Brittany Viklund is here today with tips on letting go of both physical and emotional clutter to live a happier and simpler life.

I spent the better half of the past year (like many of us) decluttering my physical spaces and learning many lessons along the way. One of the most unexpected lessons I learned is that clutter isn’t just physical; it takes up emotional space, as well.

Here are some ways I have chosen to let go of both physical and emotional clutter and make space for simplicity in the coming new year.

Let Go Of Projects and Materials

I love a good DIY project and I am guilty of letting Pinterest get the best of me. Over the years, I have collected a laundry list of projects that I aspired to create along with the materials needed to do so. As more pressing responsibilities took priority over my Pinterest DIY board, those projects were put aside. The materials for the projects continued to take up physical space and any time I saw them, I was reminded of my desires to create that project, which brought on a sense of failure, stress or reminded of my lack of time.

I finally decided that it was OK that I never created that scrapbook, or made those homemade bath bombs and that I would ultimately feel better if I gave myself permission to move on. I purchased a small clear tub and allowed myself to keep any materials for future projects that fit in the tub—everything else was donated. I also gave myself permission to purchase the materials over again in the future if I decided I was finally ready to begin the project I had once hoped to do. This approach let me maintain my love for a good DIY craft (should I have an opportunity to do another one in the future) without burdening myself with an overwhelming amount of tasks and the physical space needed to host them.

Unsubscribe From Promotional Emails

How much time do you spend every day deleting promotional emails? Or reading them? How often do you actually purchase something from them that you weren’t intending to purchase? These actions take up both physical (when you buy) and emotional (when you read the email, delete the email, debate the purchase, make the purchase, regret the purchase, etc.) space in your life. Make a goal to unsubscribe from a set number of promotional emails that no longer serve you every day. You will find that it’s easier than you thought to get your name off that list and in just a few days, you will drastically reduce the clutter in your inbox along with the emotional clutter of making those decisions day in and day out. You can always rejoin those mailing lists when you are ready.

Stop Dusting Your Books

I love reading and finding new books. Sometimes I am so eager to read a new book, I purchase it before I am ready to read it. This has resulted in a pretty solid collection of unread books in our home, which take up a lot of space. Similar to DIY projects, those books bring a sense of stress to my life, they remind me of something I want to do and sometimes that can be very overwhelming. I created a bookshelf next to my nightstand that can hold 9 to 12 books and I use that as a space for books I am reading. I let go of 90 percent of our other books and decided that if the time comes when I am ready and excited to read one of those books, I can always request a copy from the library. Until then, I’m not letting them hold a space in my home for me to dust or a space on my never-ending to-do list anymore.

Unfollow For A Quiet Mind

Sometimes we may find ourselves carrying the emotional clutter of someone else on the other side of a screen. All you need to do is click “unfollow.” You can always follow that account again, but while you are simplifying and quieting your mind to understand what emotional clutter is taking up your energy, it might benefit you to give yourself some breathing room. If you still crave the energy, substance, imagery or whatever it was that was benefiting you from that account, then you will find your way back when you are ready.

You might also like How To Revamp Your Beauty Routine For The New Year or Glitter Guide’s 30-Day Decluttering Checklist!