Your home might be running on the default settings you didn’t choose. Here’s how to spot them—and reset.
Let’s talk about default settings (and how they sneakily clutter up your life)
We all have “default settings.”
Some are built-in.
Some are passed down from well-meaning family members.
And some we pick up like digital junk—sneaky little pop-ups that quietly install themselves without asking.
(You know, like when your phone used to autocorrect “f*ck” to “duck” until it finally learned you’re more likely to swear than go birdwatching. Although now, “Just ducking into the shop” can get wildly misinterpreted if you’re not careful.)
Just like autocorrect, our homes, habits, and even identities can run on old programming. And if you’ve ever looked around your space and thought, “Wait, why do I even HAVE this?”—this one’s for you.
What does “default setting” even mean in real life?
In tech terms, it’s the pre-set option that comes with a device.
In life, it’s the belief, habit, or expectation that you didn’t actively choose—but somehow started following anyway.
It shows up as:
- Keeping every gift you’ve ever received (even if it makes you cringe)
- Hanging onto clothes that haven’t fit your body or style since 2013
- Feeling responsible for things that were handed down, left behind, or shoved your way by someone else’s “just in case” mentality
These things usually stick around not because we love them, but because we’re running on autopilot. On old scripts. On other people’s rules.
Especially for neurodivergent folks: this runs deep
If you’re ADHD, autistic, or living with any kind of executive dysfunction, you’ve probably spent a lifetime navigating systems that weren’t built for your brain. Which means you might be extra familiar with:
- Perfectionism that tells you if you can’t do it “properly,” don’t do it at all
- Guilt about letting things go—even when they’re not serving you
- A tendency to collect “safety objects” just in case the world gets chaotic (which… it often does)
None of this makes you bad at decluttering.
It just means the default advice doesn’t work for your actual life.
The big shift: Start questioning the defaults
Decluttering isn’t about throwing things out—it’s about choosing consciously.
So the next time you pick something up and feel stuck, try asking:
- Do I even like this?
- Who told me this mattered?
- Am I keeping this out of guilt, fear, or just habit?
- Is this object part of my current life—or someone else’s past expectations?
No judgment. No shame. Just curiosity.
Because every time you update an old default, you’re not just clearing space.
You’re reclaiming control of your surroundings—and your story.
You’re allowed to change the rules (even the sacred ones)
Let’s gently challenge some popular clutter commandments:
❌ “It was expensive!”
✔️ Money’s already spent. Your guilt won’t refund it.
❌ “It might come in handy!”
✔️ If it hasn’t come in handy since Rove Live was on TV, chances are… it won’t.
❌ “But my mum/dad/Nan always kept this kind of thing!”
✔️ That’s lovely for them. But this is your house, your brain, and your rules now.
TL;DR:
If your clutter feels like it’s not really yours, you’re probably right.
You don’t need to keep everything you’ve been told to value.
You get to choose what matters now—not just what made sense back then.
Want help figuring out which settings are truly yours?
That’s literally what I do.
🧠 Check out my self-paced course Simplicity with Lauren Winzar for tools and strategies that work with your neurodivergent brain (not against it).
📞 Or book a 1:1 coaching session if you want support unpacking the mental AND physical clutter in real time.
You don’t have to do this alone. And you definitely don’t have to do it “perfectly.”
Over to you:
What’s one “default setting” you’re ready to question today?
Come chat with me over on Instagram or Facebook. I’ll be the one ducking into the shop… but probably not for long.