8 Things I Decluttered When I First Started Living Alone

Living alone for the first time in an “adult home,” especially if you spent years prior with half of your stuff in your university dorm room and the other half still at your family home, is something that definitely makes you reflect on what you truly need. Anything I left at home for the most part or entirely during my four years of studying, I clearly proved to myself I didn’t “need” and could easily live without or I simply didn’t like them enough to want them around me on a daily basis.

Fast-forward to now, and I’m sitting on the bed in my own place in the city. I moved here about a year after finishing university, taking steps out of my small village into somewhere bigger with more life. It hit me quite quickly that living alone in my own place was the first time in years where everything I owned was all around me at once: There were items I didn’t need, stuff I didn’t remember owning, and things I had simply outgrown over the years of finding myself.

To feel like I was truly having a fresh start and not being weighed down by unnecessary surplus, one of the first things I did was comb through my stuff to declutter. Here’s eight of the things I got rid of, as well as why.

In the past I was the kind of person who kept all of their old school notes in case they came in handy one day. But after years of hanging onto them, I accumulated quite the collection, and not a single instance in life came up where I needed to look back on anything. I kept a small selection of schoolwork such as drawings I did for art classes that I remembered and wanted as a memento, but the rest I flicked through and recycled. I still haven’t needed to reach for any since they’ve been gone.

Blankets can be bulky to store and, if you’re being honest, you really don’t need to own eight of them. I accumulated extra blankets due to living away (having bedding at home as well as in my dorm), so when I moved into my apartment I realized I owned far more than I needed. If you have extra blankets that are too pre-loved to give to a thrift store, many animal shelters will gladly welcome them!

My brain has a bad habit of neglecting the little jar symbol on the back of toiletries that says how long they should be kept for after opening. So when I moved away with the toiletries from home as well as from my dorm, I culled the collection to remove duplicates that were old, items that were sealed and safe to donate, and things I didn’t reach for since opening them. My small medicine cabinet and skin are thanking me.

Many have the odd thing or two that brings up bad memories, whether it’s an old gift from an ex, a dress you wore on a really bad first date, or something you felt you “had” to keep even though you’ve looked at it for years and disliked it. Decluttering these kinds of items from my life not only created more space in my apartment physically, but also emotionally. I felt I had more capacity to make my home my own, and to fill the space with items I love.

When I moved away for university I bought the cheapest kitchenware I could from the dollar store, even though it wasn’t of the best quality. It was still good and served its purpose, but when I arrived at my new place I wanted to invest a little more in my crockery and find some pieces that will wear a bit better. The ones I own now are only a couple of dollars more, and I also have some pieces from different thrift stores, including a handmade bowl. I enjoy picking out an interesting bowl or plate to enjoy my meals in, and even though it isn’t a huge change, it’s something that brings more joy to my space.

While combing through my closet, I realized I held onto a number of clothing items that others told me I looked good in, even though I didn’t feel good in them. I believed it was important to listen to my gut and curate a closet filled with the pieces I love and actually wear when starting a new chapter, so when I moved out I let go of anything I didn’t feel the best wearing.

Some people may wish to keep all of their old photos as memories, but when I looked through mine and saw photos of friends I outgrew or of people who went on to treat me poorly, I realized how I didn’t need a photograph to remember or hold onto any good times I did share with those people from my past. It felt like the right time to let some of those old memories go, knowing new ones were yet to come.

Living alone in a student dorm versus living alone in a rented property are two different worlds. In the former, all of my bills were included and student halls had subsidized rent. I’ve always been someone financially responsible, but to help myself continue on that path I decided to donate any purses or wallets that weren’t incredibly easy to use so I could find and maintain physical items like bank cards, loyalty cards, and cash easier. I only have two purses now but they’re superefficient and all I need.