YOUR
LIFE HEATHER AARDEMA
Hello & Welcome
Want to feel lighter? Break free from the excess, the noise, and the distractions that weigh you down.
" 99 Tips to Declutter Your Life" is a collection of ideas to help you embark on a journey toward a simpler, more intentional life.
This list encompasses three key areas in which to declutter: the Mind, Body, and Home, and provides a holistic approach to address those key aspects of life.
Start with the clutter assessment, read through the affirmations, and then dive into the 99 Tips. Do you have to try all 99 suggestions? No! Just try a few that resonate, and notice that life is getting lighter. And if you’d like to take the assessment again for tangible “proof,” please do so!
Wishing you lightness,
Heather Aardema Founder of the School of Living Lighter
CLUTTER ASSESSMENT
YES NO CLUTTER QUESTIONS
Do you frequently feel overwhelmed or stressed by the demands of your daily life?
4.
1. Do you often find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts? 2. Are your personal boundaries with others clearly defined? 3. Are you exposed to high levels of environmental toxins on a regular basis?
Do you experience regular cravings for unhealthy or sugary snacks?
5. Are you struggling to maintain your natural weight? 6. Do you frequently buy things without considering if you really need them? 7.
8. Do you struggle to find important items or documents? 9. Is it difficult for you to maintain an organized living space? 10. Are you motivated to make a change by decluttering and organizing your space? 11.
Do you find it challenging to let go of sentimental items or gifts?
I can let go.
I am more than my belongings.
I am committed to releasing what no longer serves me.
I am clearing the way for success.
I can let go of perfectionism.
I can trust.
I have enough. I am enough.
I choose lighter patterns. I trust my intuition.
I desire a calm and organized space. This is the right time.
I am meant to live in peace.
I am so light and free.
My memories are recorded within me forever.
I am liberated from attachments to the past.
It’s time to shine, my shine.
My home feels supportive, airy and spacious.
I have everything I need.
I am LIGHTER every single day.
SECTION 1: MIND
In this section, discover empowering strategies to free yourself from draining relationships, set healthy boundaries, and embrace a mindset that fosters selflove and personal growth. By challenging toxic thoughts, practicing gratitude, and engaging in mindful activities, you'll cultivate a mental space that is clear, calm, and feels lighter.
1.
Start by getting to the root of why you have clutter. What's the thought that keeps you surrounded by excess?
2.
Identify with what you want, not with what you don't. Stop telling yourself you ' re the problem, ie "I'm a collector," "I'm the keeper because everyone else has died," or "I'm the chubby one "
Notice your retail therapy urges and write them down in a journal for 1 week 3.
Hold off on impulse purchases and see if you want to buy those items 1 week later 4.
Embrace the concept that things are meaningless until you give them meaning 5.
6.
Identify 3 items you keep only because you think it makes someone else happy and give yourself permission to let them go guilt-free
Identify 3 expensive items you ’ ve bought but never used and give yourself permission to let them go guilt-free
7. Stop calorie counting if you are and it doesn't feel fun or rewarding 8.
Let go of 1 relationship that is draining 9.
10.
11.
Say no to 3 requests/invites that aren't a “Heck Yes”
Decide that the intentional protocol that you create for your lighter life is right for you regardless of how others do it (helps alleviate comparison-itis!)
12. Write down 3 thoughts about others that feel toxic and reframe those thoughts. There are no toxic people, just toxic thoughts about people
13. Define 3 operating manuals you have for how others "should" behave and either choose to share the manual with each person or choose to release it
14. Define, articulate and enforce 3 boundaries that feel empowering. A boundary is "what you will do if someone else does . "
15. Go 1 day without complaining
16. Go 1 day without criticizing yourself or others
17 Go 1 day without making excuses
18. Go 1 day without indulging in the optional thought "I don't know"
19. Go 1 day without worrying about things outside your control like other people's feelings
20. Notice when you ' re procrastinating and ask yourself what you ' re afraid of
21. Notice when you feel FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) and see if you can flip it to JOMO (Joy of Missing Out)
22. Instead of saying "I'm sorry " as in "I'm sorry I'm late," say "thank you " as in "thank you for your patience"
23. Choose a spiritual pursuit to explore that feels light to you
24. Explore a new activity like swing dancing, salsa or pickleball for one month
25 Get creative - paint, color with markers or pencils, or do a collage activity
26. Make an unplanned phone call to a special person
27. Sit under a tree for 15 minutes 2 times in 1 week
28. Take a walk in the woods after a rain storm or snowfall
29. Find something to laugh about 3 times in 1 day
30. Read a book for pure pleasure
31. Wade in a stream or the ocean and focus on the coolness of the water and the stones and or sand beneath your feet
32. Let go of a thought that hurts
33 Write down 5 specific gratitudes in a journal for 5 days in a row
SECTION 2: BODY
This section guides you on a path toward physical well-being by exploring the impact of nutrition, exercise, and self-care. From identifying food sensitivities, adopting cleaner eating habits, and experimenting with fasting techniques, to prioritizing quality sleep, embracing movement, and indulging in rejuvenating practices, you'll embark on a transformative journey toward inner harmony.
34. Drop refined sugar for 2 days and see how you feel
35. Drop flour of any kind for 2 days and see how you feel
36. Switch out 3 snacks with gluten for grain-free alternatives
37. Consume a rainbow of veggies over the course of 1 week
38 Eat a vegetable you haven't tried before
39. Don't buy food from the produce department if you don't have a plan for it
40. Make a recipe with 5 ingredients or less
41. Swap out a fast-food meal for a trip to the grocery store
42. Order the healthiest option at a restaurant (if you haven't pre-planned a "splurge")
43 Eat your last bite 3 hours before bedtime for 5 days straight
44. Try intermittent fasting where you eat all of your meals within a 10-hour (or less) window for 3 days
45. Use a "dry" brush for lymphatic drainage 3 times a week
46. Get sweaty 3 times a week through exercise
47. Try an infrared sauna session to help release toxins
48 Avoid bottled water and choose filtered water anytime you ' re thirsty
49. Drink half your body weight in ounces each day
50. Limit alcohol consumption to 1 drink a week (or less) for 1 month
51. Eliminate caffeine intake for 3 days
52 Go through your personal care items and throw out those with any obesogens
53. Avoid screens an hour before bedtime for 1 week
54. Use blue light blockers in the evening and see if your sleep feels more sound
55. Get 7-9+ hours of quality sleep a night
56 Stretch daily after you wake up and before bed for a month
57. Sit outside with your face pointed toward the morning sun for 10 minutes before your day starts
58. Practice Buteyko breathing exercises 3 days in a row
59 Activate the parasympathetic system through your choice of eye exercises, humming, or tapping 5 times
60. Star gaze (or moon gaze) 3 times in 1 week
61. Attend 1 "sound" bath or create your own experience with binaural beats at home
62 Seek out live music that makes you feel light
63. Find 20 minutes 3 times in 1 week to nap or rest
64. Walk barefoot in the grass for a few minutes, 3 days in a row
65. Try a foam roller for any body aches
66 Make 1 appointment for acupuncture, massage, reiki or another healing modality
SECTION 3: HOME
The Home section is dedicated to creating a harmonious living environment that supports your well-being. Through practical suggestions, you'll learn to declutter your physical space, organize belongings, and let go of items that no longer serve you. By incorporating natural elements, eliminating toxins, and infusing your surroundings with lightness, you'll transform your home into a sanctuary that nurtures your soul and fosters a sense of clarity and peace.
67. Monitor & audit your screen time for 1 week and see if the results surprise you
68. Toss any expired food from the refrigerator, pantry and cabinets
69. Throw out frozen food that has freezer burn
70. Decide if you ' re going to trash, sell, donate or gift your clutter
71. As you declutter, with each item, ask yourself, "Does this feel light or heavy?" If it is light, it's right (and not clutter) and if it's heavy, that's your answer to let it go
72. Get rid of clothes that don't fit (keep clothes for your ' now ' body) except for 3-5 items that you think you may want to wear again
73. Open junk drawers and declutter unnecessary multiples and anything not useful
74. Collect all of your paper in one container
75. Schedule a weekly time block to go through Paper Clutter to put in either a Later box or Recycling box
76 Spend 3 hours a month deleting digital clutter
77. Get rid of 100 items that you don't love or are not useful in 1 week
78. Create an exit plan if you have a storage unit if you have one and don't want one
79. Open the windows to let fresh air in any chance you can
80. Add 3 house plants to help detoxify the indoor air
81. Buy an air purifier for your home
82. Use a water filter to purify your drinking and shower water
83. Toss any synthetic fragrances and diffuse quality essential oils instead
84. Rid your home of dryer sheets and replace them with wool dryer balls
85. Throw out any Teflon and swap for stainless steel, ceramic, or other less toxic options
86. Avoid using the microwave for one week
87. Replace conventional bedding materials with organic alternatives
88. Turn off the Wi-Fi router at night and avoid charging electronic devices in your bedroom while you sleep
89. Use a salt lamp to neutralize negative energy
90. Go screen-free for 1 full day
91. Turn off the news and instead fill your space with a favorite song 3 days in a row
92. Eat a meal outside or on a balcony on a beautiful day
93. Enjoy a candlelit dinner
94. Plant a window-sill herb garden
95. Set up windchimes outside a window if you like them
96. Put fresh flowers in a vase
97. Rearrange the furniture in a way that feels light in each of your rooms
98. Make and enjoy the taste and aroma of a home-made meal
99. Let go of the physical clutter in your home
LISTLighter
You've gone through the list and tried a few of the suggestions.
Congratulations!
What are 3 aspects of life that feel lighter to you now?
CLUTTER ASSESSMENT
YES NO CLUTTER QUESTIONS
Do you frequently feel overwhelmed or stressed by the demands of your daily life?
1. Do you often find yourself dwelling on negative thoughts? 2. Are your personal boundaries with others clearly defined?
3. Are you exposed to high levels of environmental toxins on a regular basis?
5.
4. Do you experience regular cravings for unhealthy or sugary snacks?
Are you struggling to maintain your natural weight?
7.
6. Do you frequently buy things without considering if you really need them?
8. Do you struggle to find important items or documents? 9. Is it difficult for you to maintain an organized living space? 10. Are you motivated to make a change by decluttering and organizing your space? 11.
Do you find it challenging to let go of sentimental items or gifts?
A YOUR GUIDE
s a former ad executive, I spent two decades convincing people that they needed the latest gadget to be happy. And for most of that time, I believed it.
Struggling to find deeper meaning in my job towards the end of my corporate career, I distracted myself by buying anything I wanted telling myself I deserved it I couldn't take off my extra weight, my home was cluttered, and life felt complicated and heavy
Then, I discovered minimalism the intentional pursuit of focusing on what matters most by removing the distractions that remove one from life and felt myself getting lighter by the day. I walked away from corporate to pursue my dream of helping others tackle their clutter, uncomplicate their lives, and lose excess mental, emotional and physical weight for good. And with that, School of Living Lighter was born.
HeatherAardema
Founder, School of Living Lighter CLC, NBC-HWC, FMCHC
BREAK FREE FROM THE CHAINS OF CLUTTER
Introducing
The Living Lighter Membership
Living Lighter is our school's ongoing monthly curriculum & community where we deal with ALL THE CLUTTER so you can achieve YOUR LIFE GOALS
LivingLighter
Ready for less stuff, less stress, and less weight? Often, success is all about finding the right coach, curriculim and community
The Lighter Path Core Curriculum: 3-Stage Mind, Body and Home Healing Program
Daily Write-in Coaching Support from Heather through the ‘Ask Heather’ Section on Your Private Portal
4x Monthly Live Group Coaching & DO Sessions with Heather & others on the decluttering journey!
Monthly Inspirational Video Lesson & Workbook
Monthly Guest Expert Workshop (50+ Recordings with Decluttering, Organizing and Health & Well-being Experts)