DECLUTTERING
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Are you feeling overwhelmed by the clutter and mess in your home, and just don’t know how or where to start? You’re not alone, and this post will help by taking you through 15 easy tactics to take you from completely overwhelmed to stress free. Aaahhh!
JUST GET STARTED...
#1
I know, I know. It’s easier said than done. I really do appreciate that. But we can overthink things, you know… and once you take the plunge and start moving, things tend to feel a little more manageable. Weird but true!
START SMALL...
#2
Your clutter has built up over time. Years probably. So you can’t expect to tackle everything in a day or two. Give yourself the permission to do small projects around the house – and take it a step at a time. Try a drawer, a section of a room, a shelf – anything really, as long as you’re decluttering!
CREATE A HABIT...
#3
Practise makes perfect – that’s the saying, isn’t it? Well – I’m not going for perfect, but I do agree that practise is key. You want to start making decluttering a habit – because then each and every decision you make about your stuff will slowly become easier and easier, and feel less overwhelming.
CREATE A PLAN...
#4
Wherever you declutter (it could be a space, a room or your entire house), you will need a plan before you get started. If you don’t plan just a little, then you will feel more overwhelmed because you won’t really know what you’re doing or what your goal is.
FOCUS YOURSELF...
#5
It doesn’t matter what you declutter, you need to focus on that and only that while you are doing it. You can’t afford to think about the entire project because that really will overwhelm you and stop you in your tracks.
START WHERE IT WILL MAKE THE MOST DIFFERENCE...
#6
When you see results, and feel the benefits of what you’re doing – then you will automatically feel more motivated and energised to carry on the good work.
KEEP IT SHORT AND SWEET... Time yourself and don't try and do too much
#7
DO A RUBBISH AMNESTY... Get rid of a bag of obvious rubbish and get the ball rolling easily
#8
CREATE A CALM SPACE...
#9
If you’re tackling the whole house, then you need some respite. It WILL get messier before it gets better – that’s just how decluttering works. But you do need to have somewhere to escape and recharge. As such, I usually recommend making your bedroom a clutter free space as soon as possible.
DON'T WORRY ABOUT PERFECTION... Perfect doesn’t exist. It really doesn’t. If you are overwhelmed because you think you can only start when you have time to get everything perfect then you’re in for a long wait...
#10
STOP SECOND GUESSING YOURSELF...
#11
But you know your stuff better than anyone. You know what’s right for you and what’s not. So trust your gut – take the plunge – and believe in your decisions. You’ll find that once you get started you’ll be making decisions more easily over time
DON'T FORCE IT...
#12
If you’re stressed because you feel you SHOULD declutter – or someone else is telling you to do so – then tread carefully. You really can’t force yourself and you need to be ready for it to really work well. Pressure will keep you feeling overwhelmed, but being motivated and inspired will make you able to get things done.
KEEP THINGS POSITIVE...
#13
The main thing that helps me is to remember that I am allowed to keep whatever I want! – I am NOT trying to deprive myself of my stuff, I’m trying to make it more easy to find that which I love and want to use each and every day.
START WITH THE END IN MIND...
#14
This is a really hard one when you feel totally out of your comfort zone and don’t know where to start – but think about how you will feel at the end of the day if you’ve achieved what you set out to do. If you can clearly see where you are heading, that promise can be enough to make you get started.
MAKE IT A NICE EXPERIENCE...
#15
Decluttering is very physical work – but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a great way to spend your time when needed… Here are some ways that you can make it much nicer, and therefore get you more motivated to get started: Play Music / Wear comfy clothes / Have a nice snack etc...
There are loads of brilliant articles about decluttering (and I used to work with clients 1-1 so I'm sharing all the advice I used to chat with them about!) To find out more, just click the button below - and happy decluttering!
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