Emma Brown
Everything we own will eventually have to go somewhere. How much stuff do you own? Do you ever think about where it will go when you no longer use it?
I think about these questions a lot. I’ve been helping people declutter for about three years, and I’ve witnessed firsthand the volume of items that reside in any one house. With every decluttering job, I make it a priority to divert as much as possible from the landfill. But I have to charge more to do that – because it takes time. And the reality is that most people don’t want to pay a premium for that sustainability service.
This is the first environmental problem I see with the decluttering trend – the time it requires to do it responsibly. Thoughtfully sorting items and funnelling them into proper re‑use channels requires effort and follow‑through. From a business perspective, time costs money, which is why many people in this industry rely on junk bins, especially for large projects. A junk bin streamlines the decluttering process, but items that could be rehomed end up in the landfill instead.
The second environmental issue, in my opinion, is that decluttering is often confused with home organization. We’re encouraged to buy bins, rent storage lockers, or colour‑code bookshelves to regain a sense of control in our home. But that usually means we’re just managing our excess, not reducing it.
These two gaps in the decluttering conversation – making sure items are diverted from landfills and taking control of our consumption habits – call for a greater sustainability model. I think it’s time we moved beyond short bursts of minimalist trends and became more accountable for how much we accumulate and where we expect it all to go. I want to help others develop a long-term mindset for managing their stuff and reduce their consumption without feeling like a sacrifice.
My decluttering philosophy is called “Space is Luxury” because I believe there is real value in choosing to fill your home with space over stuff. Space gives you room to breathe and to live in a way that feels calmer and more intentional. Stuff clutters both your physical surroundings and your mind. You may not be conscious of it… But managing your things takes mental effort, too.
Space in your home brings more than peace; it brings hope and opportunity. I’ve helped many people make space in their home for their next life chapter – space for a new baby, for a post-divorce re-set, through the grief of losing a loved one, and on journeys towards end-of-life. Even though the process itself can be hard work, I’m encouraged by clients who have shared their positive experiences with my philosophy. Like Chris, who said he started painting again after our sessions. Or Sam, who gained greater clarity regarding family matters after our time together.
Now, I want to reach others before it’s too late, before a crisis dictates that more stuff needlessly ends up in a landfill. I want to encourage everyone – regardless of their life stage – to start thinking about what it would feel like to have more space in their home. Not to dream of a bigger home with more storage. Just to enjoy more space in their current home. No one should have to buy more items—more bins, more shelving, more storage lockers—just to manage what they own.
When we treat decluttering as an opportunity to value space over stuff, we create calmer households while nurturing a habit to reduce our impact on the planet. Once you’ve decided to let go of certain items, the donation and re-use side of the decluttering process can be incredibly rewarding. There is a particular joy in knowing that something you no longer need is now being used and appreciated by someone else.
I would like to encourage others to adopt a decluttering-for-reuse mindset as a form of environmental action. This weekend is the Exchange Weekend in Almonte, where citizens are encouraged to leave their used-but-still-useful items on their lawn with a visible FREE sign for anyone who may be interested. This is a great opportunity to bring more space into your home while giving your well‑loved items a new life. It’s also a chance to source something you’ve been looking for second-hand and free!
When The Rebound closed last fall, it left a void in our local recycling and reuse ecosystem. Many of us relied on it as a place to send good‑quality items and to find what we needed second‑hand. This weekend’s event offers a great opportunity to put out some of those items – like sporting goods, camping gear, electronics and furniture items – that the Hub doesn’t accept out for the taking…
I recently joined a group of engaged citizens who want Mississippi Mills to become a community leader in re‑use over hyper-consumption. The group is called Re‑Use in Mississippi Mills, and we believe that we can encourage our community to reuse more and waste less. Our mandate is clear, but the path towards that goal has not yet been carved out, so please reach out to our group at afterrebound@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved in re‑use efforts here in Mississippi Mills.
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Emma Brown owns Space is Luxury (spaceisluxury.ca), a local decluttering company that encourages people to remove stuff from their homes in exchange for space. If you’d like to talk and learn more about my philosophy, I’d love to connect. Reach out to me anytime at emma@blakelybrown.ca.
