Ally Canita: Where Less Becomes More
Ally Canita teaches us that the gentle art of intentional decluttering isn’t just about tidying up your home–it’s about making room for the life and values you want to nurture
Life with our families is beautifully memories, and the numerous little things we unsuspectingly accumulate as time flies by. A house becomes a home, so thoroughly lived in that each room is filled to the brim with fond memories and belongings that we don’t realize have piled up. This is the wonderful everyday life we are blessed to live.
And yet, it creeps up on us: the realization that spaces and corners of the house that were once meant for rest now feel crowded, leaving little to no room to breathe, reflect, and dream of the future. A stray toy here, piles of worn-out clothes there—It’s all a reflection of the sentimental clutter we find ourselves occasionally getting lost and buried in.
This is where Ally Canita, a mother of two, comes in. With a gentle approach centered on intentionality and mindfulness, and a dream of creating nurturing space, Ally helps families clear visual noise in their homes to make room for what matters most.
Reducing The Things That Add Noise To Your Life
The roots of Ally’s advocacy stem from her own lived experiences. Growing up in a big home where she shared a room with her sister, she never thought about what it meant to take care of her own space—until she briefly moved abroad and had a place to call her own. As she built a life out of the country, she also began to accumulate a lot of belongings. “Sometimes I’d find myself during the weekend sleeping on a sofa [piled] with laundry clothes,” she fondly recalls.
When Ally returned home after five years, she brought with her a haul of possessions that now felt overwhelming in a smaller home as she started a family. This pushed her to a point that she started selling things she no longer found purposeful. “I lived a life of reducing the things that added to the noise of my life. And then, eventually I realized I did this for clarity–how I want to live. I was [also] teaching my family that if they’re feeling stressed, it must also be their space.”
As she realized that the state of her home mirrored her internal well-being, Ally became motivated and pursued professional training in organizing, discovering her passion and purpose: intentional decluttering.
Decluttering intentionally is essentially about going back to your ‘why’. It isn’t just about neatness–it’s asking yourself: What am I creating space for? What do I hope to get out of this, not just in my home, but in my life?
The Balancing Act of Decluttering And Being a Parent
Ally admits that it’s easier said than done. Everyone has different intentions. In the same way, everyone has different attachments—and these impact how difficult it is to start the process. For some parents, the attachment is financial: being able to buy a ton of toys for their children because they didn’t have enough of it growing up. For others, it’s tied to identity. “I used to buy a lot of clothes because I attached my identity to what I would wear. I would wear a lot of black because black meant power,” Ally recalls. “I didn’t know it was a fear [driving me to keep] holding on to these things.”
The important thing, Ally stresses, is to remember that when embarking on this change, it all depends on the timing of your life and your readiness. It isn’t a race you must quickly finish, but a journey of small, intentional steps toward the life you want.
Sometimes, Ally also encounters parents navigating more complicated realities: grieving families, seniors, or those coping with conditions like PTSD and ADHD. In those cases, she knows that patience and compassion are key. “If they’re not ready yet, then they’re really not ready yet,” she says. “Instead, I refer them to [mental health] professionals or organizations [that can better support them.}”
We cannot keep giving from a cup that is filled to the brim—we risk losing balance, and with it, pieces of ourselves in the process. Making space allows us to give more, and to be more, for both ourselves and those we love.
Making Small But Meaningful Changes
While the journey of intentional decluttering can feel quite overwhelming at first, Ally shares three small but powerful changes you can start making today. First, define your intention and clarify what you want. Think about what is important for the family and the life you want to create.
Even if you’re unsure at first, taking that first step to put your space in order exposes you to the things that are valuable and those that you can afford to let go. We must want to create the life we are envisioning. Everything starts with intention.
Make time for mindfulness and being one with your thoughts. Even something as simple as making your intentions tangible. Just like manifestation, writing down your clear intentions on a piece of paper is a powerful way to kickstart your journey because you introduce clarity into your life.
“You end up going on a beautiful journey of really uncovering how you want to live instead of just saying yes to everything inside your life,” Ally reflects.
So start small. Start with yourself–the forgotten receipts in your bag, the worn out clothes in your closet, the tangled chargers in your drawer. Each small step is an act of intention, and they all count in getting you to start putting in the work.
By letting go of what no longer serves you, you make room for what truly matters.
Want to read the cover stories?
Janella Salvador And Elisse Joson: Moms Of This Generation
Marian Rivera and Dingdong Dantes: On Top of the World
Jodi, Dennis, Ian, Iza, and Dimples: The Role of a Lifetime
To read the full article, grab a copy of Modern Parenting’s special Mother’s Day and Father’s Day 2025 Print Edition—available on sarisari.shopping. Download the e-magazine from Readly or Press Reader for more exclusive features and stories
