How to Handle Decluttering Overwhelm
The philosophy of minimalism is being embraced by people everywhere. It’s appealing to consider simplifying your life by getting rid of unnecessary physical possessions and concentrating instead on the experiences that bring fulfillment. Except, for many, the actual process of lessening their load can be daunting, especially if you’ve accumulated years of stuff all in one place.
Nothing stresses me out more than walking into my house afterwork and looking at a bunch of clutter all over every room. It puts me in a bad mood and I feel like I just can’t function the way I need to. Similar to an anxiety attack. I literally can’t handle a cluttered house. I’m sure you feel the same or you wouldn’t be here reading this.
So, let’s make things more manageable and take a look at some specific ideas for how to handle decluttering overwhelms. You will find ways to start loving and enjoying your home more with these specific ideas.
Know Your Why
In the field of multi-level marketing, the phrase, “Know your why” is used as a motivator to remind people of the reasons they went into business for themselves in the first place. This same concept is essential for keeping you on-task when the decluttering process becomes difficult, and it will become difficult. This is why understanding your reasons for wanting to live a minimalist lifestyle is crucial to success.
Ask yourself these questions to help determine your why:
- What do you envision your home and life to look like?
- Why do you think you need to declutter?
- Is there a specific space in your house that overwhelms you when you go into it?
- Do you have anxiety?
- What motivates you in the decluttering process.
Set Aside Time
The first step to getting a handle on your feelings about decluttering is to understand that nothing needs to be accomplished overnight. Set aside a general amount of time for the project, knowing that your timeline can be extended slightly, if necessary. Having a time frame provides structure, but allowing wiggle room takes away the pressure.
It can take you an entire year to declutter your entire house, and that’s ok! Start in one room and make your way through the entire house one room at a time. Don’t move from one room until you have fully completed it. But seriously, take your time and don’t rush.
Make a Plan
Having a plan is essential to the smooth completion of any goal you hope to accomplish. It only makes sense that mapping out your steps to decluttering would also be beneficial. Write down things like the order you wish to tackle your clutter, how many rooms or areas you would like to complete each week, the manner in which you want to sell valuable items and where you will donate the rest. This proactive step can go a long way toward making it all seem more manageable.
You could create a calendar that maps out an entire month or week. Just schedule it into you life and you accomplish more. I love to set aside a few hours or commit to an entire day and say, “Ok today is the kitchen”. Your planning should also take into consideration the room size and how much you think you need to declutter. The bigger the space the. longer it will take you.
Visualize Your Ideal Space
One more thing to do before actually getting down to the business of decluttering is to form an idea in your head of how youíd like your finished space to look. It may even help to jot down some drawings and notes. Doing so will help you decide what to keep and what to discard because you will have a better idea of whether a particular item will complement your vision.
If you can easily vision what you want the space to look like, it will become so much easier to get to work. You have your plan and you know what you want to keep, get rid of, and sell. This is my favorite step. I’m sure you watch HGTV and know what you want your home to look like.
Its Time To Take The First Step
Take that vision and apply it to your decluttering plan. You’ll thank yourself later after you realize how much you can accomplish and how quickly.
It’s true that the hardest part is often actually getting started. Now that you know some concrete ways to manage the overwhelm of decluttering, hopefully, you’re feeling energized to begin.
Do you need a step by step guide to help you get started? Are you overwhelmed just thinking about decluttering? I’ve been working on a printable that would give you a map and a plan without you having to do that on your own. Let me know if this is something you would be interested in.
If you need constant motivation and tips, then pin this post to come back to when you need that little boost! I do promise you will feel so much better once you just get started. Plus, I can not wait to hear all about your decluttering journey!!
