<p>I have always loved the idea of decluttering.</p><p>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.</p><p>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?</p><p>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.</p><p>-------------------------------------------------------</p><p><strong>What I Talk About in This Episode</strong></p><ul><li><p>My long-standing obsession with decluttering and my wannabe minimalism<br></p></li><li><p>Why clutter piled up after closing businesses—and what that taught me<br></p></li><li><p>Watching Hoarders and realizing clutter is almost never about the stuff<br></p></li><li><p>What I’ve learned (and borrowed) from Marie Kondo and Minimal Mom, including:<br></p></li><ul><li><p>If you can replace it for $20 or less, let it go<br></p></li><li><p>The container rule (your space decides, not your emotions)<br></p></li><li><p>Why 5 minutes actually matters more than an all-day purge<br></p></li></ul><li><p>The difference between organizing clutter and actually reducing it</p></li></ul><p>-------------------------------------------------------<strong>A Few Stats Worth Sitting With</strong></p><p><br></p><ul><li><p>80% of Americans feel overwhelmed by home clutter<br></p></li><li><p>A cluttered space can reduce creativity by up to 20%<br></p></li><li><p>50% of people say clutter makes it hard to find what they need<br></p></li><li><p>Unread emails and digital files create mental clutter that increases stress and lowers performance (Cleveland Clinic)<br></p></li><li><p>The average American household has over 300,000 items, and most people say it’s too much<br></p></li></ul><p>-------------------------------------------------------<strong>Resources I Mentioned</strong></p><ul><li><p>2026 Declutter Sheet This is what I’m using to track what I’m intentionally not bringing into the year ahead: </p><p>👉 https://www.canva.com/design/DAG8MK0aTbU/yUKhyC7pvNGw_6xhCQYzfw/edit?utm_content=DAG8MK0aTbU&amp;utm_campaign=designshare&amp;utm_medium=link2&amp;utm_source=sharebutton<br></p></li><li><p>Permission Slip Instagram Channel This is where I’m sharing updates, reflections, and a 2026 declutter challenge: </p><p>👉 https://www.instagram.com/channel/AbZkRMwMdSB6vt8o/?igsh=d3l0bXZ4Y2FqNXV1<br></p></li></ul><p>-------------------------------------------------------<strong>Final Thought</strong></p><p>Before you decide what you want more of in 2026,</p><p>it might be worth deciding what you’re done carrying.</p><p>Less stuff.</p><p>Less noise.</p><p>More room to think.</p><p>If this episode resonated, come join the conversation inside the Permission Slip channel. I’ll be there—decluttering one decision at a time.<br></p>