Decluttering Tips for Small Apartments: How I Started Letting Go
- Why I Finally Saw My Clutter
- The Realisation Behind Decluttering
- My 30-Day Decluttering Challenge
- Early Wins: Motivation to Keep Going
- Understanding the Psychology of Holding On
- Avoiding the Consumerism Trap
- Cutting Recurring Costs and Influences
- How Decluttering Changed My Life
- What I’ve Been Listening To
Why I Finally Saw My Clutter
I scanned my room and every object seemed to demand something from me.
The jumper over the chair: clean me.
The lamp: fix me.
The books: remember to read me.
The runners: use me.
I’d never seen my space like this before, not as a sanctuary, but as a stockroom. And no one sleeps peacefully in a stockroom. Sharing an apartment means everything I own lives in two rooms. What doesn’t fit sits out. I see it daily.
Around that time, I’d been listening to episodes of The Minimalists about letting go. Somewhere between their words and my clutter staring back at me, it hit me: I own too much. I think I knew it already, but this time I actually faced it.
I own too much. I think I knew it already, but this time I actually faced it.
I’d never seen my space like this before, not as a sanctuary, but as a stockroom
The Realisation Behind Decluttering
It felt heavy because most of what I owned belonged to a version of me that no longer existed. Festival boots – when was my last festival? Short dresses, midriff tops, they’re not my style anymore. Clothes from lives that don’t fit.
Luckily, some sentimental pieces are still stored back home in Ireland, childhood keepsakes my mother saved, a folder for each sibling, from our first lock of hair to school reports, along with things from my twenties and thirties. I don’t have to solve everything at once. I can start here, in my Barcelona apartment.
Now, when I take something out of my wardrobe, I think about what it costs to keep, not money, but energy. Washing it. Storing it. Even one item can carry a mental load.
Even one item can carry a mental load.
My 30-Day Decluttering Challenge
To make decluttering manageable, I set a simple rule: one item out every day for 30 days.
I started with clothes, they make the fastest impact. One item, one choice: sell it or donate it. That was it. No complicated system, just one decision a day, ticking off the calendar.
I’d already promised myself 2026 would be the year I got things in order, wardrobe, photos, spending, even the time I lose scrolling online. Because scrolling was never harmless. It inspired outfits, which sparked wanting, which led to buying… and ended with more things hanging there. Still with nothing to wear.
This challenge was the first real step.
No complicated system. Just one decision a day.
Early Wins: Motivation to Keep Going
The month passed faster than I expected. Selling things brought a real buzz. Items I chose to keep at the start quickly lost their significance. Looking at them again, I felt detached and more willing to let them go. It felt surprisingly freeing.
It’s amazing what you’re ready to throw away that someone else is happy to buy.
Understanding the Psychology of Holding On
Clutter affects more than your room, it affects your life. Research shows that clutter doesn’t just take up space physically – it takes up mental bandwidth, making decisions harder and increasing anxiety. If you hold onto everything, nothing feels valuable. Important things, like creating, get pushed aside.
I used to love sketching. I’d take a sketchpad and fold-out chair, sit on a corner, and draw balconies or buildings I loved. When did I stop? Was it because I browsed shops more than I created? Or because my space felt too crowded to focus? Did I even know where that fold-out chair was?
I asked myself one question whenever I picked something up: If this disappeared tomorrow, would I replace it?
If the answer was no, why was I holding onto it? Many items were bought to fit a past version of myself or for occasions I no longer remembered. I caught myself thinking: I’m disorganised. I procrastinate. I have no self-control. But instead of further judgement, I acted. I even praised myself for noticing. That decision created space, not just in my wardrobe, but in my mind.
Avoiding the Consumerism Trap
Living in Barcelona is inspiring but tempting. Boutiques, new collections, window after window inviting me in. I’m not reckless with money, but sometimes I buy to fill an emotional gap.
I once decided I wanted to be “a plant person.” I bought plants. They died. I bought more. They died. Eventually, I accepted it – I’m not that plant lady. Now I have a cactus. It suits me.
That’s when I realised how easy it is to spend money chasing a version of yourself that isn’t real, through plants, tech, clothes, or expensive runners you think you need to fit in.
Selling wasn’t effortless either. It meant constant logins, relisting items, staging photos, adjusting prices, watching offers. It quietly drained my time, so I set limits and sometimes accepted lower offers just to close the loop.
Then I noticed something else: as I let go of an old version of myself, I felt the urge to shop for a new one, different style, better quality. I wasn’t just clearing space. I was replacing what I sold.
The cycle hadn’t stopped. It had simply changed shape.
That awareness shifted how I shop now. I check fabrics. A high price tag paired with polyester doesn’t convince me. Yes, I made a few hundred from clothes I didn’t want, and that felt satisfying. But the real win wasn’t the money.
It was recognising the pattern.
Cutting Recurring Costs and Influences
Decluttering isn’t just physical. Subscriptions, memberships, recurring payments quietly drain resources. Cancelling them is an extra boost to savings.
I also became intentional about influences. I follow people who inspire thoughtful spending, not mindless desire, like Sam’s Wallet, Bradley on a Budget, and The Minimalists.
This isn’t about being frugal. It’s about respect – for what you own, what you bring into your life, and the effort it took to earn it.
Because life is unpredictable. Something unexpected can happen at any time. Peace of mind doesn’t come from what you bought, it comes from knowing you have savings if life turns. From knowing you can rely on yourself.
How Decluttering Changed My Life
Even after the challenge ended, I kept going. Books that took up space were sold, art materials kept only if I committed to using them. I found my fold-out chair again and plan to return to drawing.
Decluttering spilled into other areas: deleting duplicate photos, spending less time on my phone, turning off notifications, reading more, and sleeping better in a calmer space.
Getting ready is easier now. I can find what I need. My environment feels lighter. With money earned from selling, I’m thinking about saving for a big trip at the end of the year. Experiences beat owning more things.
I’m not chasing minimalism. I’m choosing space.
I’m not chasing minimalism.
I’m choosing space.
What I’ve Been Listening To
Practical Tips for Getting Started
- Start small: one item per day.
- Ask if it serves you now, not the past.
- Sell, donate, or recycle – don’t hoard.
- Track progress on a calendar for motivation.
- Notice habits that create clutter, like impulsive shopping or unused subscriptions.
