How to Declutter Your Home—and Headspace—This Spring

After helping thousands of people organize their homes and lives, here’s what I’ve learned: So many of us are sinking under the pressure to do it all while barely keeping it together and teetering on the edge of burnout. Our homes are overstuffed, our lives are overextended, and if you’re feeling like it’s all too much to manage, that’s probably because it is.

If you’re tired of spending your weekends moving piles around, searching for your keys or your sunglasses, and thinking, there has to be a better way, there is—it’s called minimalism.

I’m not talking about the stark, one-fork, three-T-shirt, white-walls, everything-fits-in-a-backpack kind of minimalism you might be picturing. I’m talking about an intentional, flexible, choose-your-own-adventure version, where you’ll have everything you need, and you’ll be able to find it when you need it. Here are some of the biggest myths about minimalism.

Myth 1: Minimalism Is Formulaic and Restrictive

Minimalism isn’t a prescriptive, one-size-fits-all formula. It’s a philosophy centered around clarifying what adds value to your life and letting go of what doesn’t. It’s about asking: What do I want to fill my home and life with —on purpose? 

Myth 2: Minimalist Homes Are Stark, White, and Sad

While mainstream images of minimalism commonly showcase a white, severe aesthetic, the true essence of minimalism is about embracing what you enjoy and value most. I personally love a neutral color palette (it helps calm my busy brain), but you can certainly be a card-carrying minimalist and own a boldly patterned couch or paint your walls every color of the rainbow. You get to do you. 

Myth 3: Minimalists Own Only Three Shirts

I am not a fan of rigid rules (or closet math). I have no idea how many clothes I own; I just know that everything fits neatly in my small closet, with enough space in between each hanger. Minimalism isn’t about hitting a specific number—it’s about finding the perfect amount for you. 

Myth 4: Minimalists Never Buy New Stuff

Minimalism is not a punishment, and it does not have to be austere or ascetic. I buy new things, but I do it with clarity and intention. I prioritize quality over quantity, opting for fewer, better things that I truly love and take care of. 

Myth 5: Minimalism Is about Owning as Little as Possible

While minimalism is often associated with subtraction, the goal is intentionality. It’s about amplifying what brings value, meaning, and peace while reducing all the clutter and noise that stand in the way. Practicing a minimalist lifestyle can involve both letting go and adding thoughtfully chosen things that enhance your life. 

Ready to dive in? Here are some steps to help move you towards a more minimalist lifestyle this spring.

1. Remove the Shame

Even if your home has been neglected or is filled with literal garbage, I want to assure you that a messy, chronically disorganized home is not an indictment of your character or inherent value. Dirty dishes, stacks of paper, and heaps of laundry don’t mean anything about you as a human being or how worthy you are. They could just mean that you’ve been busy, tired, distracted, struggling, or overwhelmed. Or maybe you just own more than a person can realistically keep up with and manage. Whatever the reason, let’s agree to stop beating ourselves up and put that energy toward creating a home that feels good to you—starting today.

2. Redefine “Enough”

Before you grab a donation bag, take time to reflect on what enough means for you. What do you truly need to have to feel supported, comfortable, and fulfilled? The answer will be different for different areas of your home and life, but the important thing is to be in an active relationship with your authentic needs so you can live in greater alignment.

3. Make It Easy to Lighten Your Load

Set up a donation bin or box and identify local resources for responsible offloading. Find convenient drop-off spots for clothes, housewares, and e-waste, or offer items through community groups. Re-homing responsibly feels satisfying and reduces guilt.

4. Plan a Get-It-Done Day

Round up your borrowed items, library books, and returns and get them out the door. Having unfinished business staring you down all the time can feel like such a constant burden, which is why it will feel so good to get things moving. I like batching these tasks into a single “get it done day” whenever possible. If you have kids, you can play chauffeur and have them be the “runners,” dropping books in the library return slot, leaving borrowed items on your neighbors’ stoops, and so on.

5. Do the Relocation Shuffle

Set a timer for fifteen minutes, walk around your house looking for things that aren’t where they belong, and simply put them away. Dump the dirty clothes in the hamper—or better yet, directly in the laundry. Put the stray dishes and coffee mugs in the sink or dishwasher. To make it feel like less of a chore, turn the relocation shuffle into a friendly competition with your partner, roommate, or child: whoever puts away the most items in fifteen minutes wins. The goal is simply to restore order, making it easier to find what you need when you need it.

6. Make It Easy on the Eyes

Reduce visual clutter by hiding unsightly but necessary items, like pet toys or toddler gear, behind closed doors. Display the items that are meaningful and lovely to look at like art, coffee table books, candles, and ceramics.

7. Elevate the Everyday

Minimalism isn’t about severity—it’s about creating beauty and comfort. Use your favorite dishes. Put fresh garden clippings in a pretty vase. Upgrade everyday items like your sheets and towels—even your dish soap. Surround yourself with things that make you happy.

8. Do the Stuff-versus-Space Calculus

Everyone has a different clutter threshold. When in doubt, it helps to clarify what you value more: your stuff or more space. There is truly no right or wrong here. It’s about making decisions that support the life you want to live in the environment that feels best to you.

9. Try the Rule of One

Focus on upgrading items you use daily by investing in fewer but better things. One nice water bottle. One super durable umbrella. One pair of killer sunglasses. One skincare line you love. Consider how the less-but-better principle can elevate your home and your life.

10. Say No to New

The less stuff you own, the less stuff you’ll have to manage. It’s simple math. Want more money in your wallet, more spaciousness in your home, and more time to spend doing whatever it is you really want to be doing? Take a break from buying new non-essential things and watch your life improve. Even a one-month purchase pause can help you to clarify your values, appreciate all that you already have, reduce your environmental footprint, and inspire you to be more creative and resourceful.

11. Edit the Excess

Here’s what I know for sure: Reducing volume is the single most impactful thing you can do to instantly improve the look, feel, and function of your home. Less stuff translates directly into more time, money, energy, freedom, and spaciousness. Since purposefully deciding to live with radically less stuff, I spend so much less time cleaning and organizing. Our home feels more spacious, tidy, and comfortable, and we’re always ready for guests to pop over (no frantically tidying surfaces or shoving things in the closet).

Here’s the best part: Decluttering your home is totally free and always available. You can shift your relationship with your space and your stuff today just by passing on the things you don’t use, need, or love. More good news: It feels really good to be a giver. It’s counterintuitive, but one of the quickest ways to feel more abundant is to give generously.

THE BOTTOM LINE

Less clutter, distraction, and consumption can be a direct route to more contentment, connection, and community. Minimalism isn’t about deprivation; it’s about freedom. If you are craving more, give less a try.

Shira Gill is a world-renowned organizing expert and the bestselling author of three books: Minimalista, Organized Living, and LifeStyled. She’s a sought-after expert for media outlets and has been featured by Good Morning America, The Wall Street Journal, Time, People, Forbes, goop, Architectural Digest, Oprah Daily, Vogue, and The New York Times. Her popular newsletter The Life Edit inspires readers from all 50 states and 150 countries.