De-Cluttering the Past: Clearing Space for a New Beginning
- Carmela Ruggiero
- May 22
- 4 min read
By Carmela Ruggiero
There comes a moment in life when we realise that the clutter around us is not just physical. It is emotional, spiritual, energetic, and deeply connected to our past.
Recently, I opened a page from the Stephanie King Solopreneur book, and the message felt incredibly aligned with my own life at this moment:
“I must be prepared to work hard and clear the clutter that is mine.”
Those words touched me deeply because for the past year, I have been decluttering over 22 years of memories, belongings, emotions, and stagnant energy.
As my son said to me recently, “Mum, this is like clearing three homes.”
And honestly, he is right.
There were the belongings from two previous homes before moving here over 20 years ago, and then there are the memories of raising children, the ending of a relationship, years of emotional experiences, and the countless boxes packed away into cupboards, lofts, garages, and forgotten corners of the house.
What I began to understand through this process is that clutter is rarely just “stuff.”
It often represents grief.
Attachment.
Fear of letting go.
Memories we are not ready to face.
Versions of ourselves we have outgrown but still hold onto.
.
As I’ve been sorting through boxes, I’ve realised how much our surroundings mirror our internal state.
A cluttered space can often reflect a cluttered mind.
Not because we are lazy or incapable, but because life happens. Relationships end. Children grow up. Trauma gets packed away emotionally and physically. We place things into storage “for later,” and before we know it, years have passed.
For a long time, I told myself:
“When the children are older, then I’ll move.”
“When life settles down, then I’ll clear everything.”
“When I feel stronger, then I’ll deal with it.”
But eventually, “later” arrives.
And when it does, we realise that stagnant energy can quietly keep us emotionally stuck.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is this:
When our environment is overwhelmed, our intuition struggles to flow freely too.
Clutter becomes like a fortress around us.
How can we hear ourselves clearly when every corner of our home is filled with unfinished emotional energy? How can we sit peacefully within our own mind if every object is attached to a memory, a wound, or an old version of ourselves?
It becomes emotionally exhausting.
I noticed it in my own life.
I stopped feeling comfortable meditating in certain rooms.
I felt overwhelmed sitting at my desk.
Even making a coffee in the kitchen carried emotional weight because I knew there were still boxes waiting to be sorted.
The house itself began to hold stagnant energy.
Yet at the same time, something beautiful also started happening.
The more I decluttered, the lighter I felt.
I noticed more energy returning.
More motivation.
More creativity.
More desire to build a new future.
It was as though every box I cleared created space not only in my home, but within my spirit too.
As many of you know through Ruggiero Studios, my art has always been deeply connected to emotion, spirituality, healing, and the soul journey.
Recently, I started documenting my artwork more intentionally because I realised my drawings reflect emotional periods of my life. They hold stories of grief, fear, hope, healing, anxiety, love, and transformation.
Art became a mirror of my inner world.
And just like decluttering a home, healing also asks us to gently look at what we carry emotionally.
If you are going through your own decluttering journey right now, I want you to know this:
You do not have to do everything at once.
One box is enough.
One drawer is enough.
One cupboard is enough.
That is still progress.
So many people avoid decluttering because it feels emotionally overwhelming. I completely understand that. Some boxes contain years of memories, old documents, photographs, relationships, grief, and emotional pain.
But every small action matters.
Even choosing one tiny corner of your home is a powerful energetic shift.
If you are thinking about decluttering, here are two tips that can help you:
1. Create energy while you clear
Do not approach decluttering as punishment.
Put music on.
Open the windows.
Light a candle.
Wear comfortable clothes.
Shift the emotional energy first.
When we create a lighter atmosphere, decluttering feels less emotionally heavy and more healing.
2. Don’t ask “should I keep it?” — Ask “Does this still support my life?”
This question changed everything for me.
Sometimes we keep things out of guilt, obligation, fear, or attachment to the past. But ask yourself gently:
Does this object support who I am becoming?
If the answer is no, it may be time to lovingly release it.
Decluttering is not just cleaning.
It is grieving.
It is healing.
It is transforming.
It is making peace with the past while creating space for the future.
For me, this journey has also become about finally allowing myself to dream again, dreaming of a new home, a new environment, new energy, and a new chapter of life.
And perhaps that is what clearing space truly means.
Not losing the past…
But making room for what wants to arrive next.
If your home feels overwhelming right now, please be compassionate with yourself.
Life circumstances, emotional pain, health struggles, neurodivergence, grief, exhaustion, and responsibilities can all affect our ability to manage our surroundings.
You are not failing.
You are processing.
Take one step at a time.
And remember:
Even one cleared box is still a victory.
If this blog resonated with you, you can explore more of my spiritual artwork, reflections, healing blogs, oracle guidance, and creative projects through Ruggiero Studios Official Website.
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If you are currently going through your own decluttering or healing journey, I would love to hear from you. Please feel free to leave a comment, share your experience, or connect with me through the website.
With Love and Light,
Carmela xx
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