3 Tips to Overcome the Struggles of Decluttering
/While having an organized home has many benefits, it’s only one half of the equation. Owning an abundance of possessions, no matter how well organized, can have a negative impact on your life. Every item in your home is consuming, not only space, but time and energy. Today is a great day to start minimalizing your possessions and gain freedom from unnecessary items.
Bear with me, I’m not saying you should throw out every item in your home that doesn’t have a specific function or that you haven’t used in a week, but you should evaluate which possessions are truly needed and frequently used, versus which items are simply causing you headaches. It’s no easy task to declutter, but it will be worth the effort—saving you both time and money! I know you have excuses—reasons you’re holding on to items that need to be let go. I want to help you move past those struggles.
Time
Not having enough time is an excuse we all use—no time to workout, no time to clean, no time to declutter. Every item in your home requires attention in one way or another—you shuffle around the clothes you don’t wear to find the ones you do, riffle through mixing bowls in the kitchen to get to the one you like to use, pick up the toys the kids toss aside in search of their favorites, and dust countless trinkets that have little meaning or significance. The clutter in your life is costing you time—minimalizing your possessions will help you take it back.
Decluttering doesn’t have to be an insurmountable task—it’s okay to take it slow. Go through your home one room at a time or trying to fill a laundry basket each week with things to donate, sell, or toss. Find a method that works for you—it’s better to make small changes over time than make excuses and never achieve any results! The more you declutter the more living minimally becomes a lifestyle instead of a chore.
Wishful Thinking
It’s not always simple deciding which items truly deserve a place in your home. There will come a time when the excuse of wishful thinking will trick you into holding onto a possession—thinking you’ll sew up the hole in that shirt you haven’t worn in 6 months, thinking you’ll fix a broken toy your child probably doesn’t remember owning, saying you’re going to repair the blender that has been broken for over a year, or thinking you’ll sell the expensive vase that’s in storage because it no longer matches your decor.
If you are actually going to do those things—sew the shirt and wear it, fix the toy and put it back in the toy box, repair the blender and start drinking smoothies, sell the expensive vase and earn some cash—by all means, schedule the time to do it! But, if you’re using wishful thinking as a way to justify why that item is still in your home, it’s time to say goodbye and move-on. It’s okay!
What’s that? You feel guilty?...
Guilt
Guilt is one of the strongest emotions that holds people back from purging their unwanted possessions.
It’s okay to get rid of that sweater you thought you really wanted but ended up not liking the fit. Minimalizing will help you become a more conscientious buyer.
It’s okay to get rid of the gift Aunt Bethany got you five years ago for your birthday. The fact that you have guilt about getting rid of that gift means the gesture was appreciated, but now it’s okay to be upfront with yourself and admit you don’t need that item in your life.
Don’t let guilt hold you back from decluttering—let it motivate you…
Let’s say you have a winter coat that you spent a lot of money on, it’s been taking up space in the closet for years, and you’re letting the amount of money it cost guilt you into keeping it. Now, imagine a person who is struggling to get by, someone who would gladly put that coat to good use. Feel guilty about not donating the coat. We’re all familiar with the phrase “one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Guilt is such a powerful emotion. Use it to your advantage.
