Before you lean into all that emotional catharsis, it's time to get practical: Pick your space and stage the area.
"Always set an intention before you begin, ideally focusing on the ideal scene upon completion," says Pettit. "Begin with the end in mind. What are your goals? How do you want the space to function post-declutter? How do you want to feel?"
Once you've set your intention, prep some boxes or trash bags for sorting and label them trash, donate sell, recycle, belongs to others, etc. "Sort like with like and make sure you sort everything in the space you have chosen," says Pettit.
And don't cut corners. "Completion is key here," she says. "If you start in one space, finish that space. My only rule if I have to have one is to get the items you have decluttered out of your space that same day. Clutter holds energy, so it's best to get the energy out of your space at once."