How to get in the mood to declutter
As a professional organizer, of course decluttering is one of my absolute favorite things to do—I believe it to be one of the most important aspects of the organizing process. And I get HYPE. AF.
My clients…sometimes take a little longer to get on board.
Here’s why though. For me, having organized hundreds of homes, I can walk into the messiest, most chaotic spaces and see the AFTER. I can envision the floor space, the cleared surfaces, the breathing room. I revel in that. I know for sure it is possible and I know I will help lead the way. I’m committed, I’m all in.
Here are some tips to help YOU get inspired and ready to declutter.
Recognize your free will!
Here’s the thing. Paring down is a CHOICE. Sometimes dozens, hundreds, or even thousands of choices over which YOU hold the power, and your confidence builds and builds the more you honor your own wants and needs. And it can be so totally freeing to decide for yourself that you don’t want to be ruled by your belongings any longer.
You already spent the money, you already received the gift graciously, you already brought the item into your home—let go of any residual guilt. Now is the time to focus on what you CAN control which is the fate of these items. And you can control how you edit your environment to affect how you feel in it.
And it doesn’t have to be black-or-white decisions. It’s not only keep or donate. It can also be write the date on it then put it out of sight for now and if I don’t miss it or need it within 6 months, I’ll reevaluate. (Yes, put that expiration date on your calendar.) Other choices = sell it, take it to work, or see if anyone in your family or neighborhood wants it. Be flexible and think of what feels good to you AND helps you move forward.
I don’t come into peoples’ homes and say, “get rid of this, you don’t need this, let’s donate this.” I show you everything you have and empower you to make your own best choices that are aligned with your goals. I will hold you accountable to what you say you want, and I’ll sit with you in any discomfort that arises as we work our way there.
Quick note (it comes up with clients regularly, as recently as a new family I met this week): Watch your language and catch yourself if you slip this up. “Getting rid of” has a negative connotation. It’s much more empowering to say, “I’m choosing to donate this.” When you take time to make mindful choices about where your belongings will go it feels better because you’re not carelessly overflowing the landfills. (Along these lines, “I have to let go of this” sounds much more passive and even victimized than “I am ready to say goodbye to this item that I no longer need.”)
Accountability
It can help to have a buddy to check in with, checklists to cross off (broken down into small steps so you can do more checking!), and even publicly declaring you will spend 15 minutes tidying your bookshelf and removing out-of-place items. There are a ton of decluttering challenges online you can join.
Put it on the calendar to consciously block that time, to look forward to it (because how exciting that you are making a choice that will improve your home, that is self-care, that will yield good emotions). When it’s time to work, remove distractions, set a timer for your allotted time, and start moving. Begin with the low-hanging fruit and larger objects whose removal will show you some success to get you more invested.
Hesitant to start? How about 5 minutes? If you do nothing but remove the trash/recycling, it’s still in better shape than when you started. And progress > perfection. Come back for 5 more minutes when you’re ready. (It’s been my experience that just starting can be the hardest part, and people usually keep going after the timer goes off.)
Know what else can be fun? Taking your own before pics, progress pics, after pics. Even if you show them to no one but yourself. Or, have you ever tried recording yourself in timelapse as you work? Seeing yourself take action as you commit to this goal can make you feel proud.
A HUGELY important part of decluttering is that final step of actually removing these items from your home, instead of letting them sit in a pile in your home or trunk. Plan in advance where you want to donate your items, and reserve time to do that after your work—or have a designated day/time to do so. Mobilizing your clutter shows INSTANT results and offers immediate stress relief—it’s why I offer it as a FREE service at the end of our sessions.
Set up the environment to enhance focus
If you listen to music, make sure there’s no commercials. Not too loud that you can’t think. Not too somber that slows you down. What if you work in silence? Maybe that’s better for you so you can hear yourself think.
I also encourage talking aloud. It helps to get out of your own head because it gives you a tiny bit of distance. Ask yourself whatever questions help you feel good about your decision making process. You’re probably familiar with “Does it spark joy?” but that doesn’t resonate for everyone and it’s important to consider what help questions help YOU make choices swiftly and confidently.
Would I buy this again today, even if it weren’t on sale?
Have I used it within the last x months/year?
Do I truly love this, or do I just like it, or do I just love the idea of it?
Why am I holding onto this if I’m not wearing it/using it?
Does this fit my today body?
Is this sitting here with tags on because I can’t find a home for it, or because I don’t actually need/want it?
If I’m honest with myself, am I only keeping this because it was a gift from (Grandmom? my kid? a friend?)—read more about guilty clutter here.
Some people benefit from body doubling—find a friend or sibling with a shared goal for their own space, and (1) take turns helping each other in your respective spaces, or (2) commit to a time to work “together” on a video call.
What else will help inspire you? Fresh air? Open the window, turn on a fan, circulate that air! Light a candle, burn sage or incense. Pop a mint to keep you focused. And of course, stay hydrated because decluttering is WORK!
Notice how you feel afterward
And lean into that lightness. Sit in the cleared space. Admire the floor, notice the smoothness of the surface. Enjoy the space, the energy pulsing through you. The momentum you feel to keep going and going (as decluttering is a lifelong journey/commitment, even for minimalists).
If you rush, if you work through decision fatigue or burnout, or if you aren’t intentional with your process, you may feel regret. Let that be a lesson for the next time to go slower or notice your own red flags when you’re getting to much into the “eff-it” mindset and haphazardly tossing more than you are comfortable with into the donation bin.
Imagine how different one room would look/feel with this significant editing.
You won’t find more peace with more belongings. You won’t find calm in consumption. You won’t feel restful if you continue to mindlessly accumulate and have more stuff than space. It just doesn’t work that way.
Once you’re converted, it can be a mini adrenaline rush each time you identify an object as no longer needed or loved, and dropping it off at your favorite donation spot gives you that sweet rush of gratitude and generosity that feels so good to savor.
Build in decluttering to your normal everyday routines. Keep a bag or cardboard box by your closet or by the front door or in the garage and just have everyone in the family add to it as they identify items that no longer fit, they’ve outgrown, they don’t play it, etc. Normalize it as a lifestyle and not this monumental task to undertake when you feel overwhelmed.
I hope you have fun. You are among your favorite, most treasured items, and you are curating a home you love. You’re deciding to weed out the noise. When people hire me, I do my best to make it fun. And I also work so hard to personalize the process and instill my wisdom and expertise so you get on board with it but more so that you feel motivated and empowered to carry on without me. You can book a free call with me if you’re interested in learning more about professional organization.