Organizing My Home Helped Me Reclaim My Life: A Real Decluttering Journey

The Myth of Being “Done”

When I first started decluttering and organizing, I wanted so badly to be done.

Ideally in a weekend. Then maybe a couple of weeks. Then I figured, okay, give it a year.

I thought if I could just get all the extra stuff out of my life, I’d finally feel like I was done.

It’s been years. And I’m not done.

It Was Never About the Bins

What I didn’t realize back then is that this wasn’t just about organizing or finding the perfect bin. This was a complete lifestyle shift. A new way of living that had nothing to do with labels or baskets. It was about reclaiming my life. Taking it back from the clutter.

I wasn’t just decluttering my home; I was making space to discover who I am, who I’m becoming, and how I want to show up in this world.

Letting Go, One Layer at a Time

Right now, my husband and I are under contract on our home and preparing to move across the country. I’m a little nervous. But also? I’m so proud. Proud of who we’ve become. Proud of how many layers of clutter—physical and emotional—we’ve peeled back to get here. I never thought I’d be the kind of person who could just let go of everything and move. Or travel. Or chase a new adventure. Which is hilarious, honestly, because I did exactly that once before. I moved across the country with Little Cricket the cat, everything I could cram into my Prius, and a whole horse stall’s (literally) worth of boxes I left at my parents’ house.

Now, I’m traveling back with a husband, two kids, and four animals.

The Stuff I Thought Defined Me

This journey has taught me that taking action, even tiny steps toward the life I want, has been incredibly liberating. Letting go has been slow. Sometimes emotional.

But always worth it. It’s helped me grow in ways I never imagined.

I’ve bought paddle boards and kayaks, convinced I’d become a lake adventurer.

That lasted about a year.

I’ve collected art supplies—canvases, paints, stickers, pens—ready for every creative idea I could dream up.

I’ve got Pinterest boards filled with imagined dream homes. I’ve got this business, and about ten others floating around in my head, just in case I ever decide to pivot.

What I Can See Now

But here’s what I’ve noticed: As I sold the paddle boards, the kayaks, the art supplies, the Cricut machine (not the cat), the camera that sat in our basement since before we got married, the girls’ rainbow balance beam… I started seeing things more clearly.

I saw that I don’t have to chase every single dream I come up with.

I saw what my future could look like if I stopped holding onto everything.

Now I understand I’m the one in control of my life.

Not the stuff.

Not the clutter.

Not the fear of what if.

This change didn’t come from a single clean-out or a big organizing win.

It came from within, starting with small, imperfect action and weaving it into daily life. That’s what real transformation looks like.

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Megs is a coach, podcast host, and real-life organizing human behind Organizing an ADHD Brain. Through honest stories and gentle strategies, she helps people find clarity in the chaos—on their own terms.

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