Rewriting My Story: Week 3 Recap & What’s Coming in Week 4
Week 3 of the 90-Day Glow Up Challenge was all about clearing out the clutter—both digital and physical—and honestly? It felt like a breath of fresh air.
I made serious progress, wrapped up (almost) the last of the basement chaos, and found joy in organizing files, deleting old junk emails, and saying goodbye to stuff I’ve been holding onto for way too long (looking at you, ugly flower pots from my first apartment).
It wasn’t all perfect—but I feel lighter, more focused, and ready to take on Week 4, which is all about clearing mental clutter and building a morning routine that actually works for me.
Digital Decluttering: Old Flash Drives & Fresh Space
Digital decluttering went surprisingly well! I stuck to my plan each day and even found some old scribblings and chat logs from years back that made me smile. But it wasn’t all nostalgia—some parts hit harder.
Going through photos from difficult periods in my life was tough, but deleting the ones that just triggered bad memories felt freeing. Now, when I look through old pictures, I’m not bracing myself—I actually enjoy the experience.
Bonus: clearing out apps, files, and inboxes took less time than expected. Even unsubscribing from junk emails was fast—and deeply satisfying. Daily digital wins? Absolutely loved them.
Basement Decluttering: Almost There!
I’m this close to being done. The only thing left is hauling the last of the junk (yes, I’m upgrading “garbage” to “unwanted stuff”) to the waste facility.
Wrapping up this phase felt amazing. I’ve been dreading it for ages, but once I got into it, I felt like I was reclaiming control over my space. One of the best moments? Completely emptying one of the storage rooms—it hasn’t been like that in seven years.
And yes, I finally tossed those old, hideous flower pots I’d somehow moved from apartment to apartment for 20 years. I don’t know why I held onto them, but it felt ridiculously good to let them go.
Habit Recap: Locked In & Moving Forward
This week’s habits felt natural, and 2 of them are now officially locked in. Here’s the rundown:
Habit Win: Water Goal: 2 32-oz Water Bottles
Nailed it! I drank one water bottle (32 oz) during the workday and another after school pickup. It felt so natural, I didn’t even have to think about it.
Habit Win: Intermittent Fasting (16/8)
I don’t want to brag, but… this one is working so well. The app keeps me motivated, and I feel like it’s really helping with my binge eating habits. My body’s adjusting, and I don’t feel constantly hungry anymore.
Habit Locked-In: Quality Time With My Dog (Now Fully Distraction-Free!)
This one is now stacked onto our afternoon walk, which makes it so easy to remember. Next week I will also be stacking her walks with the school drop-off and pickup routine—good for her, good for me.
Habit Locked-In: Check-Ins with My Boyfriend
Morning messages and afternoon check-ins are now second nature, so I’m building on this by introducing a weekly relationship check-in dinner every Tuesday night. No TV, just talking, laughing, and planning life together.
Habit Win: Workday Planning + Daily To-Do List
Planning my top 3 priorities at the end of the day now comes with a full next-day to-do list, which helps me start the next workday with total clarity.
Lessons From Week 3: Progress Looks Different Every Week
This week reminded me that progress doesn’t always look like fireworks—sometimes it’s subtle. It’s choosing to keep going even when you don’t feel like it. It’s deleting one folder. Drinking one more glass of water. Saying no to things that drain you.
I didn’t have any big dramatic moments this week. No meltdowns, no breakdowns—just small steps forward. And honestly? That’s a win in itself.
Not every week needs to come with a major breakthrough. Sometimes the lesson is in the consistency—in showing up, tweaking routines, and trusting that it’s working, even if the results aren’t loud.
I felt calm. Clear. Motivated. And for me, that means something’s working.
Week 4 Focus: Clearing Mental Clutter
After weeks of decluttering my physical space, this week I’m turning inward. Mental clutter is just as draining as physical mess—sometimes even more so. So this week, I’m working on clearing out all that invisible chaos in my head.
Here’s how I’m tackling it:
What I’m Focusing on for Mental Clutter:
Positive Self-Talk & Boundaries – Letting go of perfectionism and being okay with “good enough.”
Brain Dumps & Journaling – Writing out whatever’s on my mind, no filter, just release.
Tackling Open Loops – Small to-dos I keep putting off? It’s time to get them done.
Reducing Input Overload – Less doom-scrolling, fewer tabs, more intentional screen time.
Practicing Mindfulness – A few minutes each day of breathing or stillness to reset my brain.
Creating My Morning Routine
After three weeks of setting foundations, Week 4 felt like the perfect time to lock in a morning routine—and honestly, mine is already pretty solid.
I wake up 15 minutes before I actually get out of bed and spend that time checking in with myself—a trick I learned in therapy. It helps me get a read on how I’m feeling and what thoughts and emotions I might need to manage that day (hello, BPD).
Then I get up at 7:00, which gives me a full hour before I have to leave the house. I take care of myself first—getting dressed, brushing my teeth, washing my face, drinking water, vitamins, making the bed.
Then I wake up my son and give him a soft start to the day with a little iPad time in bed (Fun fact, my mother does the same thing, so like grandmother like grandson, I guess.). I make his breakfast and lunch, help him get ready, and the rest of the time is used for small chores like doing the laundry or moving things around for James, my beloved Robovac.
I walk my son to school at 8:00, and by the time I’m back home around 9:00, I’ve already gotten in a full hour of walking.—a pretty great start to the day, both physically and mentally.
Right now, this routine works perfectly for me, so I’m not adding anything new just yet. But if you’re building your own morning routine, start simple. Pick 2–3 things that make you feel centered and build from there.
Need ideas? Check out our Morning Routines page:
👉 Morning Routines
Final Thoughts: This is Starting to Feel Like Real Change
This week brought something new: I actually feel better about myself. Like, not just proud for checking things off a list—but genuinely lighter, more focused, more hopeful.
Of course, some days are harder than others. Getting started with decluttering still feels like a chore some mornings, but once I’m in it, I’m fine. The momentum is building, and I finally believe that real, lasting change is happening.
If you’re following along and feeling overwhelmed—remember, you don’t have to do it all at once. Just take one step, one task, one small shift at a time.
We’re in this together.
How’s Your Mental Space This Week?
Let me know how your Week 3 went—or what you’re focusing on in Week 4. I’d love to hear how your glow-up journey is going!
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