Decluttering isn’t always about things you can physically see. Today, I’m excited to share a guest post written by Michelle from Growing with Spawn. She’s going to tell us about four toxic things you need to purge from your life today!

Hi Everyone, I’m the other Michelle, from Growing With Spawn! Despite sharing a name, Michelle and I are worlds apart and live very different lifestyles. I’m a millennial, working mom whose life is run by a busy toddler, so my life is far from perfect. So instead of sharing some tips on how to let go of things, I thought I’d share some other tips that are equally important!

So what’s the scoop?

I’ve been thoroughly impressed with the efforts that Michelle has been making on her blog. All of the weekly decluttering updates and her green lifestyle. It has all been an inspiration for me to apply a similar strategy to my own life. The biggest difference is that decluttering all of the extra “stuff” has never been an issue. Leave me with a bed, a pair of sweats and a tee and I’ll happily spend my time surfing the net. And yet, I am a hoarder!

You’re curious now, aren’t you? How can someone who doesn’t quite hold onto “things” be a hoarder? The answer is very simple – I hoard toxic relationships, things and emotions. Since I’m far from an expert at decluttering, I thought I’d walk you through some things that I will be decluttering from my life, just in case you need to do it too.

With minimalism taking the world by a storm, I can’t help but wonder if we are doing this decluttering thing right. You’ve thrown out that torn t-shirt that you’ve had for years. You’ve let go of that pair of jeans that you could never quite fit into. And you’ve even emptied out your kitchen cabinets… But what about the most important thing – your mental health?

4 toxic things to purge from your life

Let go of toxic relationships

The word “purge” sounds a little extreme when it comes to letting go of toxic relationships. But that is exactly what we need to do from time to time. We all have that one person in our lives that leaves us feeling hurt, angry or even questioning ourselves. The question I need to ask you is, why are you holding onto that relationship?

After such an eventful 2020 (or non-eventful depending on your perspective) we have learnt to appreciate the smaller things in life. Every morning that we wake up and the sun is out is a moment to be cherished. Spending times with our loved ones is something we don’t take for granted. And being able to run through the motions of our hobbies is such a pleasant opportunity. If you didn’t know the word ‘hygge’, I can bet that you also learnt it last year too. 

In short, 2020 has taught us that life is really short and each moment should truly be appreciated. By the same token, I would hope that translates into spending less time doing things that do not add value to our lives. Letting go of certain activities is a big step towards ensuring a decluttered life. But letting go of the people that do not add value is also a crucial step. I know it hurts to let go, but if you Marie Kondo the relationships, you will be better for it. And yes – we have just made her name a verb.

Purge your negative feelings

As I write this, I am not in the best state emotionally. If I were to pinpoint one specific thing that has triggered this feeling, it can go all the way back to my teenage years. Emotions are definitely things that come and go, but their effects are usually lasting – when they aren’t dealt with, that is!

Don’t think you have anything to purge? Try this activity with me and see if you do.

1. Think about something you are insecure about right now. 
2. Now try to decipher what triggered you to feel that way. 
3. Trace that event to a similar experience you’ve had in the past. 
4. Now answer the question again; do you have anything to purge?

There is almost always a connection between how we feel or react to certain situations and a past experience. To truly declutter your life, it is a great idea to work through your past traumas. Recalling an incident and brushing it under the rug isn’t good enough, just in the same way that throwing out one shoe isn’t decluttering. It will suck, but you need to dig into the feelings, isolate each emotion and address it. Nobody said living clutter-free life would be easy!

Let go of memories of your lost loves

Have you ever held onto something your ex gave you because it held sentimental value? If you did, what happened each time you saw that item? Did it bring about feelings of relief? Or did it make you relive moments of the relationship? It may seem very logical to let go of things from past relationships, but if you are secretly a hoarder, you know the struggle. Before I got married, I recall packing up all of my things to officially move out of my dad’s house. Such a beautiful moment … until I found an item from every single relationship I had been in! 

When it comes to letting go, there really is no point if it is done half-heartedly. We’ve established this with the single shoe scenario. But when does decluttering stop and denial kick in? I’m not usually an “all or nothing” girl, but holding onto memorabilia from past romantic relationships is a huge no. Especially if you have moved on to someone else! 

Purge the bad habits

It’s 2021, everyone and their dog is complaining about the year that was, and we have all formed bad habits. As we move further into this year, the “I’m living in a global pandemic” excuses becoming less plausible. We get it, times were rough and we couldn’t go anywhere… But as life slowly falls back into place, it’s a great idea to purge all of the bad habits we’ve adopted. 

Personally, I fell off the exercise bandwagon and rediscovered my passion for cheese. I say rediscovered as if I had lost it, but the truth is that I cut back for my fitness. Long story short, staying indoors meant turning to comfort foods which seemed justifiable at the time. Now eight kilograms heavier, I’m ready to find my healthier ways. 

If you also fell off your fitness journey, married your couch or had a continuous affair with your bed, it’s time to purge! As we’ve established, decluttering doesn’t only have to be letting go of physical things. Let’s make this year clutter-free by letting go of those bad habits!

Need more ideas on how to declutter your life? Head on over to my blog and read Michelle’s post!

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Thanks for these great ideas, Michelle! I’d love to hear from others on toxic clutter. Are there other things we need to purge from our lives? Tell us below.