The Toaster I Never Threw Away.
Kitchen morning light declutter.
Life has a way of teaching us through things we did not ask for. I used to think decluttering was about clearing cupboards and making space for new things. But sometimes the things we hold onto become heavier than we realise, and occasionally, the universe gives us a dramatic nudge to let go.
The Toaster That Stayed Too Long
Years ago, a toaster stopped working. Instead of throwing it away, I placed it aside with the innocent thought: maybe we can fix it. I bought a replacement, moved on with life, and the old one stayed, like a quiet sentence waiting for an ending.
One day, that unfinished decision came back to me as a lesson I never expected. The house caught fire.
At the time, I was a single mum of two young children, studying, paying rent bit by bit, and trying to stretch every pound. I did not have home contents insurance. I was behind on rent. I was trying to make it through each week.
Sometimes when I look back, I am not sure whether I survived by strength or pure stubborn hope.
What the Fire Showed Me
After the fire, what surprised me was not only the damage, but also everything that resurfaced. Seeing the freezer door in the corridor, far from the kitchen, made me realize how far-reaching the consequences of delaying decisions can be.
"The things we hold onto physically often mirror the clutter we carry mentally, fear, guilt, unfinished seasons, just in case thinking."
I learned that decluttering is not just about getting rid of things. It is about releasing what we have been carrying, so we do not burn ourselves out by holding on to it.
Then Came the Frozen Pepper
These days, I am letting go slowly, starting with my mind before my cupboards. Not perfectly. Not quickly. But intentionally.
Which brings me to the decluttering session that I did not expect to turn into a courtroom drama.
The children came home with confidence and bin bags, ready to help. For the first few minutes, I was calm, until they reached the freezer and pulled out my green pepper.
🫑
Suddenly, every Nigerian recipe I have ever loved came back to me, and I found myself defending frozen food with the passion of a courtroom lawyer. They saw something past its best. I saw culture, memory, and comfort, the taste of home.
Decluttering forced me to see that the things we keep often hold meaning beyond their appearance. It is not the pepper we are holding onto; it is the feeling it gives us, the memory it carries, the identity it protects.
That day taught me a kinder truth:
"We don't let go when someone tells us to. We let go when we're ready to honour what the item once meant."
Now I am learning to declutter with more compassion and less shouting. Well. Mostly less shouting. 😄
What Decluttering and Mental Health Have in Common
Physical clutter and mental clutter work the same way. Every unfinished decision, every item kept out of guilt or fear, every just-in-case object sitting in your cupboard, your brain registers all of it as unfinished business. It keeps your stress levels quietly elevated even when you are not consciously thinking about it.
For busy women and mums, this is particularly powerful because the clutter is rarely just physical. It is the pile of laundry and the mental note to sort it: the unopened post and the anxiety about what might be in it. The physical and the mental are completely intertwined.
What Letting Go Actually Looks Like
It starts with one small decision — not the whole cupboard at once
It requires honesty about what you are actually holding onto and why
It is not about being ruthless — it is about being ready
It looks different for everyone — a bin bag, a journal page, a conversation
It almost always involves more emotion than you expected
And occasionally, it involves defending frozen peppers with your whole chest 😄
Reflection for Today
What is one decision you have postponed that is quietly taking up space in your mind or heart? Sometimes naming it is the first act of release.
This is exactly why I create what I create. My guided journals give you a safe, gentle space to name the things taking up room in your mind — before they find a more dramatic way of getting your attention. Consider it cheaper than a new toaster. 😄
A Little Space, Just for You
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