4 life-changing things I ruthlessly decluttered at 50 – it helped me shed my old ways, find peace, and start anew

When I turned 50, it ushered in an era of deep self-reflection, which inspired me to embrace the person I had become. As a professional home organizer, it made me consider carefully where my life was headed and what I needed in my home to help me get there.

That’s why decluttering mindfully during this time was so freeing for me, and can be for you too. As a decluttering pro, I urge you to use this defining decade of your life to shed the things that no longer serve you and step into a new chapter without the weight of your past.

These are the four life-changing things I ruthlessly decluttered at 50, and the mindful decluttering methods you can use to help this transition.

These are the 4 things I decluttered at 50

Somehow, turning 50 brought me to the important realization that your time, space, and energy are among the most valuable things you have in life.

Using value-based decluttering to get rid of things that no longer serve you or bring back good memories is more important at this time of your life than ever before.

Releasing some of these items will help you find renewed hope and send a subliminal message to your mind and body that you're safe, grounded, and in control of your personal space, which will give you tremendous freedom and confidence to try new things.

Meet the author

Meet the author

Nicole Gabai

Nicole Gabai is a professional organizer, author, artist, and a Certified Virtual Organizing Professional™ with over two decades of hands-on organizing experience. She is also a Golden Circle member of NAPO (National Association of Productivity & Organizing Professionals), and the author of the bestselling The Art of Organizing: An Artful Guide to an Organized Life.

1. Clothing

The first thing on my turning 50 decluttering checklist was clothing that no longer fits. Be it in terms of size, or simply that it's no longer aligning with who I am. We all know what that means to each of us.

This is especially true if it doesn't fit well or is out of style; so it's time to let it go.

The exercise of editing your clothes frees your mind from the subconscious pressure to be someone you no longer are, or holding on to the idea of your fantasy self.

Decluttering clothes can make life so much easier when you're getting ready. Many people feel overwhelmed trying to get dressed in the morning and think they have nothing to wear despite having a closet full of clothes.

If you take the time to mindfully edit what you have and donate or sell the rest, you are relieving yourself of mental clutter, and that is a huge bonus. Try decluttering for just one hour a day – you will be amazed at the progress you make.

There's nothing like walking into your closet and feeling a sense of calm and order, and rails or shelves of clothes that really feel like 'you'.

The sense of peace you'll get from being able to get dressed easily day to day, or for a special occasion, will serve as a positive roadmap for the hours ahead.

2. Negative emotion magnets

Turning 50 also marked a time for me to get rid of things that make me feel guilty or bring back bad memories. This included things like unfinished projects and books I started, but didn’t want to finish.

I've learned that turning 50 is about self-acceptance and the grace we give ourselves. We want to hang onto things that define who we are right now, not who we hoped we would be by now or who we once were.

You might also find items in your toiletries to declutter that reflect a previous version of you, such as perfume you no longer like or use. Looking at those items on your vanity, day after day, creates mental clutter and overwhelm, especially when they are past their expiration date literally and philosophically.

Consider trying the one-emotion decluttering method. Every item you pick up and feel an overwhelming negative emotion about first should be decluttered. Only keep the items that make you happy.

This can be applied all over your home, including in drawers, cabinets, or even the artwork and decor you picked out years earlier.

3. Paperwork

There really is no need to keep old papers and files around beyond a sensible time. Learning how long you actually need to keep hold of important paperwork will help kickstart this thread of useful decluttering in your 50s.

I found it another great exercise for renewal to review all of my old files and stacks of papers. Hopefully for you, everything is in files or notebooks, so you can determine what's outdated easily.

Certainly, check with your attorney or an accountant regarding your tax records, but typically, you don't need to keep anything past seven years, so you can usually get rid of paper clutter securely.

There are so many other files that we collect over the years, that if we really took the time to look at them carefully, we would realize how many of them are irrelevant to our life now.

An uncluttered file cabinet that has extra space contributes to our sense of order and calm, and goes a long way to reduce brain fog and the heaviness that accompanies that.

Knowing your files and papers are up to date really does reduce mental load and inspires clarity.

4. Sentimental clutter

Decluttering sentimental clutter at any point in your life is difficult, but it is essential. I found that 50 is a great time to get rid of toxic sentimental clutter, in particular.

Some of these things may feel almost illegal to declutter, but they can lift an instant weight from your shoulders and help you say goodbye to chapters of your life you want to firmly leave behind.

This can be tricky, however, and can take the longest to accomplish.

Items tied to past relationships, jobs we used to work in, or who we used to be, only weigh us down by the emotional memories attached to these things.

For sure, keep items that still inspire you or give you that sense of pride of accomplishment from previous decades, but it's a matter of quantity. I had to remind myself that I don't have to keep things just because it was a gift or because I’ve had them for years.

When you let go of emotionally charged objects, it can bring instant lightness. It also makes space for deeper peace and living more in the present.

If you’re struggling with this one but you're determined to do it, you can gently let go of sentimental items with what's known as discharge decluttering.

You want your home to nurture who you are now and who you are becoming. When you consider adding up the emotional toll of the above-mentioned items, it makes sense why we have brain fog or feel stuck. All that clutter contributes to overwhelm and anxiety – that’s why Homes & Gardens’ head of Solved Punteha van Terheyden recently ruthlessly decluttered things at 40 for a fresh start to a new decade.