I have always loved the idea of decluttering.

I’m not a full minimalist, but I want to be. I love the calm of less. I love the clarity it brings. And I’ve learned (the hard way) that when my space is heavy, my brain usually is too.

This episode started because I decluttered 2025 in 2025—and now I’m doing the same thing with 2026. Not in a dramatic, rip-the-house-apart way. Just intentionally asking: What doesn’t need to come with me?

Especially after closing tena.cious and the salon, I realized how much stuff I was holding onto that belonged to old seasons. Boxes, papers, things I hadn’t touched—but also hadn’t released.

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What I Talk About in This Episode

My long-standing obsession with decluttering and my wannabe minimalism
Why clutter piled up after closing businesses—and what that taught me
Watching Hoarders and realizing clutter is almost never about the stuff
What I’ve learned (and borrowed) from Marie Kondo and Minimal Mom, including:

If you can replace it for $20 or less, let it go
The container rule (your space decides, not your emotions)
Why 5 minutes actually matters more than an all-day purge

The difference between organizing clutter and actually reducing it

-------------------------------------------------------A Few Stats Worth Sitting With

80% of Americans feel overwhelmed by home clutter
A cluttered space can reduce creativity by up to 20%
50% of people say clutter makes it hard to find what they need
Unread emails and digital files create mental clutter that increases stress and lowers performance (Cleveland Clinic)
The average American household has over 300,000 items, and most people say it’s too much

-------------------------------------------------------Resources I Mentioned

2026 Declutter Sheet This is what I’m using to track what I’m intentionally not bringing into the year ahead:
👉 https://www.canva.com/design/DAG8MK0aTbU/yUKhyC7pvNGw_6xhCQYzfw/edit?utm_content=DAG8MK0aTbU&utm_campaign=designshare&utm_medium=link2&utm_source=sharebutton
Permission Slip Instagram Channel This is where I’m sharing updates, reflections, and a 2026 declutter challenge:
👉 https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbZkRMwMdSB6vt8o/?igsh=d3l0bXZ4Y2FqNXV1

-------------------------------------------------------Final Thought

Before you decide what you want more of in 2026,

it might be worth deciding what you’re done carrying.

Less stuff.

Less noise.

More room to think.

If this episode resonated, come join the conversation inside the Permission Slip channel. I’ll be there—decluttering one decision at a time.