Simplifying and decluttering my life

It could be an age thing — it could be partly due to how this year started with the sudden illness of a family member, but whatever it is, I now find myself with a strong urge to simplify and declutter my life.

So, what does this mean?

Well, for me, it means a few things:

Decluttering and clearing my physical space — means taking a long, hard look at our living space and removing the stuff that no longer serves: books, knick-knacks, documents. I do not need photocopied tax returns from twenty years ago, and if I’m never going to read that book again, I can donate it.

It will require considerable patience and time, but if I want to create a sense of freedom and movement that comes with clean surfaces, I need to speed up the process I started a year ago.

Decluttering and clearing my online space — means taking charge of my emails and thinning out those messages that have been sitting in my inbox for months, sometimes years, for no real reason. If a message is outdated, no longer relevant, and without a home to go to, then I need to delete it.

Decluttering and clearing my social media means reviewing my online presence and the platforms I barely interact with—those that are no longer relevant to my professional and personal life. It means carefully considering the time and energy I devote to the different platforms.

Decluttering and clearing activities means assessing my activities and identifying which still excite and energise me. What do I want to continue with, and what do I want to retire or scale back from? I am a big believer that whenever you say yes to something, it means that you are saying no to something else. So why not clear the space and create the energy for something fresh and new?

Decluttering and clearing my phone means sorting through my photos and removing those I no longer need to keep electronically. How have I collected over a thousand images that I barely look at? I need to print or delete them, especially since cloud storage has a high carbon footprint.

Now, this next section might seem controversial or just plain contrary, so I’ll start with this:

The story is told of a man who left this message on his answering machine:

‘I am not available right now. I am making some changes in my life. Please leave a message after the beep. If I don’t return your call, you are one of those changes.’

UCB — 22nd November 2012

When I first read this story in 2012, I was genuinely taken aback by the resolve, courage, and sheer nerve it took to take this stance and carry it through. Fast-forward twelve years, through the loss of my mum, a global pandemic, and my sixtieth birthday, I can now feel my resolve strengthening in this area.

Long-standing and trusted friends and family members are vital to me, but I have not always shown them how much I appreciate and need them. So, in 2024, I will choose to spend more quality time building memories with the people who matter most to me. However, this probably means pruning back on other relationships. It is time to adopt the maxim, ‘less is more’.

Maintaining and sustaining flourishing relationships takes time, commitment and focus, and I do not have an inexhaustible supply. In addition, it seems likely that by relinquishing some relationships, I create the space needed for potential new relationships to grow and flourish.

I no longer want to spend time with people just because they are ‘nice’. People who are perfectly reasonable and pleasant but not necessarily those I genuinely ‘gel’ or connect with. Life is too short. If the only thing I can find to say about you is that you are nice — then why are you in my life?

If that is all I can find to say — then it seems likely that there is little genuine connection between us. Without that connection, I am now at a stage where I can see no point in us remaining in each other’s lives. I am delighted to wish you well, bon voyage — but our paths need not cross again. There is no need for fuss or resentment; we can go our separate ways, and by that, I mean on social media, too. You do not need to see my feeds, LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, Instagram, or emails; I do not need to see yours.

So, for me, 2024 is the year to clear some space, let go of a few people and make more room for the sometimes annoying, sometimes unfathomable, sometimes prickly, occasionally vulnerable, generous and generally fabulous people I know and trust — in short the people who ‘get me’ and I ‘get them’.

I am also protecting my peace.

So, there you have it.

Until next time