Empty drawers, cupboards and boxes from your house. Let others use those items you no longer have a reasonable use for. Remove all non-essentials. Don’t leave it for your kids to sort through when you are ill or pass away.
If you declutter your space, you will also declutter your mind. The more things you have, the more time you spend on maintaining those things. For that trade off to make sense, those things must bring you large amounts of joy.
Otherwise, you will be trading your very precious time for ‘meh’. What kind of life is that?
The best thing to do is to stop bringing new-to-you things into the house. I had a bad habit of collecting newspapers and magazines many years ago. With the exception of a slight retest of my discipline a year ago, I have been on the wagon for several years. This has kept piles of paper at bay.
Next, whatever you deem worthy and does make it through the front door (back door or even windows – I know you’re crafty), needs to be put in its official place immediately. If you can’t find a place, you are not serious about it and it must be returned or given away immediately.
Finally, remove all non-essentials. Once a month, get rid of a few things off your shelves, out of bookcases and boxes. In six months, you can send me a thank you letter.