How to tackle some common decluttering conundrums
As a declutter coach and professional organiser, I have had the privilege of helping many people free themselves from the clutter that was holding them back from living their best lives. Today, I thought I’d explore a few of the more common questions that have come up through the process of decluttering.
PROBLEM: I am so overwhelmed I don’t even know where to start.
When you feel like this it can be really helpful to ask yourself, what is the biggest pain point in the home? Figure out what area drives you the most crazy and start there. Tackling a space that has bothered you for ages can be really rewarding and may just motivate you to keep going.
Another approach might be to start somewhere small where the stakes are lower and you can get a quick win under your belt. This can be a great way to build momentum and work up to the harder areas once you’re feeling a bit more confident.
Pick a category that has less emotional attachment for you and start there. For some people starting with their wardrobe is the easiest, for others it might be the pantry. There is no right or wrong answer - but it can be helpful to pick an area that allows you to make quick decisions on whether to keep or let go of items.
NEVER start with the sentimental items when you’re feeling overwhelmed!
PROBLEM: But what if I might need it later?
This is what we refer to as a scarcity mindset - where we fear a lack of resources so we hold on to things “just in case”. This type of mindset can be a real barrier to being able to successfully break free from clutter. It’s very common for people to develop this scarcity mindset, especially if they have lived with financial instability. There can be a tendency to want to hold on to everything if you are not sure if/when you will be able to replace it if you need it. Not being wasteful is actually quite admirable, but when the volume of items you are keeping “just in case” start to outweigh the physical space that you have to live in, then it becomes a problem.
A scarcity mindset, ironically, can lead us to over-purchase. When we fear running out we can end up developing hoarding behaviours and buying way more than we actually need. Moving towards an abundance mindset allows us to appreciate what we already have and find ways to creatively up-cycle or re-use things we own in new ways. It also helps us be much more intentional with future purchases.
Let’s say you do need it later - can you find the item easily? Is it stored and organised in such a way that you not only remember that you have the item, but that you can locate it when you need it? Do you have the space to create a spot for it to live? If the answer is no, let it go.
Is there someone that needs it more right now? Be really honest with yourself and ask if holding on to something you no longer use or need is really serving you any more. Will it still work or be in the best condition in the future when you “may” need it? Clothing perishes over time, technology changes rapidly and styles and tastes change. Isn’t it more wasteful to allow items to languish in your home rather than giving them to someone who can use them now?
DONATE and give your items another life
PROBLEM: But I don’t want to contribute to landfill
Time for a little reality check - every item we possess will one day end up as landfill. The question is do you want to LIVE in your landfill? This is a confronting thought for sure and can hold a lot of people back in letting go of their unwanted clutter. Hopefully the reality of this will make us far more intentional about what we choose to purchase and bring into our homes in the future.
Holding on to items that can be re-used, re-cycled and up-cycled is actually wasteful and will in the long run contribute more to landfill if items are not re-purposed while there is still life in them. Contributing to the circular economy by donating, selling or re-gifting just makes good environmental sense.
For every item you bring into your home, think about its life cycle. Becoming more conscious consumers not only helps us save money but it helps us save the planet too.
PROBLEM: I can’t give that away because it was a gift - even though I hate it
This is a tricky one to navigate for a lot of people as gifts can often come with a lot of emotional baggage. In most cases, a gift is given with good intentions. The giver has put thought, money and effort into choosing something that they think you’ll like. It’s a gesture to show someone that you care. We’ve all heard the cliche - “it’s the thought that counts” and I think it applies with receiving gifts. We can be grateful for the thought and appreciative of the effort and care that went into the choosing, but once we receive the gift it is ours to do with as we wish.
It can be hard to hear for some people, but we are not obliged to keep any gifts regardless of who gave them to us. It’s ok to love the person but not the gift.
Re-gifting or donating an unwanted gift actually keeps the spirit of giving alive and is a far better way to honour the original gift-giver than keeping something out of obligation. Rather than allowing unloved and unwanted items to languish in the back of a cupboard somewhere, you can pass them on to someone who will treasure them.
PROBLEM: Why can’t I maintain the space once I’ve decluttered?
Take another look at the space - is there still too much stuff that will reasonably fit there? Do you need to do a second pass and let go of more items? Do you need to find another space to house the items?
Is the system working for your household? Are you storing the items where you will actually use them? Is it an easy system for the whole family to follow and maintain?
Is it that you haven’t formed the habit of putting things away in their new spot yet? Be gentle with yourself - it takes time for new habits to stick. A helpful mantra that many professional organisers use is “don’t put it down, put it away”. Try to take the extra time to put things away where they belong - future-you will thank you for it!
© 2024 Jodie Blewitt - meaningfulchangecounselling.com.au