Things You Should Know To Be Successful At Decluttering Your Home
Decluttering your home can be really difficult to go it alone. Simply put dealing with the stuff in our homes — can be extremely overwhelming.
And maybe that’s where you’re at.
A bit frustrated. A bit uncertain of where to begin. And even though life’s moving faster than you can think, you’re also a bit done with all the extra stuff.
With over a decade of experience, I’m well aware that knowing where to begin decluttering your home + also, a few things you shouldn’t do can be really-really helpful.
Actions Must Match Ambition
The idea of living with less is very appealing to a lot of people but the reality of what it takes to get there can be hard to fathom.
From changing habits of consumption to mapping + planning a method for decluttering your home from top-to-bottom, there’s a lot of work to be done.
And it’s really-really easy, before you even begin decluttering to allow a feeling of defeat or imposter syndrome to set in. Like, “I can’t do this.”
But that’s simply because learning how to declutter your home (and your life) takes time + it takes work.
It’s not something that happens overnight. Because you don’t change overnight. Learning new habits + establishing new routines takes time.
A realization that many of our clients have in working with us + why we choose to work with them is that in order to be successful at decluttering your home, your actions must match your ambition.
Meaning you have to be willing to dig in + do the work — over + over again. Knowing that each step is putting you closer to, not further away, from your ultimate goal of creating a home you never want to leave.
Decluttering Is Messy
Yep, you read that right.
For whatever reason people have a common misconception that decluttering is pulling out a few items, making a pile + then figuring out what to do with it. Leaving most of the stuff they own in place.
Well, unfortunately — that’s not the case.
Decluttering your home means identifying a plan + then working your plan.
How do you choose one room vs the next?
How do you go about removing all the things from one area of your home so you can actually begin the decluttering process?
You see you can’t really declutter without visualizing all that you have. So decluttering is messy.
All the stuff you have in your bedroom, pantry, or wherever you’re decluttering — it has to come out (not all at once) but each space individually.
And once it’s all out in plain sight… then, you can decide what you want to keep vs. what you’d like to get rid of.
Whenever we talk to clients about what decluttering your home actually looks like — we often know that they’re thinking, “wow that’s a lot of work.”
Yeah, it is. It definitely gets worse before it gets better. But the good reality is “it always seems impossible until it is done.”
And there’s a HUGE refreshing sense of optimism when you’re deciding how you want a space to “exist” without anything in it.
Decluttering Is Not Organizing
Another common misconception is that decluttering is the same as organizing.
Decluttering your home is about ridding it of the excess stuff. Decluttering is pulling all your belongings out + deciding what you are willing to get rid of (+ why you’re willing to do so).
Organizing is about determining what you’re keeping (+ why you want to keep it) as well as how to put it all back in a way that’s functional for how you use the space.
Decluttering is the corralling of the lil’ things that make their way onto tabletop surfaces throughout your home.
Organizing is the decision-making process + the system that sets up where those lil’ things are stored when not in use.
Decluttering your home isn’t glamorous but it is absolutely beneficial to you.
The Benefits of Decluttering Your Home
If you want a real deep-dive into How Decluttering Benefits Your Health check out this article. The reality is decluttering your home has immense benefits beyond a beautifully organized space.
Decreased Anxiety Levels + Stress
If you’ve ever been stressed about having guests or family over to your home + you’re frantically stomping through your home picking up clothes, blankets, pillows, kids toys, dog toys, random pieces of jewelry + then not putting them anywhere but where they were…
Well, then you know what a simple act of kindness like having others over can do to your stress levels. #ThroughTheRoof And you suddenly realize that seemingly little clutter increases stress a whole lot.
Clutter can not only cause us to feel ashamed or embarrassed about our homes but when we have disorganization and our minds are excessively stimulated our anxiety levels increased and we’re also more irritable with those we love.
Friend, you know that frantic moment where your kids and husband are looking at you in sheer shock like - what is going on with her now. That’s the moment I’m talking about :)
Decluttering your home is about creating systems that work for the way you live (including your loved ones) and getting organized so you can manage the lil clutter that happens daily without stress or anxiety.
Decluttering Your Home Increases Your Confidence
When you have a clutter-free home, your energy and focus turn to the things that you enjoy + that make you happy.
In fact, the massive strides + decisions you’re making when decluttering physical clutter, mental clutter, and emotional clutter increases your self-confidence.
And really, this should be no surprise. You’re accomplishing what you set out to do. You go boo!
You’ll Have Less to Clean and Less to Organize
This should go without saying but I’ll do so anyway. When you have less clutter, cleaning isn’t as much of a burden. Ever cleaned your house around a ton of stuff you have no emotional attachment to or heck, things you don’t even know why you still have? Less clutter makes cleaning the house less of a nightmare.
Even better, when you have less to clean around… you also have less to organize. So, when you go to find something you’ve been meaning to take with you - you’ll know exactly where it is.
You’ll Save Time + Money
When you get clear about creating organized systems in your home not only will there be less clutter + you’ll know exactly where everything is when you need it but you’ll have no reason to purchase (or accidentally purchase) duplicates.
Not only will knowing exactly where everything is save you time but it will save you money because you won’t be filling your home with things you don’t need.
So… the benefits of decluttering your home and your life are very apparent. But, in case you’re not convinced - here’s more on all the affects of clutter.
The best part about decluttering your home?
It can be done.
Remember that quote? “It always seems impossible until it is done.”
Well, in the next section are a handful of helpful tips.
Decluttering Tips Including What To Do + What Not To Do
Organizing alone can be challenging + 1:1 support is a big part of what we pride ourselves on at Elegant Simplicity (check out more about our organizing services) that said in conjunction with our step-by-step guide to a clutter-free home there’s a couple of things to know if you’re gonna go it alone :)
Plan Your Work + Work Your Plan
We touched on it briefly but if you’re a part of the Elegant Simplicity tribe then you’ve heard this before… plan your work, work your plan.
In other words, don’t aimlessly decide at the moment to declutter one room because it’s causing you pain right now. Sure, that’s ambitious but it’s no way to create a home you never want to leave.
Instead, what you should do is map out a game plan for how you’ll move about the different areas in your home. Ultimately, this will ensure you know where to start + where you’ll move on to next when done.
BUT… and this is a big BUT.
It also ensures you won’t bite off more than you can chew. That you’ll pace yourself. In other words, you won’t start decluttering your home in three, four, or five different areas + try to tackle them all at once.
Declutter Before You Shop
Look — picking out the pretty is always fun but honestly, it’s wayyyy after decluttering.
You don’t want to go shopping for containers, bins + labels when you have next to no idea what you’re actually going to be containerizing + labeling.
And even if you had some idea… how would you know what you’re buying will work long term? #WasteOfMoney
Decluttering your home is really about decluttering :)
Then, about organizing.
And living with those organizing systems. Tweaking them when necessary until you’re sure they work.
After all of this — that’s when shopping comes in.
The shopping for containers + labels is the reward for doing the hard work of decluttering your home + organizing it.
Use The 3 Bin/Section Method:
Whether you have 3 boxes or 3 rubbermaid containers or you simply identify 3 different spots in your home - label each a Keep. Toss. IDK.
As you’re organizing each room in your home, place all the keeps in one bin or spot + all the tosses in another.
If you hold onto the item for longer than 5-seconds, it goes in the IDK bin/spot.
When you’re at a stopping point, re-assess the IDK bin + place those items in-keep or toss piles.
Give Away An Item
We’re really mindful of donating responsibly + trying not to assume that because we no longer want an item that others (our friends, co-workers or kids) will.
But, part of donating responsibly is trying to ensure that if someone in our lives does want something that we no longer care to make room for — that they can have it.
And if you do some really simple math the power of “giving away an item” is really apparent.
If you give away a belonging of yours once a week for a single year, you’d have removed 52 unwanted items from your home.
If you gave away two items a week, you’d have removed 104 items currently cluttering your home.
If you gave away a belonging of yours every single day of the year - you’d have given away 365 items from your home. This might sound slightly crazy but think about how good it feels to donate things to friends who need them + know they’re going to good use.
Imagine how amazing you would feel if you gave away 50-100 items you no longer want from your home to others.
Now, I know getting started with a professional organizer is difficult so I’ve outlined, below, a handful of frequently asked questions about decluttering your home with us.
FAQS About Decluttering Your Home with a Professional Organizer
How Do I Create A Decluttering Checklist
Whether you’re organizing your entire house from top to bottom or focusing on just a single room like your home office or a bedroom closet, creating an Organizing Roadmap before you get started helps to downplay the overwhelming feelings of will this project ever end. More importantly, though, it also keeps you on track! By creating a step-by-step plan to follow ensures that as you work, you’ll not only be checking things off but you’ll see the end in sight a lot sooner. Get Your Organizing Roadmap!
What Does A Professional Organizer Actually Do + Do I Need One?
Depending on exactly what you need help with, in terms of decluttering + organizing your home, your life + your mind... working with a professional organizer can have massive benefits.
From removing the clutter to sorting through piles to containerizing + finding the perfect place for everything, a professional organizer is like your new bff.
I Have Sentimental Clutter, What should I Do?
Because somewhere along this journey -- of paring down, simplifying + creating a better way of life -- you’re going to stumble across a stack of old pictures, granddaddies’ pocket watch, a well-loved + worn-out teddy bear, your kids’ artwork… whatever it looks like for you, it doesn’t matter.
As your professional organizer, we’ll help you understand why it’s so difficult to part with sentimental clutter. Not only teach you how to get rid of what you no longer want but how to cherish what you keep.
Friend, remember, regardless of where you’re digging into the clutter around your home –– nothing is unattainable.
Well, there you have it...everything you need to know to be successful decluttering your home!
And don’t forget, if you’re in the preliminary planning stages of your next project, let’s chat.
P.S. If you loved this article then you’re going to really enjoy the 4 Days To A More Beautiful + Functional Home.
— Sherri