Have you thought of decluttering or started but stopped because you...
1. Don't know where to start
2. Feel overwhelmed
3. Don't have time
4. Don't want to place more items in landfill, donations, etc.
5. Are saying a lot of "but and what if..."statements (I'll explain this below)
If you're saying yes to one (or more) of these statements you're not alone. These are some of the most common decluttering roadblocks. Let's dive into each one and discover how to knock them each down!
1. Don't know where to start. I get it, trust me. This one relates to so many areas in life from to do lists, to running a business, to work projects, etc. One of the best tips I can share in this area is to start small with either a) what is most accessible or b) what your biggest pain point is.
By accessible I mean what is easiest to start with, what'll bring you instant gratification and you'll get the most joy out of. You can also go with what your biggest pain point is - it may not be as easy but you will feel the biggest payoff. With either one you will build up your momentum to keep moving forward.
2. Feel overwhelmed - This goes hand in hand with #1 but overwhelm often happens both before you start and during the process. Some typical situations sound like this: you look at your spare room also know as the dumping ground for everything OR you pull your clothes out of the closet and realize it's way more than you anticipated.
First, take a step back and do some visualizing. Imagine what you want to the space to look and feel like when it's done - really take your time with this. How would it feel to see a clutter-free space with all of your favorite things and styled in a way that reflects the life you want? Now that you have that picture in mind, start small - one corner, one box, one drawer, one hanging space at a time. Before you know it these small tasks will add up to one completed project.
3. Don't have time - I hear you on this one too, with all of the competing priorities it's difficult to carve out time. However, I'm hoping that if you're reading this it's because getting your space in order is a priority for you. First, think of all the time you'll save not having to declutter, organize or manage your stuff or the time spent worrying about it. Also, while I can't magically give you more time, I'm sure there are pockets of time that's spent on other things that aren't priorities. Take a minute to really assess where your time is going and where you can spare 15, 30 or 60 minutes to start small. If you're comfortable ask for help from family, roommates, a trusted friend or seek professional help. Also given the timing of this post many of us have more time but some of us myself included have less time - do what you can when you can.
4. Don't want to place more items in landfill, donations, etc. - Believe it or not I hear this quite a bit and it's both valid and something I've experienced. Our landfills are overfilled and donation facilities are also overwhelmed with all the items people no longer want and most are not sold like we might assume. Try to dispose of things as best as you can. Sort all of your items into the various categories: recycle, repair, donate, trash, etc. Take old cleaning and household products to the hazardous waste disposal in your city. Sell or give away what you can or post on community boards. Split up donations for those in your immediate circle of friends, family and local community organizations. After you've done this, the key is to develop good consumption and disposal habits so that when you're collecting donations from time to time you aren't overwhelming yourself or anyone else with garbage bags of donations.
5. Are saying a lot of "but and what if..."statements. These sound something like:
What if I need this someday?
But ______ could use this for ___________ .
But this was a gift.
But this was expensive OR but this was a good deal.
What if I need this someday?
If you haven't used it lately, don't see yourself using it in the near future (within a couple of months) and are questioning getting rid of it you probably should. The truth is you can always borrow the item without adding to more clutter or purchase a new one if you are definitely going to be putting it to good use.
But _______ could use this for _________ .
If this person is in your home the above applies. If not, ask the person first and if they'll get good use out of it and get it to them asap so you don't consider keeping it.
But this was a gift or this was when ________ .
These are usually gifts, crafts/artwork and sentimental items. For gifts - if you're using something or it's something for your home that you enjoy by all means keep it. If not let it go and if needed, explain to the person who gifted it what your process was for letting go. Crafts/artwork - I didn't understand this until my daughter started preschool recently - I kept everything that came home but recently went through it and we are in good shape! Use services like Artkive or create a work small album of your own. You don't have to get rid of it all but keep it to a manageable amount. For sentimental items and keepsakes (gifts, school/artwork, crafts, mementos) try to limit it to one box per family member, label and store it. How big of a box? Use your judgement based on how much room you have and where you plan on storing it.
But this was expensive or but this was a good deal.
For expensive items - if you aren't using them you know what the answer is. You can gift the item(s) or try selling/consigning. It'll ease some of the pain of letting go of items that cost a lot. On the other side are the items that were good deals. Again, if you're using or will be using it soon, keep it. If others can use it gift or donate it, don't hold on to items that others can use now. Let go and free up some space in your home and life. With that said, really try to resist buying something because it was a good deal. The money adds up over time and the items contribute to clutter quick.
Have questions, more roadblocks to share or want to dig a little deeper into one of these? Schedule a free 15 minute call here.
Comentarios