Decluttering is not an easy task. It’s a long, hard, complication process. So much so that I’ve decided it’s necessary for me to list out the best tips to stay on track with decluttering for when you’re feeling a bit (or a lot) overwhelmed.
If you’re anything like me, you’ve had moments (and/or much longer chunks of time) where you pressed the pause button. Honestly, I believe that this is necessary, because you will very likely violently hurt somebody if you don’t take a break. But the first tip you (and I) need to hear is not to stop for too long.
Don’t Take Long Breaks
The biggest reason people fall off the band-wagon is because they stop trying. You lie to yourself and say that you’re just taking a short break, but then you never get back into it. This is the first sign of decluttering failure.
But don’t worry, it doesn’t mean you’re doomed – or even worse, that you have to start over. It just means you need to get off your butt and keep going. Seriously, get up right now, and just do something, anything, that will contribute to your decluttering journey.
Don’t Compare Yourself To Others
UGH. This is something that frustrates me to no end. In what ungodly circumstance has comparing yourself to others ever helped anyone? Never. So don’t compare yourself to others, or stop doing it if you’ve already begun.
Everyone has a different path to walk down, so stay focused on what’s in front of you. Your path is all that matters. Decluttering is all about progress, not perfection. And definitely not about comparison. Your decluttering might not look anything like what your friend is doing, and that is ok. You just do you.
Look Back At Your Accomplishments
Is there anything more satisfying than looking back at all your accomplishments? I’m already feeling proud just thinking about thinking about it.
If you’re not sure what your accomplishments look like, I would suggest doing a few things. First of all, ask those around you what differences they’ve noticed since you first began decluttering. Secondly, take a look at your space with a fresh set of eyes – enter a room like it’s the first time you’re seeing it. And if you still feel like you can’t see what you’ve accomplished, start changing that. Take photos of your spaces, write down your process, and then you can look at it all later on and really see the changes.
One last piece of advice: acknowledge the work you’ve put into decluttering your home or your space, and smile.
You can read more about decluttering in the blog posts below:
- Tiny Adventures Journey Tries the KonMari Method
- Decluttering My Clothes
- Decluttering My Books
- Decluttering My Papers
- Decluttering Bathroom Items
