People love to share their decluttering tips. It’s me – I’m people! But most people are so focussed on sharing the must-dos of dealing with clutter that they forget to share the don’ts. And the don’ts cant be just as important, if not more so!
So today I’m sharing my top 5 don’ts of decluttering so you can avoid these common mistakes and make your decluttering journey as easy and successful as possible.
1. Don’t buy your storage solutions first
So you’re ready to start decluttering. You’re pumped. You’re motivated. You can’t wait to delve into the cupboards and start getting rid of stuff. At this point, a lot of people will excitedly race out and buy a variety of boxes, labels, binders, and anything else they can find in the organisation section of the shop.
You must resist this urge!
Instead, declutter first and buy your storage solutions at the end. That way you’ll know what you actually need. I find it helpful to keep a list as I’m decluttering so I can plan out exactly which kinds of containers I need for which items.
2. Don’t take on too much at once
You might feel the urge to completely tear your house apart from top to bottom all in one go. After all, the sooner you can get through the clutter, the better, right?
Maybe not!
If you try to take on too much at once, there’s a good chance you’ll start to feel overwhelmed, fatigued, and just plain bored. Instead, break the process up into manageable chunks. That way you’ll be far more effective in your decision-making and the process will be much more sustainable.
3. Don’t show people what you’re decluttering
You’ve put in the work. You’ve bagged up a bunch of junk to donate. The hard part is over. Do not ruin it by letting other people dig through the stuff you’ve decided to get rid of.
Imagine the sudden cry of, “Why would you get rid of this? It’s so beautiful!” Could your resolve hold up to that?
It’s far easier to keep what you’re decluttering to yourself. Box it up and get rid of it without allowing anyone else to comment on your decisions.
4. Don’t delay
While we’re on the subject of boxing up your clutter and getting rid of it…do this straight away! So often people have the best intentions. They’ll tell themselves that they’ll sell their old clothes on Vinted or that they’ll just hang onto that box of nicknacks until next month so they can donate them to the school fete.
The longer that junk is sitting in your home, the more chance there is that you’ll be tempted to pull it back out of the box. Once it’s gone, it’s gone so the sooner you can get rid of it, the better.
5. Don’t buy more stuff!
It seems obvious, but somehow…it’s not. Decluttering is great, don’t get me wrong! There are lots of benefits to decluttering. But decluttering alone is not enough. If you don’t change your buying habits and your relationship with stuff then slowly, but surely, new junk will start to creep back in.
Don’t let all that progress go to waste!
Instead, work on buying less. I did an entire no buy year to help me with this and would definitely recommend you try something similar. (If a no-buy year sounds too intimidating, you could try a low buy year instead.) If you want this change to be long-lasting then decluttering alone isn’t going to do it – you need to do some work on your mindset too.
Avoiding these common decluttering mistakes will help to make the process easier, more efficient, and overall more successful…not to mention less stressful! You can join along on my FREE 5 Day Declutter if you’re ready to start and need some guidance.
Also, if you’re in the mood to binge-watch some videos, I have a whole Youtube playlist dedicated to living with less.
Happy decluttering!
