An Autumn Equinox Ritual: A Time to Create Space and Recharge
Let me be clear: I’m not a mystic, nor am I an organizational expert.
But I am quite aware of the subtle shift I feel with the change of seasons.
Do you feel it too?
As the days get shorter, there’s a different energy in the air.
Birdsong begins to quiet.
Trees start letting go of their leaves.
Nature’s summertime vibrancy slowly begins to dim.
Nature is preparing for a new season.
And since we’re part of nature, it's a good time to use this transition as an opportunity to check in with ourselves, too.
Maybe you feel it as butterflies in your belly, an opening in your chest, or a gentle ping that says: It’s time to reset.
Below you'll find a simple autumn equinox ritual to clear clutter, create space, reduce mental overload, and make room for rest, clarity, and new growth.
The Impact of Letting Go
For me, autumn brings an internal, almost excitable energy that nudges me to let go.
Over the years, I seem to have developed an unplanned seasonal practice of taking inventory of what’s taking up unnecessary real estate in my head, my home, and even my calendar:
Negative thoughts that keep looping.
Clutter that no longer serves a purpose.
Clothes that have seen their day.
Commitments, habits, and even experiences that no longer light me up.
This year, that unplanned nudge has turned into a more structured “letting go” practice.
I’ve committed—and asked my husband to commit—to letting go of three things every day. It can be something we haven’t used in years, something taking up space in a drawer, or something that simply doesn’t light us up from head to toe.
In my husband’s case, I had to do a little bribing.😅
He really wants to move back to the West Coast, but things haven’t quite manifested yet. So I told him, “If you want to move back west, maybe you can start moving your energy in that direction now. Get rid of three things every day. You’ll create some movement and make packing much easier when the time comes.”
The result?
It sparked something in him, and he’s (mostly) been cleaning things out!
One day, he cleaned out his bathroom drawer and got rid of old toiletries (see below what we do with them.)
Another day, it was as simple as ditching an empty cardboard box that had been tucked away in a closet.
And you know what?
It. Feels. So. Good.
There’s something about having more space and less clutter that makes everything feel a little lighter. My mind feels more open. I rest more easily. There’s less visual distraction. I seem to move through the day with a little less friction and a little more ease.
And research supports that feeling.
Studies suggests that cluttered environments can compete for our attention and make it harder to focus. Studies have also found associations between cluttered home environments, stress, and cortisol levels. In other words, our physical surroundings may influence how mentally overloaded—or at ease—we feel.
It's one reason I’ve started thinking about decluttering as more than cleaning up our home. It's a way of creating an environment that supports how we want to feel.
On the toiletries: We have a LOT of old toiletries, and it pains me to throw things away knowing they’ll end up in a landfill. For me, investing in a TerraCycle beauty recycling box has been worth it. I bought one two years ago and am still filling it up. It gives me an option for some of those hard-to-recycle items that might otherwise end up in the trash.
A Decluttering Practice for You
Maybe you’re already feeling that seasonal nudge and cleaning things out, too. (If so, I’d love to hear about it!)
If not—and you’re craving a little more breathing room—here’s a simple practice you can try.
Every item in your space, even the ones tucked away in a drawer, represents something your brain has to register when you encounter it.
So pick something up and ask yourself:
Can I move it, use it, or lose it?
If you use it regularly or absolutely love it, keep it.
If you don’t, consider whether it’s time to give it another life.
Have a local Buy Nothing group? Post your “lose it” items there. It’s amazing how quickly something collecting dust in your home can become exactly what someone else was looking for.
Ask yourself: Does this belong in the life I’m creating now?
Because keeping things you don’t love, need, or use doesn’t just take up physical space.
It can add to the visual and mental load surrounding you. Decluttering, then, becomes about more than tidying up. It can be a small act of caring for yourself as well as your environment.
And every time you decide what stays and what goes, you get a little more practice listening to yourself (say hello to your intuition!).
Making Space for What Matters
When you clear physical space, you may notice that you create a little mental space, too.
Think about an old computer with too many files open at once. Everything starts moving a little more slowly. Sometimes you just need to close a few tabs.
We can be a little like that, too.
With less competing for your attention, it may become easier to notice what you actually want, need, or have the capacity for.
That openness gives you room to pause before automatically saying “yes” to another request, commitment, or purchase.
You can ask:
Does this leave me feeling energized, or does it drain me?
Over time, you may start recognizing that strong, embodied YES—the kind of yes that lights you up from head to toe.
And perhaps just as importantly, you become a little more comfortable gently saying no to the things that weigh you down.
Your 10-Minute Autumn Equinox Ritual This Week
You don’t need to spend an entire weekend reorganizing your house to feel a shift.
Try giving yourself just 10 minutes a day this week.
By the end of seven days, you’ll have spent more than an hour intentionally creating space for yourself. Think of it as a small act of self-care rather than another task on your to-do list.
Choose one small space: a kitchen drawer, your bathroom cabinet, one shelf in your closet, or that one drawer we all have that somehow contains three batteries, six pens that don’t work, a mystery key, and a takeout menu from 2019.
Before you begin, find a comfortable place to sit or stand.
Close your eyes and take three slow breaths.
Inhale comfortably, allowing your belly and ribs to expand. Then let your exhale become a little slower and longer.
With each exhale, say quietly to yourself:
Today, I’m letting go of what I no longer need.
Then open your eyes and look around.
Ask yourself:
What am I not using?
What doesn’t light me up?
Will I realistically use this within the next three months?
If the answer is no, consider letting it go.
Post it to your local Buy Nothing group. Pass it along to someone who will love it. See whether it can be recycled through TerraCycle, Trashie, or your local recycling program. Donate something that still has plenty of life left in it.
And yes, I fully recognize that finding responsible homes for everything can take way more than 10 minutes! I keep giveaway items together, tucked away where I can’t see them, and then set aside time to find them new homes.
Take a Moment to Notice
When your 10 minutes are up, don’t immediately rush to the next thing.
Pause and observe the space and yourself.
How do you feel?
Maybe your shoulders have softened.
Maybe there’s a little less chatter in your mind.
Maybe you suddenly want to tackle another drawer.
Or maybe you’ve simply created enough space for a new idea to sneak in.
This is the beauty of letting go.
The autumn equinox gives us a natural reminder that letting go isn’t necessarily about loss. Just look at the trees. Each year, they release their leaves, rest through the winter, and return with new growth.
Sometimes, creating space outside of ourselves gives us a little more room inside—for rest, clarity, creativity, growth, and whatever comes next.
Your turn: Choose one small space and give yourself 10 minutes to let go of what you no longer need. Then notice how you feel.
And if you try it, I’d love to hear what you cleared out—and whether creating a little more space outside helped create a little more space inside, too.
