Three Things That Will Help You Declutter Your Space.
(HINT: It’s not the perfect storage container)
Facing the clutter in your home can be overwhelming… some common thoughts are:
Where do I start?
How long will it take?
How do I decide what to let go?
What do I do with all the stuff once I’ve decided it’s going?
For many, decluttering also brings up a lot of uncomfortable feelings:
Fear of making the wrong decision.
The urge to keep everything ‘just-in-case’.
Avoiding the job because it feels so big.
Here are three ways of approaching your decluttering efforts to help with the thoughts and feelings that can bubble to the surface. Practice using them and see what happens!
Find reasons to let go, not reasons to keep
The human brain feels losses more profoundly than gains (known as Loss Aversion). This can mean we lose sight of our goals when confronted with letting go of an item. Many times people will list the reasons to keep an item that has become clutter in their home. Rather than looking for reasons to keep an item, challenge yourself to find three reasons to let it go!
2. Ask “What is the worst that will happen if I let this go?”
This question requires you to dig deep into any fear that might be creating the desire to hold on to clutter. A good follow up question is “How likely is that to happen?” This is a reality test about the anxiety you might be feeling. For example, the risk of letting go of a rarely used kitchen appliance is likely to be less than disposing of a treasured family heirloom. Depending on the answers, you may choose to either keep or let go of an item; but you can be confident that you have thought through the consequences and worked through any anxieties.
3. Make space for uncomfortable thoughts and feelings.
Many people experience feelings of discomfort when decluttering. It can stir up feelings of shame, grief, failure, and overwhelm. However, avoiding the discomfort will keep you from making progress toward your goals. Practice noticing the feelings and accepting they are part of the process. Practice being brave! It is possible to feel discomfort and still get the decluttering done.
Take a chance on a new way of thinking about your stuff so that you can have a clear calm space.
To wrap up:
Look for reasons to let things go, not reasons to keep them
Ask yourself: "What's the worst that could happen?" and reality-check your fears
Accept that uncomfortable feelings are normal, you can feel discomfort and still make progress
Challenge loss aversion by focusing on your decluttering goals, not individual items
Looking for more help, ideas or encouragement?
Join in the conversation on Facebook or Instagram for more hints and tips on dealing with clutter and disorganisation.
Learn more in these other blog articles:
What’s Guiding Your Decluttering; Anxiety, Aspiration, or Authenticity
8 Lessons in 8 Years: What I’ve learned as a Professional Organiser.
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