Make Space for Others in Your Home

This is part of Stewie's Guide to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Clothes Today.

One of the simplest but most powerful ways we care for the people we love is by making space for them—literally and figuratively.

Think about it.

When you prepare a guest room for a friend, you clear off the bed, freshen up the sheets, and maybe even leave a little space in the closet. You don’t cram the room with your own clutter and expect them to squeeze in around it.

The same idea applies to the way we share space with family.

For example, my 10-year-old daughter has her own room—a space that belongs to her. And because I respect that, I keep my things contained in my own spaces. My clothes fit inside my closet. My personal items stay in my bedroom and office. I don’t let my stuff overflow into her space because that wouldn’t be fair to her.

And yet, it happens.

There are people whose clothes overrun their closets and take over their kids’ closets.

There are people whose living rooms have become storage units, stacked with boxes from floor to ceiling, forcing their families to live around the mess.

And there are people whose garages are so full of stuff that their cars sit outside, exposed to snow and storms, because there’s simply no room left for them.

And I get it. It’s easy to let things accumulate, to keep pushing off decisions about what stays and what goes.

But at some point, we have to ask ourselves, “Is my stuff taking up space that belongs to someone else?”

That’s why I set limits on what I own—not just for myself, but for the people I love.

Examples

• I keep my clothes contained, so they don’t spill into someone else’s closet.
• I don’t stash boxes in my daughter’s room just because I don’t want to deal with them.
• I make sure my stuff isn’t taking over shared spaces like the living room or kitchen.
• I keep my garage organized, so my wife can park her car inside—which, let’s be honest, is a lifesaver during big snow storms.

Because when we make space, we’re not just creating physical room. We’re creating mental and emotional room. We’re saying to the people we love, “You matter. Your comfort matters. Your space matters.”

So maybe it’s time to take a look around.

Is your stuff creeping into spaces that should belong to someone else? Would letting go of a few things make life easier—not just for you, but for the people you live with?

Decluttering isn’t just about having a tidy home. It’s about sharing space with care and intention—so everyone in your home, including you, can breathe a little easier.

Next steps…

• Read the rest of Stewie's Guide to Ruthlessly Declutter Your Clothes Today
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