If you've seen my Snapchat recently at all (@ManitaRughwani) you'll know that I've been decluttering quite a lot.
Ok fuck it, my whole life has become about decluttering now.
Since my mum passed away, I've been left with a LOT of shit to deal with. 3/4 of it is material shit. Stuff. Belongings. Possessions. Call it what you want, it's material matter.
I'm going through a bit of a self-discovery phase at the moment- questioning my relationship with fashion, spirituality & all the rest of it. As much as I love and adore the fashion industry and being a part of it, I've also been negatively impacted by it through the pressures and desires to shop, shop, shop.
Thankfully I'm (almost) over it all now thanks to my therapist but having to deal with another person's possessions really has made me see that we place way too much value on 'stuff'. Stuff that can't be taken to the grave. Trust me, God won't allow you through the heavenly gates if you try & flaunt your new Proenza Schouler bag in his face.
Having said that, fashion is amazing. It's part of why I love my life. As an inward person it allows me to express myself & it empowers me to a point where I start to forget about my body hang-ups and insecurities.
So what happens when you just sit there & realise just how much stuff you've accumulated? When you start to feel sick at just how much stuff is lying around brand new, never worn, with tags on (addicts will relate to this). Once you have the realisation that fashion clutter = energy clutter you'll start to take action ASAP. With a basic understanding of Feng Shui I can tell you that everything around you right now is having an impact on your everyday mood. If something is 'off' in your environment, you will feel off too. When entryways are blocked full of your midi-heel ankle boots, believe it or not your energy is blocked too!
Fear not though! I'm here to give you the rundown of how I've managed to start decluttering my flat & what's helped me through the incredible but bloody tiring process...
1) eBay = Your New Bestie
You'll want to start separating things that you have a feeling may sell & stuff you know is better off going to a local charity. The best things to put on eBay are anything with tags on or in its original packaging. However, you'd be surprised at just how much will sell. I've sold things I've worn 3-4 times & regained the retail value of.
I know there are loads of new ways to sell out there now & just about everyone and their mother is on Depop but for me, I've found more success on eBay purely because of the sheer amount of buyers & its access to different age groups.
From my experience, it depends on how much time you have & want to commit to the process. For me, this is like a job now. I commit to it for a chunk of time every day because I need to get through a big accumulation. If you've got some time to spare now and then, take some clear photos on your phone & when you're on the bus twiddling your thumbs upload them on the app & write a brief description.
My main tip would be to be clear and honest with everything you sell & never deceive a buyer. I'm lucky to have a 100% positive feedback score because I message everyone back & provide a straight-forward overview of each item to avoid confusion or returns. (Oh, another thing... if you want to save yourself the hassle make sure you use the 'no returns' option). Over time, you'll also begin to learn what will sell best through an auction or 'buy it now' format but even if you're clueless, eBay gives you a recommendation when you first list based on items that have sold that are like yours.
2) Emotions = Your Ex
As you go through this process of clearing the energy around you, you're bound to find things that you just aren't sure if you can depart with. You'll start to put things in the 'unsure' pile and you'll never bring yourself to get rid of them in case someone throws a 'dress like a twat' party.
Unfortunately you're just going to have to disconnect with those ridiculous emotions & let go of the basic ass Michael Kors bag (my struggle rn).
Emotions are not your friend in this process. Unless something is overly, overly sentimental to you, you can afford to get rid of it.
3) You ARE the New Serena van der Woodsen!
Serena van der Woodsen is by far the best TV style icon for you.
Why? Because whatever she wears, she looks amazing.
You may be thinking... well what if I don't have her incredible legs or luscious bouncy hair?
Well it really doesn't matter. I think Blake Lively embodies so much damn confidence just in being comfortable with herself and it radiates SO much which is why even in skinny jeans and a baggy tee, she looks fabulous. In the interviews I've seen with her, she's super humble & down-to-Earth and I think there's a big misconception that being a fashionista has to come with the stuck-up, bitchy attitude and that is certainly not the case. In fact, I think people need to stop this facade because it really takes away from something that can be so, so, so unifying.
Anyway... point being is that the more you clear out, the more you'll start to realise that YOU are what is exuding fabulousness, not the clothes you wear. Oh, and you'll also start to create wardrobe staples which will make up for the stuff you've gotten rid of (think versatile blazer, those oh-so skinny jeans which work with everything, a day-night skater skirt, utility playsuit & a shift dress which is so comfortable you never want to take it off).
4) The Universe Gotcha Boo
I'll just let you read this & absorb it in whichever way you need to...
5) Reinvest That £££
Recently I've realised just how much I love to change up my location & explore new places. I really want to travel more in my life and invest in experiences rather than possessions.
At the end of this life within the Kali Yuga (age of downfall), I really do want to feel some satisfaction that I've at least explored some of the gifts Mother Earth has given us. You can too! (It might take selling that Givenchy bag tho...)
Having gone through a couple of near-death experiences, that whole 'life flashing before your eyes' thing is seriously true. In the quickest second or two you'll ever experience, you suddenly remember the MOST prolific events that have happened to you or the things that have shaped your entire existence.
So what do you want to remember in the end? What you've done or what you've owned?
