Everything You Need to Know About Doing a Decade Detox
We're calling it: cleaning is going to be one of the biggest wellness trends of the year. It's not only good news for your home, but it's also a totally legitimate form of self-care. If I'm ever feeling the effects of the Sunday afternoon blues, a swift tidy up of any clothes strewn across the bedroom floor and a quick vacuum usually does the trick to restore a bit of inner peace. For some, tidying up is a household activity that leaves them feeling content and accomplished. For others, it's literally the last thing they'd choose to do and they've got an endless list of ways they'd rather be spending their time. Whichever end of the cleaning spectrum you lean towards, the benefits of cleaning are undeniable, and we even recently wrote about how cleaning can actually make you happier. With the ushering of a new decade, this is our chance to do a decade detox to cleanse both our minds and our homes. Let us explain.
Ten years is a long time. If you cast your mind back to this time a decade ago, I'm sure your life has changed in more ways than one. You've probably transitioned out of your schooling days and have become a fully-fledged adult by now so it's time to set yourself up for the next ten years while taking a look back at the places, memories, and belongings that have stayed with you along the way. It's easy to accumulate things that eventually become clutter which can give you a heavy feeling like you're hoarding your life around without making thoughtful decisions. A decade detox aims to take a closer look at why you've kept the things you have in your home and if there's a reason why they should be allowed to stay for the new decade ahead.
Review the past
To move forward, sometimes you need to look back. If you're like us, you moved straight into 2020 like it was any old regular year (except it's not). To be able to witness the start of a brand new decade is a pretty special moment and a great privilege. Take some time to think back to the moments that brought you the most joy over the past ten years, whether it was a new relationship or the holiday to Paris you'd always dreamed of. Your box of vacation mementos and anniversary cards will be things that you'll want to keep a hold of and should hold a special place in your fresh decade. Moments that weren't so good? A piece of clothing that reminds you of your ex-best friend or paperwork from a job you hated are things that can definitely be thrown out, sold, or donated to free up space in your home and also your mind. Define your items not by how new they are, but by how important they are in making you feel good.
Manifest the future
What's different about a decade detox to a general clean up is that you're not just looking for things around the house that are broken or outdated. You should be assessing everything in your home, whether you've worn it every day or never taken a second look at it once you placed it in a draw. If you purchased something years ago for a special occasion or with the hopes of picking up a new hobby, now's the time to assess if a) you've actually used it, and b) if you're even still interested anymore. Just like you set yourself daily tasks, weekly goals and yearly benchmarks, you need to start to clearly define your decade by who you want to be and where you want to be heading by the end of it. If you realise that you spent a lot of money on things that you rarely used because they were trendy, you might like to redefine the way you purchase new items so that you are only introducing things that align with your specific personal vision. So, it's time to bust out the vision board or notebook and set some decade intentions to have the best (and tidiest) ten years of your life.
Liked this? You need to read about the 11 household items you need to throw out for a clean & healthy 2020.
