A guide to decluttering: keeping essentials, living by your ethics and where to put your junk.

One day the pieces just came together. My pantry was organized in clear glass jars. I had a couch that wasn’t made with flame retardants. Papers were nonexistent save for their digital imprints. And my closet was filled with mostly biodegradable fabrics and free from any new petrolum-based fabrics or child labor.

It happened. I decluttered and I was becoming a conscious consumer. What?!

This is a good place to say that I’m not a lifestyle guru, a minimalist editor, a zero-waste warrior or a disciple of a certain Japanese folding queen. I, like many individuals and families, just wanted a functional home that was easy to clean.

The process was slow. I found out that it was mostly a back-and-forth conversation with myself. I got rid of something, and then before replacing or adding, I’d wait weeks and months before making a decision on a new piece. Here are a few steps you can follow for a clutter-free life.

Things you can do now:

Purge expired items. This is the gross part and includes ointments and pills that have expired. It also means you can divorce your year-old cream or liquid face products and your three-month-old mascaras. And don’t forget your years-old spices and nasty, separating condiments.

Get rid of things that do not fit in your life. Clothes that don’t fit you? Sayonara. The treadmill you’ve stopped using because of your gym membership? Bye-bye. Old photographs of high school friends that you haven’t spoken to in a decade? See ya never. Make room for who you are in the present day.

Go through the untouched gifts people have given you. Then pass them along. Don’t repack and regift, but casually offer to a friend who would appreciate it more. Or better yet, donate it.

Things to consider:

Do you need another decorative surface? I’m talking end tables and coffee tables. When people see a surface they want to plop items on top of it. Then boom – you have clutter in two days.

Keep routinely used items in your line of sight – it’s easy and you won’t have to wonder where you last put it. Things that you need on occasion (like your snack stash) can stay hidden.

Things you can do to maintain:

Commit to a routine life admin day. This is the time to recycle bits of paper you’ve been collecting, make a to-do list, and upload important information that you have in a hard copy to somewhere safer, like a cloud or calendar. Keep this out of your living spaces.

Stop mindlessly clicking links and unfollow retailers’ social media accounts. It’s estimated the average internet-connected person sees 4,000-plus ads a day. Instead, take a screenshot and move on. If you remember it’s there, return later to that item you want.

Make a list of five important questions to ask yourself before purchasing anything. Mine are as follows: Do I need this in my life now? What harm does it do to the environment? Is it efficacious? Am I OK with how this was made? Can I afford it? You don’t need positive confirmation for all of these questions, but aim for at least three. The goal here is to not only become a conscious consumer, but to build a home that fits your values.

Get rid of your “junk” at many local businesses and nonprofits.

• Goodwill (various locations; 423-8611) and Salvation Army (2460 N. Main St., Salinas; 443-9655) are good for small donations of furniture, small appliances, clothing and other household items.
• Food Bank for Monterey County (353 W. Rossi St., Salinas; 758-1523) accepts donations of nonperishable foods.
• Consignment shops like Crush Consignment (10 W. Gabilan St., Salinas; 975-4142) andPlato’s Closet (402 Lighthouse Ave., Monterey; 641-9919) resell your clothing.
• Various bookstores accept donations of (or buy) books, CDs and DVDs.
• L’Occitane (Ocean and Mission, Carmel; 626-7055) partners with TerraCycle to recycle cosmetic packaging.
• Last Chance Mercantile (14201 Del Monte Blvd. Marina; 384-5313) takes big donations of furniture, partially used house paints and electronics.
• Salinas Valley Recycles (139 Sun St., Salinas; 424-5520) also accepts hazardous items like batteries, electronics, pesticides and fertilizers, and paint.