Making Space Inside: emotional decluttering for tired hearts 💛
There’s a kind of clutter you can’t put into bin bags.
It doesn’t sit in cupboards or hide in freezers (although I’ve learned those can hold secrets too 😭). This clutter settles quietly in the heart — in the form of old expectations, unfinished fears, stories we still tell ourselves, and roles we’re still carrying long after we’ve outgrown them. It’s the emotional weight you feel at the end of the day when the house is finally quiet, but your mind refuses to rest.
After weeks of decluttering — peppers, green peppers, hair attachments, and my pride — I realised something uncomfortable: I had been tidying my house for years, but I hadn’t permitted myself to tidy my inner world.
I was holding on to beliefs like:
I was holding on to beliefs like:
“I must always cope.”
“I don’t have time to rest.”
“I’ll take care of myself later.”
“Someone else needs me more.”
They weren’t objects, but they took up space just the same.
Letting go emotionally requires courage — sometimes even more courage than bagging up old clothes or deleting unused kitchen appliances (yes, I’m side-eyeing myself). It means asking quietly: “What am I holding onto that no longer fits who I’m becoming?”
The truth is, emotional decluttering doesn’t happen in one dramatic weekend. It happens slowly — in tiny pauses, gentle rituals, and moments where you choose yourself without making a big announcement.
For me, those rituals have become small and tender:
colouring just one corner of a page, not the whole thing
journaling a single sentence, not a whole chapter
sitting with a cup of tea before reaching for my phone
Breathing slowly, instead of rushing into the next task
allowing silence, without trying to fill it immediately
None of these activities will magically solve life’s problems — but they create just enough space inside for your heart to breathe again.
And sometimes, that’s all you need to carry on gently.
So as January draws to a close, here’s my invitation to you: choose one tiny practice that makes your inner world feel less crowded — even if it only takes five minutes. Don’t wait for a perfect routine. Don’t wait to feel “ready. ”Just start small, start softly, start where you are.
Reflection: What could you let go of emotionally — not to empty yourself, but to make room for joy, rest, or simply… you.
Next month, I’ll be exploring small creative practices that help us rest — colouring, journaling, and tiny moments of quiet that remind us we’re still human.
