How I Discovered Mindful Minimalism 10 Years Ago

Decluttering took organizing to a whole new level.

Photo Credit: Michelle Bulla

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Growing up, I became a very organized child. As a highly sensitive person, I think organizing gave me a sense of control over my environment. I calmed things down. I organized my closet on the weekends. I put everything in its exact place.

Then, 10 years ago, I discovered minimalism and decluttering, and my life changed drastically. You can color-code your closet all day long, and that’s lovely. However, with decluttering, you’re becoming infinitely more intentional about what you own and why. You’re removing others’ expectations and what doesn’t serve you so that you can more fully experience and enjoy what matters most.

Discovering mindful minimalism gave me the tools to become my most expansive self. Like most people, I started with my closet, working from the inside out. Using my decluttering skills, I gradually cleared 75% of the items I owned. Over the years, I’ve embraced a “less is more” mindset in my relationships, work, finances, calendar, and activities.

Yes, I still love trying new things and still get overwhelmed sometimes. However, I have tools, decision-making frameworks, and rituals to keep me grounded in who I want to be while releasing the rest.

Decluttering and organizing your home is a beautiful path to discovering and becoming your most expansive self. I describe mindful minimalism as the ongoing process of removing the unimportant to make more space for what is important. 

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Big Tech Work: I Became Hyper-Productive.

So I optimized my possessions, and everything fit into my cherry red Suzuki Reno car, except the mattress. After college, I began working with entrepreneurs and using my journalism skills for content marketing. I got to work from my laptop wherever I wanted, and that was amazing. It’s what I’d been craving. Control.

As I optimized my productivity, I began logging less than 20 hours a week for work and having serious existential questions at 22 years old. What matters to me? Why do any of this? How do I actually want to spend my time?

My intelligence, work ethic, and technological optimism led me to San Francisco, California in 2017. I moved here with two red suitcases and my backpack. I’d enrolled in a UX BootCamp and rented a bunk bed in a hacker house.

After the natural struggles of working with startups, I landed a role at Google and later worked at Facebook too as a UX researcher. In each corporate company, I quickly became swamped with information and responsibilities. I remember getting on the shuttle during my first week at Google and studying David Allen’s “Getting Things Done” methodology. Those tools empowered me to be very good at my job.

Amid all the noise, I kept hearing feedback about how incredibly organized I was. It’s true. I am very organized.

My hyper-productivity (and some childhood trauma) led to burnout in 2020, and I took an extended sabbatical. During my tech work, my minimalism lifestyle enabled me to pay off student loans and begin saving over half my income. Those savings bought me over a year and a half off and time to work with an amazing therapist.

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Deep Soul Work: I Can Hold Big Emotions.

So much happened for everyone in 2020. The global quarantine led many to deep inner work. At 26 years old, I was also in a prime life spot for my Saturn Return (for astrology fans). That, plus a lot of Scorpio in my chart, made the last four years very intense for me.

Thankfully, I found a Jungian depth therapist who helped me heal trauma and unravel cultural conditioning. We decluttered my mental, emotional, and spiritual realms.

Additionally, I reignited my creativity with Julia Cameron’s “The Artist’s Way” program. Creativity “sparked joy.”

Releasing the old and reconnecting with the things and activities that deeply spark joy transformed my life. I kept noticing thrilling moments of freedom and aliveness. I felt like I had more space to breathe and more excitement.

Through all the intensity, I channeled my feelings into three main art forms: writing, songwriting, and dancing. I still show up for these creative outlets every day, and I love them so much.

After years of inner work, I felt a push to get back “out” into the world. I began exploring how to add value in authentic ways. Decluttering and organizing felt like the perfect way to connect my passion, work style, and skills. I love offering one-on-one support for clients who are ready to make life changes and able to ask for help.

All the deep inner work I’ve done expanded my capacity to hold space. As I deepen self-acceptance for all the beautiful and ugly parts of myself, I can show up for others in that way. It’s been incredibly rewarding.

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Whatever you want to do with your life, incorporating minimalist approaches can help. I believe that so strongly. Yes, maybe that looks like sorting closets or organizing the pantry. Really, you’re making decisions about what matters to you. You’re developing a new baseline of spaciousness and calm. That clarity in the small things translates to larger decisions.

I’ve been finding so much research to validate what I’ve intuitively known. Clearing clutter drastically improves your wellness. From mental and emotional health to finances, relationships, and parent styles: simplifying and gaining clarity transforms things.

Think about all the time you spend looking for things or the items you purchased because you couldn’t find a tool you already owned. Maybe you show up late for an appointment because you lost your keys. Maybe your wardrobe slowly shifted to match your fears rather than your hopes.

As I learned from Marie Kondo, tidying your space is about making peace with yourself. Those items landed in your home because of you. When you bring intention into those spaces, you’re dealing with the beautiful and ugly parts of yourself. You find items you should’ve thrown away years ago or that ukulele you’ve been meaning to play. Maybe there’s a gold scarf you love that you buried in a pile of old sweaters.

Decluttering is about clearing the noise so you can truly enjoy what you love and feel excited about your life. Organizing experts like me show up to support your journey. We can design personalized session structures, hold space for processing, and inspire you to take the next best steps.

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