Do you have too much stuff? I know I do. Items that have lived long past their usefulness, things with sentimental value, or the dreaded “I might have a use for this one day” category.

Picture a messy desk: papers, bills, a couple of Post-it notes, unopened mail, and scattered pens. Sorting it all feels daunting, so we walk by and promise to deal with it later.

But “later” usually means adding more clutter. The mess grows, and so does the weight of deciding what to do with it.

This is how many of us live. And it’s rarely just a desk. It’s our closets, garages, basements, and that one corner of a room we quietly avoid.

As a culture—and an economy—we are driven to accumulate more. Advertising constantly tries to separate us from our money.

We’re drawn to items that promise to make life easier, reinforce our identity, or simply bring joy. (How many guitars do I need? The best formula is X + 1.)

There’s nothing wrong with any of that. The problem begins when those things accumulate in ways that create stress.

Clutter is a visual stressor. It overloads our brains with constant decisions about what to keep and what to let go. Studies show clutter can reduce focus and increase the stress hormone cortisol. It also signals that things around us remain unfinished.

Over time, clutter can contribute to anxiety, depression, and reduced productivity.

Look at the bedroom. The place where we sleep should feel calm and restorative, allowing our minds and bodies to fully relax.

These are just a few of the ways clutter shapes our daily lives.

A few months ago, I organized a walk-in closet. It wasn’t junk filling the space—just items that had slowly accumulated without a clear place to go.

I bought a simple four-cube shelving unit. One small purchase, and suddenly the closet was organized and easy to navigate. When my brother opened the door, he paused and said it felt peaceful and calming.

I enjoy watching tiny home shows. I’m not sure I want to live in one though. Maybe a small getaway cabin in the mountains, but I’m fascinated by the process families go through to downsize their lives.

My own move from a 2,200-square-foot house to an 1,100-square-foot one is still a work in progress, even five years later. I’m continually asking myself what all this stuff really means to me.

Minimalism, at least as I see it, isn’t about living in a completely sparse environment. It’s about choosing to keep things that truly matter. To start your own journey, open a drawer and set a timer. Clean and organize as much as possible before the timer goes off.

One book helping me continue my decluttering journey in my semi-tiny house is The Minimalist Way: Minimalism Strategies to Declutter Your Life and Make Room for Joy.

It’s more than a collection of strategies. The book includes exercises that help readers understand why they hold onto certain items and how to gradually let go of what they no longer need.

Of course, clutter isn’t only physical. Digital clutter fills our minds as well. Phones, apps, notifications, and the constant pull of digital advertising compete for our attention every day.

So as I continue my unexpected adventures in unemployment, I’m using the time to declutter and reorganize my space with the goal of creating a little more joy, clarity, and efficiency in daily life.