Declutter: How I said goodbye to 300kg of stuff and never looked back

Let me tell you a story: It was in January a few years ago when we still lived in Japan. I had great plans for my then product-based business, Turquoise Port, and was raring to get going. I was sitting in my study, ready to dive in, but I just couldn’t concentrate.

Something wasn’t quite right and my eyes fell onto the massive pinboard full of pictures, postcards and other knick-knacks. It distracted me, so I started taking everything down. That led me to the bookcase. Before I knew it, I was taking everything off, scrutinising every single item and deciding whether to keep it or not. It was the start of a massive decluttering session that took weeks.

I JUST COULDN’T STOP! Room by room, drawer by drawer, box by box, I made my way through the house. By the end, we estimated that we had decluttered about 300kg worth of things!

And let me tell you: it felt amazing. There was this incredible sense of lightness that’s hard to put into words.

What Did I Declutter?

I found myself going through absolutely everything in the house.

Piles of books found new homes & owners.
We gave away a lot of towels & linens and basically now only own 2 sets of bedlinen for the main bedroom and 2 sets for the guest room.
Plates of all sizes, cereal bowls & cutlery: All we have these days is one set – we used to have one for special occasions and one for every day use. The special occasion set hardly ever came out to play and is now the set we always use. I love that! And if a plate chips? So be it!
Pots & pans: Because you just don’t need as many!
Electrical stuff: You know that box full of chargers, adapters, cables etc? Yep, the box that pretty much everyone has? That had a massive clear out.
Clothes & shoes: Items that don’t fit properly (anymore or never have) and those pieces that haven’t been worn in a couple of years. The collection of stilettos that haven’t seen the light of day in 10 years? Someone else will love them.
Folders of old paperwork: Do you really need those mobile phone bills from 15 years ago? Shredding the old stuff felt so good!
Bags, suitcases, backpacks: How did we end up having so many between the 2 of us??
Bits & pieces, decorative items, vases, serving dishes, crafting materials: You name it! Every single piece we own got scrutinised.

What Did I Do with All of Those Things?

Not many items landed in the bin. I gave most away and sold some of the more valuable items through various channels. Here’s how I tackled it:

Posted on respective Facebook groups.
Sent messages to local friends and contacts.
Donated old towels and linens to an animal shelter.
Left a box labelled “Free” outside our front door and kept it stocked without cramming it full of stuff.
Used Instagram Stories, Facebook Stories and WhatsApp Status updates.

Depending on where you live, the options will vary. Now in New Zealand, I hand my donations to charity shops and sell some items on platforms like Facebook Marketplace.

Which Declutter Methods Work for Me

I didn’t go full Marie Kondo. I like surrounding myself with nice, meaningful things, but I do believe in simplifying and only keeping what you truly value. Here are the methods that worked for me:

The 3-Box Method

For each space you want to declutter, have three boxes:

Keep – Items you love, use and need.
Donate/Sell – Items in good condition that can find a new home.
Trash – Items that are broken, expired or beyond repair.

Go through everything, item by item and sort it into one of the three boxes. Once the task is done, immediately act on the boxes—donate, sell or dispose of them. This step is crucial. The longer boxes 2 & 3 stick around, the less likely it is that you’ll get rid of the stuff and those items will reappear in all sorts of places around your home.

The 20:20 Declutter Method

Ask yourself: If I needed this again, could I replace it in under 20 minutes for less than 20 dollars (add your currency here)? If the answer is yes, you likely don’t need to keep it. This method is particularly effective for items you’re keeping “just in case.”

Maintaining a Clutter-Free Space

Decluttering once is freeing, but keeping the clutter in check is a lifelong habit. Here’s what works for me now:

Buy Less: We don’t buy very many things, focusing on quality over quantity.
Borrow Before Buying: We get books from the library and only purchase the ones I absolutely love (design books, cookbooks, but never novels).
One In, One Out Rule: When buying a new item of clothing, I give a similar one away. Buying a dress and giving away a sock doesn’t count!
Meaningful Gifting: We’ve asked friends and family not to gift items that can’t be eaten, drunk or burned (candles, incense). Flowers are also a great gift that fits into this bucket. In return we’re using the same principle when gifting.
Weekly Mini Decluttering: Every week, I declutter one small location (a drawer, a box or a cupboard). It’s in my diary, and keeping the task small makes it manageable. Most sessions take 5-10 minutes and I feel fab afterwards!

When you declutter, you don’t just create a tidier space; it’s about creating mental clarity and physical room for the things that matter most. So, what’s stopping you? Grab a box (or three!) and get started today!