I’m doing something a little bold.
I’m removing at least one item every single day from my house until I hit 3,000 followers on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Yes, 3,000.
Why that number? Because my friend Todd Emerick, moving expert and former guest on my podcast, says the average American household has 3,000+ items inside it. When you stop and think about that, it’s not hard to believe.
And recently, life forced me to see every single one of them.
When the Pipe Broke, the Truth Showed Up
We had a water pipe break that caused flood damage. Not catastrophic, but enough.
Everything had to come out.
Drawers emptied. Closets cleared. Furniture moved. Cabinets opened. Boxes shifted.
It was inconvenient. It was messy. It was eye-opening.
There is nothing like a little water damage to make you realize how much you actually own.
And here’s the part most people don’t talk about:
Moving stuff you don’t even use is exhausting.
Physically exhausting.
Emotionally exhausting.
Financially exhausting.
It made me think about how many families I’ve walked through downsizing who say, “I didn’t realize how much we had until we had to touch every single thing.”
I just lived it myself.
Why I’m Doing This Publicly
I talk all the time about proactive decisions.
Planning before urgency makes the decision for you.
Well, I’m not waiting for another broken pipe, a sudden move, or a crisis to force me into simplifying.
So here’s the challenge:
- One item out of my house every day
- Sell it, donate it, trash it, recycle it
- Document it on IG, FB, and TT
- Keep going until 3,000 followers on each platform
Not because I need more followers.
Because I need less stuff.
And I want you to see that decluttering does not require a weekend marathon or a dumpster in the driveway.
It requires one decision.
Repeated.
I am a big fan of Dana K. White and her book “Decluttering at the Speed of Life”. Her “container theory” is what finally hit home with me. Also, that you can’t turn a clutter-person into a organized-person with cute boxes and phrases. It takes more.
Want to Join Me?
Here’s how simple this can be:
- One coffee mug you never reach for
- One shirt that doesn’t fit your current life
- One kitchen gadget collecting dust
- One stack of old paperwork you don’t need
That’s it.
One item.
If Todd is right and there are 3,000+ items in the average household, imagine the mental clarity of reducing even 300 of them.
That’s 10 percent lighter.
And here’s the deeper truth I’ve learned working with seniors and families for nearly two decades:
It’s rarely about the object.
It’s about identity.
It’s about memory.
It’s about fear of needing it “someday.”
But someday is expensive.
It costs space.
It costs energy.
It costs safety.
The Moving Expert Who Sees It Every Day
Todd Emerick sees the volume of stuff every time he helps someone move. He shared powerful insights on my podcast about what people accumulate, why they accumulate it, and what happens when it’s finally time to pack it all up.
If you haven’t listened to that conversation, it’s worth your time:
He has a front-row seat to what happens when we don’t deal with our things proactively.
It’s not pretty.
This Isn’t About Minimalism
I am not becoming a minimalist.
I’m becoming intentional.
There’s a difference.
I also had a powerful conversation with LeAnn Hold of Organized + Tidy, where we talked about how to organize your home without turning it into a stressful, all-day event. Her message is clear: getting organized does not have to be chaotic. It can actually feel steady, manageable, and even empowering.
I want the things in my home to serve this season of life. Not a season from 20 years ago. Not a fantasy version of who I might become.
If I haven’t used it.
If I wouldn’t buy it again.
If I forgot I even owned it.
It’s probably a candidate.
What Happens When You Start
Here’s what I know from working with adults 60+:
Once you start, momentum builds.
Decision fatigue decreases.
Confidence increases.
Rooms breathe again.
And something unexpected happens.
You feel lighter.
Not because of the physical space.
Because you proved to yourself you can let go.
Let’s Do This Together
If you’ve been waiting for a sign to start decluttering, this is it.
Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok.
Remove one item a day.
Comment what you’re letting go of.
Tag me so I can cheer you on.
No perfection.
No shame.
No pressure to overhaul your life in a weekend.
Just one decision today.
And tomorrow, we’ll make another one.
For more support sign up for our next webinar, “The Gentle Transition. How to Downsize with Peace, Purpose, and Dignity”.
Relax.
We’ve got this.
