Decluttering mistakes to avoid to help keep you motivated. It can be easy to fall for these traps when starting out with decluttering and minimalism, but I am here to help you avoid these and have a smooth journey.
1. Don’t put pressure on yourself.
I know it is tempting to say that you want it done in one weekend, but this just isn’t always achievable. You need to be realistic. There is no rush to get this done, you just need to be continuing to work on this. Therefore, take your time. If you take your time, you will think more carefully about each item and will be more likely to be able to let things go. If you rush, you may end up keeping more than you need. Adding a time pressure, will also leave you feel deflated and unmotivated, when you don’t achieve your goal. If you do small manageable chunks, you are more like to feel success at each stage and be motivated to keep going each time.
2. Don’t buy new stuff.
You may think that buying storage furniture and boxes is the answer. I am here to confirm that this is only adding to the problem. You need to declutter first before considering buying any storage furniture. It is also important that you begin tracking your spend and avoiding bringing any new items into the home. Keep away from the shops if you can, so that you reduce temptation!
3. Not removing items straight away.
We are all guilty of this. We have a box of items to donate and it sits in the hallway or on the dining table for weeks. It then starts to accumulate more stuff around it and it is also then tempting to grab someone out of the donation box and place it back where it was. Have a dedicated time for getting the donations and recycling out of the house on a regular basis so that you can really feel the progress. It will also keep you motivated to keep going.
4. Not having a plan or goal.
Without a reason, it is difficult to keep motivated. That reason is what drives us to get up and get started with it again. Know why you want to do this – think about how this will benefit you and your family, maybe for health or personal reasons. Also, it is helpful to have a vision of what the end goal will look like. Maybe you want to paint and decorate a room to feel more homely – have a vision of what that looks like without the clutter so that you know what you are aiming for. This will be personal and different for everyone, but knowing what you like and what you want to achieve will keep you actively working towards this.
5. Worrying about people’s opinions.
It can be easy to get hung up on what people think about you decluttering and simplifying your life. At the end of the day, they don’t know your way. Sometimes it is helpful to share this, so that they can be supportive in this. But does it matter what people think? It is your home and you should be able to enjoy it any way that you like and if this is what you want to do, then go for it! Your opinion is the only one that matters. You’re the one that lives there!
Decluttering has so many benefits and it can often be easy to get hung up on the negatives. Remember, it is your home and your choice to make.
I hope this will help you to get started and keep decluttering.
Rachel, Declutter your life.
For little acts of decluttering… https://declutteryourlife.co.uk/minimalism/little-acts-of-decluttering/
For more ideas, check out my youtube channel. https://www.youtube.com/c/RachelNoakes
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