasn't able to do that.

And that's okay.

Right?

Tomorrow's a new day.

Yeah.

And then Liddy says,

Especially when you live in the same space for over 30 years and it's challenging.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And,

You know,

Summerstar can attest to this too,

Because going through decades of belongings and,

You know,

Sometimes it can feel like,

Oh gosh,

Like I've been working on it for so long.

And this is where patience kicks in,

Right?

We have to activate patience,

That core attitude of mindfulness,

Patience for ourselves,

Because,

You know,

As much as we want that magic wand of before and after,

Like how we see in reality shows that isn't reality.

And it is a gift to be able to go through our belongings in a thoughtful,

Intentional way.

Because I do find that's my issue with traditional organizing.

I find that when we're not doing it in a mindful,

Intentional way,

That is where the rebound happens.

Okay,

Guys,

Let's do our next sprint.

Okay.

So for anyone who's decluttering,

Let's go.

Okay.

So as you're going through this too,

I just wanted to give a little bit of background on how this is so different from traditional organizing.

When you gather your things,

And we do it by the categories.

So if you saw my description,

I kind of touched upon it.

And you can also listen to my free tracks that are available on my profile.

I have a lot of free tracks.

I just feel like this is knowledge that should be widely shared.

And I don't want to gatekeep it either.

But we do it by categories,

Because it's easier to make conscious decisions,

Decisions from a place of confidence,

When we actually have it in front of us,

Like we have all the data points right in front of us.

Right.

So when you're able to,

You know,

Look at all your shoes,

From one spot,

Then you're like,

Oh,

Okay,

Like,

These are the shoes that I own,

Right?

Like,

You know,

I know Kalika is doing her toiletries today.

So it's gathering all of those toiletries as well.

Or you might be taking out all of your linens,

Taking it all out,

Then you're like,

Oh,

Okay,

This is the quantity that I have.

And then instead of going into it from what I want to get rid of,

Start from what are your core favorites?

What are the things you can't live without?

What are the things that spark joy for you?

What serves a purpose?

Those are the easy yeses.

Those are the full body yeses,

Put it aside.

And then when you look at the remaining,

It becomes infinitely easier,

It provides the insight,

It's illuminating,

Because you're like,

Oh,

I have what I need,

You have that sense of contentment,

That enoughness.

So when you look at the remaining,

You're able to distinguish the resistance,

You know,

It might be that scarcity mindsets,

Or feeling that buyer's remorse.

So let me just look at the Okay,

Cecilia said,

I've lost weight.

And some of the things I bought two years ago don't fit.

I pass them along to my neighbor who helped woman starting off in the new job.

Amazing,

Cecilia.

I love that so much.

Like,

I mean,

How much joy does that bring to your heart?

And just knowing as well,

It's not just sitting around in your closet,

Right?

Like it is out there benefiting other people is shining your beautiful radiant light onto others.

And Kalika,

I'm done with one side of under the sink,

But somehow feeling daunted by the other side,

Any ideas when we feel daunted?

So Kalika,

That is amazing.

So thank you so much for sharing that as well.

Sometimes it just means,

Hey,

I'm going to take a little break,

I'm gonna make myself a cup of tea or coffee,

Whatever that you feel called to,

Right?

Like,

Just listen to yourself.

Maybe it's like a five minute meditation.

Sometimes it might just be lying down.

So it's just giving your mind a little bit of sensory rest.

So what you're doing is beautiful.

You're shining that light of awareness onto what you need.

You know,

Rather than pushing through it,

You're like,

Hey,

I need a tiny break right now.

But instead of giving up,

You're just going to be like,

Hey,

This is the break that I'm going to take.

Right.

And also asking for help.

That is also a really beautiful way to support yourself too.

Because more often than not,

We forget how to ask for help.

So I want to remind everyone of that.

Asking for help isn't a sign of weakness.

Yes.

Yeah,

Kalika.

So check out the Seven Types of Rest.

That's a free track on my profile as well.

And you can lean into it.

I love how it's divided into seven.

So um,

When you're able to,

To recognize that you're like,

Okay,

I need a sensory rest,

Right?

Or maybe I just need to talk to somebody.

Maybe I just need like some time in nature right now.

So it taps it back,

It gives us that energy boost that we need.

Right.

Um,

Let me just see as well.

Oh,

Thank you,

Liddy,

For your kind generosity as well.

I'm so grateful for you.

And Brooke,

Can you say something more about the concept of folding versus hanging clothes?

Absolutely,

Brooke.

Yeah,

That's such a great question.

Um,

Let me,

Do you want me to bring an example?

I can run up and get my example and also show you guys my habit tracker as well.

So if you don't mind me just like going away for one minute,

I'll go and grab it.

Cecilia,

This is my ear to begin letting go of being a steward to things.

Ah,

That's so profound.

Yes.

Habit tracker.

Let me just find that and I'll bring it down.

And then Karen finished going through sheets,

Pillowcases,

And towels.

I decluttered these last September,

But I like a second go through after things have been in use.

Yeah.

You're joy checking.

Yeah.

Remember joy checking and not decluttering,

Right?

I have a bunch of odd pillowcases that I'll donate.

I just strip my bed,

Putting clean sheets and making bed when we get going.

Yes,

Karen.

And it is one of my favorite self-care activities.

I know that like going into making the bed doesn't really feel like it's kind of like,

Oh,

I have to like strip the sheets and like make the bed,

But there's no regret,

Right?

Like same with decluttering.

We might go into it thinking,

Oh,

I don't really want to do it.

But after it's done,

We always feel so joyful.

And that feeling of going into clean bedsheets.

So good.

Lori.

Thank you,

Rebecca.

I'll be checking out your free stuff.

I have found this information very helpful.

Amazing.

Thank you so much.

Yes.

So much.

Sorry.

Thank you so much too.

Okay.

Oh,

Kareem.

I love making the bed.

Yeah.

So laundry is Kareem's domain.

He is like,

Yes,

He is very particular when it comes to laundry.

And sometimes I like to rebel.

So,

But he is so amazing.

And that's one of the things that I love teaching people.

Oh,

Kareem,

If you're on this live,

Can you bring it down,

Please?

Can you take down my habit tracker?

And then can you bring like,

Oh,

Just bring down that box with your boxers in it.

That'll be fine.

I'll show that as a demo because you folded it so beautifully.

So thank you,

Kareem.

If you get this message,

I hope you're still there.

So with the laundry too,

Right?

So when our space,

We have those systems in place,

The foundations are laid.

So going back to,

You know,

Brooke about like,

Why fold versus hanging as well.

I mean,

They're both fine.

And it really depends.

Like what we're teaching is,

It's a framework.

So ultimately it's about what sparks joy for you.

I know people who are like,

No,

I want to hang all my t-shirts and that's fine.

You know,

If that sparks joy for you,

Then go for it.

But then also be really mindful about the kind of hangers that you get,

Right?

Or if it's knitwear,

Then I normally would not recommend to hang it just because over time it will stretch and kind of lose its shape as well.

And yes,

Karen,

We're back to working so you can go and make your bed now as well.

Yeah.

So it really depends also on your setup,

But typically folding your clothes is a space saver.

Yeah.

Becky,

It's easier for you to hang.

And that's absolutely fine.

Maybe some of,

Some people don't have a lot of drawers,

Right?

So you can see here,

So these are Kareem's boxers,

Right?

So you can see here as well.

And isn't it like folded so beautifully.

So when you pull it out of the drawer,

Then this is what greets you as you're getting dressed.

And having these boxes are really,

Really handy too.

So let's say that you don't have drawers,

But they're just kind of open closet spaces too.

If it's deep cupboards where it's not those drawers,

Then this is really handy.

In essence,

You're creating a drawer,

A pull-out drawer,

And that's how you avoid things getting lost in the depths of your closet.

Yeah.

Summerstar,

I wish I could get my team to move as fast as Kareem just did.

He is a fast mover.

So I'm also going to share with you guys too.

This is my habit tracker that I was talking about.

Got some little cute graffiti from my eight-year-old too.

I had to let go because I was a little bit annoyed that she did that,

But I was like,

I'll let it go.

So do you see how like the letting go practice can just be in every area of our lives?

So if you can see here,

So I have a template.

I made this on Canva.

So in the template,

You can just change any of these.

So as I mentioned,

I have six of them,

Right?

So it's 1.

7 liters of water because I actually just Googled it.

So depending on your height and weight,

You can actually figure out how much water you need to be drinking a day.

I have 30 minutes of walking here,

30 minutes of yoga.

So I recently quit the yoga studio that I was going to because they were not treating my friend well.

And then so I decided I didn't really want to support that kind of culture.

But there's not a lot of yoga studios that are near me in Edinburgh.

So that I was thinking about it like,

You know,

This is another letting go,

Right?

I paused my membership.

And I was like,

Ooh,

What do I do?

Because I have an unlimited package,

A membership,

Which is really rare and hard to get.

So I paused it for a month.

And then I felt comfortable with it.

I had that emotional readiness.

I was like,

Okay,

I am going to try to do my own practice.

I'm I am committing myself to doing my own practice.

So that's why I wrote down 30 minutes of yoga just to ease myself back into self practice.

So that's the story behind it.

Meditation,

Of course,

Because it is that anchor that supports us.

Gratitude journal,

I write three things that I'm grateful for every single day.

And last but not least,

Kindness,

Practicing kindness every day.

And so you can see I'm here already,

Obviously very messy.

But you can see there's like gaps,

Right?

There's gaps around it.

And that's fine.

Yeah,

That's fine.

It's just like,

Oh,

Okay.

Tomorrow's a new day.

Okay,

So let me just see what you guys are.

Shannon said,

I'm obsessed with using habit trackers,

Literally great for my ADHD brain.

Yeah,

And I keep this right next to my light switch in my room.

So I tape it up,

And I keep it and hot tip guys,

Keep a functioning pen within vicinity,

You know,

Or if you need to just have it on a string,

Tape it up,

Whatever works best for you,

But have a pen is so funny.

And this is another thing about our space design,

Our environmental design.

I have a friend who was doing her gratitude journal for a really long stretch,

She got into the habit of it.

And then one day,

Her pen ran out of ink.

And then the habit just fell wayside.

Isn't it incredible just from something simple like that?

Right?

Yeah.

So I just wanted to share that hot tip,

Because there were a few days when my pen disappeared.

And I was like,

Oh,

I can't do this.

And then I had to kind of remind myself to take it off later.

But just these are the ways that we can design and support our success.

Yes.

And some of our think of her doodle as a love note.

Yeah,

Yeah,

Yeah.

It's so funny,

Right?

Like,

You know why I got annoyed?

Because it was fresh.

It wasn't even started yet.

So I was like,

So and then you let it go.

Karen,

Did I get the make it happen sheet from your site?

I love the question and have used it for several projects that have completed.

Yes,

Karen,

Thank you so much for mentioning that too.

Because Oh,

Gosh,

My binder is not next to me right now.

So I don't have a representation to share with you.

But the make it happen is a goal setting worksheet.

And it's not just for decluttering.

But it really helps us to tap into our why what our target date is,

As well target date is a lot more important than we think.

Because mentally,

If there's no target date attached to a task,

It just gets pushed down the to do list.

Another one is the steps,

Right,

The micro steps.

So just thinking about what are the tiny steps for friends here who are embarking on your decluttering journey,

Maybe you feel like,

Oh,

I'm not quite ready yet.

But you have already started just by being on this live today.

That's a micro step,

You showed up,

Right?

Maybe next step is,

Oh,

I'm gonna download the worksheets.

If you want to get more resources,

You're more than welcome to go on to my teacher profile later having the micro steps are a powerful way whenever we feel like we need to run a marathon,

Or and we have a marathon project.

Just remembering,

Hey,

I've signed up for this live,

I attended it,

I'm gonna go and get those worksheets.

I'm gonna print those worksheets.

Do you see where I'm going?

I'm going to put it in my calendar,

When I'm going to complete the worksheets.

I'm going to listen to the free tracks,

You know,

On Rebecca's profile,

Whatever it is,

It's just going step by step.

And then that just helps us to have those lovely,

Juicy boosts of dopamine.

And that keeps us going and moving forward.

Right?

So April,

I have a similar checklist,

But never thought of calling it a habit tracker.

Yeah.

Yes,

Exactly.

And Shannon,

When I don't meet all my goals for that day,

It really stresses me out.

I need to learn that it's if I have a bad day,

I harsh myself.

Yeah,

Yeah,

Absolutely.

See,

I had like,

You see,

I have my gaps here,

Two days of no yoga,

And then I had two days,

And then I had two days,

Not again.

And I was like,

Just kind of like,

Oh,

Because you know,

I find that with the self loathing,

That actually becomes an energy drainer as well.

So it's kind of like,

Hey,

It's okay,

You know,

Like,

Or I'm gonna do an evening yoga.

So when we infuse it with self compassion,

That actually creates space for creative solutions to come about.

Right?

Like it might be I mean,

I think for my gratitude journal,

Why it's all like this too,

Because there are days I miss it,

But I catch up on it.

I backtrack on it,

And then I'm able to check it off.

And having these visual checklists as well are really great.

Because,

You know,

Even the act of checking something off,

You get a dopamine hit from it.

So these are all ways to boost us up.

And then I want to go back to also Oh,

Yes,

I was talking about the foundations as well.

So when we are creating these beautiful foundations in our home,

The putting things away becomes really effortless,

Because there is a box that's dedicated just for creams boxers.

So you're not thinking about where to put it,

You can just slot it in.

And for Brooke,

I also want to just mention as well,

When we are putting things away,

So like,

Let's say,

For example,

He's like,

Okay,

I'm feeling like,

You know,

Green today,

He just has to pull that out.

And do you see how nothing is impacted?

And so just imagine it like this,

Right?

Like I am going to do the example this way,

Then so even if I'm putting the laundry away,

Then it just goes like that.

But versus if things are in more of a dinner plate fashion stacked from top to bottom,

You're not going to typically be pulling this one out because what happens it kind of goes like that.

So you end up over wearing the things on the top.

And then when it's this way,

It's a more equal distribution.

Imagine these are t shirts to it,

There's a nice spaciousness between all of the items,

Just breathing room too.

And then you just pull it out,

You just pull out the one you want.

And it also saves time,

Because you're able to see everything in one clear shot.

Imagine these are t shirts,

You know,

It's like,

Okay,

I'm gonna wear these boxers,

That white t shirt,

This pair of trousers,

And then done.

We're not wondering and thinking,

But we're not wasting precious reserve thinking about,

Oh,

What am I going to wear today,

You're actually creating a foundation of clarity.

Now,

When it comes to laundry,

It becomes an act of necessary self care,

Which is why Kareem always does the laundry because we both work from home.

And,

You know,

It's easy to get stuck,

We get into that black hole of productivity.

And we need to take these micro mindfulness breaks.

So how I was mentioning to earlier,

Like I did a meditation before jumping onto this live,

Because I want to create a little bit of space between my calls if I can.

And for Kareem,

He likes to fold laundry.

I also like to put things away,

I'll go around the house,

I'll pick things up,

You know,

Like,

For example,

Now I have this,

You know,

Now I have this,

This,

I have a box of dates next to me,

I have this.

So as I'm picking things up around the house,

I know exactly where everything goes,

Everything has a home.

So I can actually activate the alpha state of mind when I am tidying up when the foundation is there.

So this goes into the sink,

This goes into the kitchen drawer,

This gets stuck back on my wall,

This gets put back into Kareem's drawers.

So that's also a way of calming our nervous system too.

Isn't that beautiful?

But we need to have that foundation,

Right?

And then I have two young kids,

They're eight and 10.

Because the foundation is laid,

We are able to train the children to also take care of the home.

The responsibility does not just lie on the adults of the home.

And so when they're able to do that,

What happens is,

You know,

The kids are able to make breakfast on their own,

Most of the time be able to make their own lunches as well pack for the school bag.

So me and Kareem,

We actually meditate in the morning.

And then typically,

By the time we come down to the kitchen,

Like eight out of 10 times,

They've gotten themselves sorted.

But it takes time,

It takes training.

I'm not going to say it's just like,

It's all magical like that.

But that's what it creates.

Investing in the foundation of having the systems and decluttering creates so many opportunities for growth,

Not just for you,

But every single person that you live with.

Okay,

Let me just see.

Where do you get this habit tracker?

Becky,

I'm going to update my link in bio and I'll add that in too.

And then Karen,

Thank you for the sheet.

The why's are so important.

I started a three wing binder to organize my worksheets and keep pens in the pocket.

Yes,

Exactly,

Karen.

It's so easy,

Right?

You're creating these simple systems.

Therese,

Thank you.

Gratitude for simplicity,

Routine,

And organization.

Thank you so much,

Therese,

For your generosity.

And I'm so grateful for you here and the disco ball as well.

And oh,

Kareem is folding laundry right now.

I love it.

We were talking about chores this morning with the girls.

And then my youngest one was,

Oh,

How about we fold laundry?

But Kareem won't let that go.

He says that laundry is his to do.

It's hilarious.

Liddy,

Thank you so much.

I appreciate you doing the session.

And I now know where to start.

Amazing.

Yeah,

Take it step by step.

This is where we're able to ease our nervous system and infuse joy in every single moment.

So I've lived with mental health conditions pretty much my whole life,

Like depression,

Anxiety.

I also live with a condition called PMDD,

Which is a really severe form of PMS.

And having a nourishing space,

Having a sanctuary,

Along with a lot of the other tools are part of my practice.

It's created that foundation for me to be able to easily spiral and bounce back up when I need to.

And let's say even for the tools,

Being able to reach for it and find it.

So that's also why I'm so passionate about teaching this method,

Because everyone deserves to have a supportive nourishing space so that we can become the best versions of ourselves.

Patricia,

Will this be recorded?

I'll have to wrangle it.

It's not as easy.

I wish that Insight Timer lives were automatically recorded,

But unfortunately,

They're not.

So I will consider recording this one.

I just need to do the tech setup.

So thank you,

Patricia,

For that suggestion.

Erica,

How do I clear out paper from an old job that didn't end well?

I have that too.

I have boxes of paper that I haven't been able to sort through,

And it's not something I can just throw away whole.

Any suggestion to remove the emotional charge that isn't subsiding but keeping my room cluttered?

First of all,

Erica,

Is it contained?

Is it in a box?

So when something is very emotionally charged,

We have to prepare that emotional readiness to look through it.

So this is also why with the KonMari method,

We do do it quite pragmatically.

We go from the low-hanging fruit,

Clothing,

And then we work our way through the more challenging categories as well.

Now,

That being said,

I have to say,

With my old work stuff,

It was a process.

It took me a couple years to whittle it down and go through it,

Because every time you go through it,

You are a new version of yourself,

And you look at things from a different light.

And then I think it was during the pandemic,

Because that had been,

I think,

Five years had passed.

And I looked at that,

Because I was joy-checking during the pandemic,

Because no better time to go through your entire house when you have an abundance of time.

I looked at that box,

And I was like,

I'm ready now.

And I let it all go.

I let go of the remainder.

So it really is all about emotional readiness,

And we work our way through it.

Sometimes it might even look like,

Erika,

To just put a timer on it.

Maybe just put on a timer for 15 minutes.

15 minutes,

And just go through it.

And we use gratitude,

Because I had some really toxic jobs in very misogynistic cultures.

And it was really just delving into what I was grateful for,

Even though it didn't end well.

And for me,

It sounded like,

There's your timer,

Guys.

But just to end on that note,

What it looked like for me in those toxic environments,

Relationships that didn't end well was,

Thank you so much.

You've now taught me who I want to work with.

Thank you so much.

You've now taught me what my boundaries look like.

Thank you for shining that light of awareness so that I can truly love myself and make conscious choices for the future.

And Jana,

Yes,

I'm so glad that you're able to share that.

Thank you so much for sharing,

Because there's not a lot of research and awareness around PMDD,

Too.

So thank you for sharing that.

Let me just double check to see what else I have missed as well.

Gina,

Thank you so much for your kind donation,

Too.

Karen was organizing my husband's side of the bed so that I can make the bed easily.

Yes,

He's going to be so grateful.

That's generosity,

Too,

Right?

That is a mindful act.

Okay,

I'm going to end on this one point.

Hold on.

April says,

My late sweet pup,

I trained him to put stuffed animals in his toy bed.

I say,

Get your babies,

Get your babies.

And that was just cute to put them away one at a time.

Absolutely,

The cutest.

Yes,

Pets can be trained.

Children and loved ones can also be trained,

Too,

When we do it from a place of love.

We're not doing it from yelling,

Coercion,

Forcing,

Right?

We're not shaming them.

Like,

Why can't you pick up after yourself?

Even though I want to say that all the time.

But it is patience.

It's mindfulness,

Right?

It's mindfulness practices every day,

All day.

And yeah,

Clive,

I left a job that was not suitable for me,

But I met a lot of very good people and was motivated to move on without bitterness.

Absolutely.

Absolutely.

Yeah.

And it's being able to be grateful for that,

Right?

We're able to evolve and accept ourselves through those evolutions.

What was the last thing that I want to say?

I am suddenly blanking.

I said that I wanted to share this one last thing.

Let me see.

Oh,

Yes.

When we pick things up.

Okay.

So if we see things are lying around and we feel annoyed,

It's like,

Oh,

I just tidied up and they're leaving things all over the place.

What I normally do is it's a training opportunity.

So even though it annoys me,

I will leave that.

You know,

Maybe there's laundry on the floor.

Maybe there's like dinner plates left on the table.

I'll leave it,

Use it as a teaching opportunity.

When they come home,

I'll be like,

Hey,

Can you put that where it belongs?

Because it's muscle memory.

We need to give them that practice of being able to do the physical act of putting it back into where it belongs.

And then over time,

It will become second nature.

So when we do it from a place of annoyance and everything,

We're actually also taking away a beautiful learning opportunity.

But if we are going to help from a place of love,

Right,

Like just like Karen,

Like sometimes I'll be like,

Oh,

You know what,

Like,

I feel like tidying up their the room for them.

It's an act of love.

So we always have to lean into is it a love based action or fear based?

Okay,

Erica.

Yes,

Readiness and gratitude and small doses.

You got this.

Karen,

I have internet problems.

I have to keep leaving and come back just in case I don't make it back in time.

Yes,

Your bed is made.

Feels good.

Amazing.

I also have to go pick up the kids as well from swimming class.

So I have to love you and leave you and thank you guys so much.

Kalika,

You're done with the sink too.

Well done.

One last tip I forgot to say it in the beginning is take before and after pictures.

These are extra boosts of dopamine.

So do those before and after pictures,

Guys,

As you continue on.

And if you want to reach out,

Please feel free to reach out as well.

I am obsessed with helping people create space for joy.

So thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Bye.

Have an amazing rest of the day.

Yes.

Yes,

Ellen,

You got this.

Step by step.

Step by step.

Baby step.

Patience.

Lots of patience.

Erica,

Exactly.

Pictures are awesome.

And then you get nice boost of dopamine.

See you guys soon.

Bye.

Take care.

Reviews

You are amazing, thank you for guidance as an empath and on decluttering!!!

This track was amazing and so helpful. I was getting through a difficult decluttering session, one that I had started last week and hadn’t finished.

Thanks again Rebecca for all your guidance and support through my decluttering journey. ❤️❤️❤️

This track is so amazing and lovely and I hear my name . Lots of smiles here in texas !!

Such a helpful track! Everything you are saying really resonates with me. I am a very organized person myself, but also struggle with OCD. Decluttering is very daunting because it takes me a long time to try to get it to be good enough and I struggle with letting go. Feels like letting go of memories as well...
Plan on listening to your track whilst decluttering so I can learn to joyfully declutter in a set timeframe. And your track will help me to be in the right mindset!
Thank you, grateful! Love and blessings 🙏💫💕