Editor’s Note: This is a guest post from Claire Wilde.
Embracing simplicity: the idea just sounds so good, doesn’t it? Can’t you just feel those tense shoulders loosening at the thought?
So many people feel overwhelmed, overworked, and overloaded, often living in homes which are overfilled… yearning for a simpler way to live.
A couple of years ago, I too was crying out for simplicity in my life, my bank balance, my schedule, my mind, and most definitely my home. I had somehow accrued a lot of consumer debt through a spending habit which never brought me happiness.
Becoming Minimalist and a handful of other sites inspired me to make some big changes, which in the end, came easier than I had thought.
First, I stopped buying things I didn’t need. It was a transformation. The stream of gadgets and trinkets coming into my life dried up. Sure enough, my thirst for new toys soon dried up along with it.
This in turn allowed me to simplify my money. I began spending less than I made. Whereas once I was drowning in debt, now I am surfacing. Soon I’ll be breathing again.
Then, once I had asked myself how I could be a more responsible consumer, I started asking myself how else I might be a better and happier person. Where I had been prone to envy, too often comparing myself with others, my focus gradually began to shift. Of course, I’m not magically immune from jealousy now, but at least I recognize it when it does rear its ugly head.
Simplicity has also allowed me to rethink and readjust the way I spend my time. Much of this has been easy, like selling all my computer games and rediscovering the simple pleasure of curling up with a book.
But there’s no doubt about it, I have found one aspect of simplifying very, very hard: drastically reducing the number of possessions I already own.
I have gone from having far too many things, to having a few too many things. This alone has taken more than two years, and I have to confess to feeling frustrated at times with my slow progress.
It was easy at first: gathering up a box of unwanted belongings gave me a thrill each and every time. But then, out of nowhere, I hit a wall. And I’ve been struggling to push through it ever since.
I’ve removed a third of my belongings. But I still own neglected nineties CDs and reference books I never use. I think I have not one, but two dead laptops haunting me. And I definitely have a lava lamp with no bulb, in a box somewhere.
I recently decided to start over, and now after a period of reflection and inspiration, I’m fired up and ready once again to dig deeper, go further, do better.
If you want to declutter your home but have ever felt frustration or disappointment with a lack of progress, know that you are not alone and it’s okay. While some people feel able to jettison all their stuff overnight, others will take their time.
Here are eight ideas for when you’re struggling to declutter:
1. Take things one step at a time.
If you are struggling with overwhelm, concentrate on one room, one piece of storage, or even one shelf at a time—especially if the job as a whole seems insurmountable. Your speed doesn’t matter, a step forward is still a step forward.
2. Find your people.
Online support can be a huge help, but there is nothing like meeting up face-to-face with other people who are pursuing simplicity. Depending on your immediate surroundings, this may or may not be easy to do. But the more you share your story of the change you are trying to make, the more people you will find drawn to it.
3. Take before-and-after photos.
Often times, being able to see the progress you have already made is helpful —especially if we start to feel frustrated during the process.
4. Do half-a-job (at least for now).
So you still have, let’s say, a vintage teddy bear collection and you’re afraid to say goodbye to it completely. Could you let go of half of them? This strategy can be particularly helpful for some of those hard-to-remove items (books, sentimental collections, souvenirs, hobby stuff).
5. Inject some fun into the process.
There are loads of decluttering games you can play. I came up with one called the five-in-five challenge: can you find five items you don’t want in just five minutes? You could even challenge your whole household to compete against each other. Or check out some of these decluttering tips.
6. Quarantine your belongings.
Try boxing up items you fear you might need one day, and hide them away for a set period of time before letting them go. If there’s anything in there you truly do need, you’ll realize before you’ve given it away.
7. Work out your weak-points.
What have you found easy to declutter, and what have you found hard? Why is that? Perhaps you worry you’d later regret saying goodbye to sentimental trinkets or just-in-case items? Maybe giving away expensive toys is a painful reminder of what little value they gave you? Perhaps your conscience stops you from tossing items you can’t recycle? Whatever the hurdle is, there will be a way around it. It may take more time and self-reflection than other areas in your home, but don’t fear the process—it’s always beneficial in the long-run.
8. Practice self-compassion.
Don’t beat yourself up if you’re not seeing instant results. You might take a while to get to where you need to be. That’s okay. If you’re bringing less into your home than you are sending out, you’re decluttering. You’re heading to the same destination, you’re just taking a little longer to get there.
Additional Resources:
Ms. Montana says
I’ve done the quarantine for kids toys. Although I give it more than a day. =) After a month or two of them not missing a toy, it’s generally safe to take them to be donated. Over the last 2 years, we have reduced the number of kid toys by 50%. And now they only keep a few in their room or play area. They rest wait for their turn in our laundry room. I find, my kids play much better with just a few choices at a time.
Joan says
I love your website to remind me to continue to clean up all aspects of my life. When I feel the roadblock beginning I start with a list, and complete with check offs.
I also find I have to pause and dive back into my clutter on another date, sometimes I will have better focus to totally get rid of it. The great satisfaction is leaving a new skeleton of a room that again needs to be organized. It is then I see the complete outcome of LESS. Oh how much easier is that room to snap up in a minute!
Judy says
Thank you for this, Claire! It has come at a very good time. I have been feeling very overwhelmed trying to get my home to where I want it to be. I’m working on it though—and I know I’ll get there :)
Lottie says
I need to do before and after photos! Definitely motivating!
http://www.flareaforte.com
John says
I downsized my art studio this year, consolidated my online websites and basically decided to simplify. Wow. What a great feeling to embrace less instead of more. The superfluous is the enemy of peaceful living!
Amy@MoreTimeThanMoney says
I love the way you said that you went from having far too many things to a few too many things. I am at a similar point myself. I’ve just signed on for the declutter 2017 things in 2017 challenge as a way to just try and get through that final push. Short bursts work well for me (going to have to try 5 in 5). What works well for me is dropping off to my donation spot every week – if I am going to take a box I always try a fill it.
You can find out more about the 2017 in 2017 challenge here – https://moretimethanmoney.co.nz/2017/01/12/my-plan-to-declutter-2017-things-in-2017/
sun says
Thanks for sharing! I have been decluttering so slowly that people commenting about how “clean” our home is still surprises me and makes me smile! Someone new recently asked why our home is so “clean” as though it is not normal. It reminds me how far we’ve come although there’s still so much to edit! I also laugh inside since the lack of clutter causes our home to appear cleaner than it is. Every time we go on a trip or visit a place with sparse décor that is tidy and tranquil, it reminds of the peace that comes with only having what you need and just a few favorite extras you enjoy. That’s why I want to get there! I come home and take a few things off the walls. Sometimes I need to put something back-I am sensitive to my family, and my husband lovingly supports this processes of figuring out what’s just right for us. To get there, I started just asking him if I could try things, like emptying the countertops and taking down half of what’s on the walls. TRY was the key. We would see how it felt for a few days and then decide, and that makes it easier. So far, we usually enjoy the result!
Allison says
I love the suggestion of trying something before committing. I too struggle with what to do with such a large space. I enjoy living with only what I need/love, but I don’t want to feel like my home is empty and without personal touches. My current battle is with wall art. I don’t want an empty feeling, but as a minimalist I don’t want every wall to have hangings.
Michell says
Paint and wall stickers can go a long way to creating beautiful design and still maintaining the minimalist aesthetic. Not terribly expensive, either… Or even hanging crystals in the window to create a lovely rainbow of light. My husband and I laughingly call the dancing lights our tricky pixies.
Frugalinthevalley says
I do the Minimalists thing of asking, something like, would the best version of myself want this? It helps. I’m pretty decluttered. The best version of myself is very ascetic.
G says
Ooh, I like that thought.
Tony W says
I like your 8 strategies Claire but I think #8 is the key. Don’t beat yourself up for lack of progress. Celebrate any progress.
When I get stuck I remind myself that if I need anything I get rid of at a later date, I can reward myself with a newer and better one. That frees me to get unstuck and get rid of more stuff.
Rochelle says
Great post-thank you, just what I needed.Excellent links too.
Eileen Light says
Great advice. Thank you so much for the post!
Kathy Martin says
Thanks for the tips! I’ve been in the decluttering process for a few years now. It’s truly a process that takes time. I actually found it fairly easy to stop spending and bringing more into our house, but re-homing all the stuff we accumulated over the years is more difficult process and I don’t want to leave our home looking completely stark and empty. We just try to keep moving forward, one step at a time and articles like this serve as a reminder and encouragement to keep going.