8 Motivational Thoughts About Decluttering For When It Feels Overwhelming

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Whether you are decluttering your house to downsize or just trying to simplify your life a little, it can be a tedious task and cause some serious stress and anxiety. Just remember that in the end, it will be worth all your efforts – you will have less stress, less to clean, less to organize and you’ll save more money in the long run.

As someone who has moved a few times from a country to another and from a place to another (hey ADHD!), I have seriously had to get rid of most of the stuff I owned. I really know what kind of emotional rollercoaster it can be, and that’s why I’ve gathered a few motivational thoughts about decluttering to make it a wee bit easier for you.

1 – Remember your WHY.

All the way through this process, never forget why you started it in the first place. Was your main goal to feel more at peace at home or to have less to tidy up all the time? Imagine the feel of calm in your new, decluttered home. Imagine how you find everything you need quickly and straight away, as you know where everything is. Imagine how you don’t have to be tidying up all the time and feel how productive you’ll be in your new, organized home.

Write down your WHY on a piece of paper and hang it somewhere you can see it. Maybe even do a series of motivational quotes and put them in every room you are tackling with. When it feels all too overwhelming, quickly read your motivational thought, close your eyes, imagine how it will feel and you’ll find it instantly easier to carry on.

2 – You CAN do it.

I have no doubts, that you wouldn’t accomplish what you set out to do. Just don’t set yourself out for a failure – create a realistic plan. You won’t be able to do the whole house in one day – no one can, not even Marie Kondo. So write down all the rooms you want to tackle and divide them into bite-size sections. Remember that you can start with just 5 minutes or 5 items at the time – there are no time limits. Just do it with the pace most comfortable for you.

3 – Take a deep breath and have a cup of tea.

In a moment of despair, the amount of stuff might really feel like it is all falling down on you. The best practice is to take a deep breath, have a little break, and make yourself a cup of tea or any heart-warming beverage of your liking.

If there are items that you really don’t know what to do with, create a “sleep overnight” box – put your stuff in there, leave it for the rest of the day and have a look at it again the next day, after a good night sleep. Your brain sorts out your thoughts and emotions during the night and the next day you might be wondering why this was a hard decision in the first place.

4 – What if your house burnt down tomorrow?

I know this sounds pretty harsh, but to be real about it – what if something goes wrong and after work, you find your house no more? You can see the whole decluttering process from a completely different perspective – what actually is important and what’s not? Make a list of 10 items that are dearest to you, give them the highlight they deserve, and think more harshly with the rest.

By the way – fire officials say that the clutter can be a serious fire hazard. Another good reason to declutter.

5 – Remember that you don’t have to keep items that were gifted or inherited to you and you don’t like.

It is your house and your home. Don’t keep anything in your home that you don’t like, even if they were gifts or given to you by your passed relative.

It was lovely of them to think of you at the time, but there is no reason why you should actually keep them – that is not how giving gifts work. If you check the dictionary, the definition of a gift goes as follows: “gift /ɡɪft/ noun | a thing given willingly to someone without payment” There is no mention of keeping anything for eternity, quite opposite – without payment means that you don’t have to offer storage as a payment for this gift!

It is the thought that counts and this gift was a sign of affection, not the affection itself. So please, don’t feel guilty or terrible about it. In fact, you could give the item to charity and pass the love for someone who actually needs it.

6 – If you have some items that have sentimental value to you, but no other purpose, take photos.

If you have items that hold sentimental value to you or brings up some lovely memories, but you really don’t have space or the purpose for them – take some photos and create a memory book. I did this with things like a few of my old toys – I don’t actually need them in my life anymore but opening a “stuff treasure book” and seeing a funny compilation of them makes me smile. Memories without the clutter.

7 – Take photos of your progress.

Photos are also a good source of motivation, as you can see the progress you’ve made. Create a decluttering photo folder in your phone and in a moment of overwhelm, compare the before photo. You can do it!

8 – Good enough is enough.

No one and no home in this world are perfect, and that is more than fine. Remember that you don’t have to do it in a day and your home doesn’t have to look like it is from a magazine. You are doing this for yourself, your own happiness and peace of mind – so when it is good enough for you, it is good enough.

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