Decluttering is the best way to reclaim your space and improve your mental clarity. However, it's easy to make mistakes that can hinder your progress and make you wish you never started. Here are five common mistakes people make when decluttering and how to avoid them.
1. Tackling Too Much at Once
Many people misjudge how long decluttering a space will take and dive into large projects without proper preparation. They don't consider whether they have the time, energy, and resources necessary. For instance, you might need childcare, assistance with moving furniture, or a realistic estimate of how many hours the task will take.
Break your decluttering project into smaller, manageable chunks. Schedule specific times to work on these smaller tasks, ensuring you have the ability to focus without interruptions. For example, rather than attempting to declutter an entire room in one go, commit to one hour a day until it's done. This approach helps prevent burnout and keeps you motivated by providing regular, achievable milestones.
2. Working on the Most Difficult Area First
It's tempting to start with the area that bothers you the most, but this is often the most cluttered or filled with sentimental items. For those new to decluttering, this can quickly become overwhelming and discouraging.
Begin with less challenging areas to build your confidence and decision-making skills. Tackle spaces that are easier to manage and have fewer emotional attachments, such as the junk drawer. As you gain experience and trust in your decluttering abilities, gradually move on to more difficult areas. This progressive approach ensures you develop the skills and momentum needed to handle tougher tasks.
3. Buying Storage First
It's common to buy storage solutions before decluttering, thinking that new containers or shelves will help organise your space. However, this often leads to unnecessary purchases and doesn't address the root of the clutter problem.
Declutter first before buying any storage items. Once you’ve sorted through your belongings, you'll likely find you have empty storage options already available. Measure your space and identify what you actually need to store before making any purchases. This ensures you buy only what you need and avoid cluttering your space with unnecessary storage solutions.
4. Not Planning Where to Take Items Leaving Your Home
Many people start decluttering without a plan for where the discarded items will go. This can result in piles of items destined for donation, sale, or disposal sitting around, creating new clutter.
Research and plan ahead for where your unwanted items will go. Check if you need to book a trip to the tip. Contact local charities to see what items they are currently accepting. Designate a specific area for items you plan to sell, and ensure you have a process in place for listing and selling them promptly. This forward planning helps keep your home clutter-free and ensures items are disposed of or re-homed efficiently.
5. Not Starting Because You’re Putting Off Decision Making
Feeling paralysed by the decision-making process is a common barrier to starting to declutter. The fear of making the wrong choice can lead to procrastination and inaction.
If you’re struggling with decision-making, use a "maybe" box strategy. Place items you’re unsure about in a box, label it with a date six months from now, and store it out of sight. If you haven't needed or thought about the items in the box during that time, it’s a sign you can likely let them go. Donate the box without reopening it to avoid second-guessing your initial decisions.
If you find yourself decluttering alone, feeling unmotivated, uninspired, and would love to have other people to ask for suggestions about what to do with items you are unsure about, take a look at the Simple Living Community. We meet virtually once a month to declutter a space, listen to guest speakers on a range of topics around simplifying, and support each other
Comments