3 Things That Will Sabotage Even The Best Decluttering Efforts

Are you currently in a decluttering “slump”? Maybe you started your journey to a clutter-free life full of energy and ambition. Somewhere along the way, though, things went horribly awry. Have you fallen prey to circumstances that seek to undermine your vision of a decluttered home? Here are 3 things that will sabotage even the best decluttering efforts (and what you can do about them).

3 Things That Will Sabotage Your Decluttering Efforts

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Try not to feel too bad. At some point, we’ve all been in your shoes!  Rest assured, you are not alone in your decluttering efforts. My number one goal is to help you get back on track so you can start living the simple life of your dreams.

The first thing you need to do is identify whatever is sabotaging your decluttering efforts. Once you know the culprit(s), you can get to work on rectifying the situation. Unfortunately, not all road bumps in the decluttering process are avoidable. Sometimes time and patience are the only cures available.

But how can you tell whether your decluttering efforts have been thwarted by something entirely out of your control or if you are in fact responsible for your own lack of progress?

1 | PROCRASTINATION

Lately, have you been actively delaying or postponing decluttering your home? I’ve got news for you, this is the epitome of procrastination.

Why do we procrastinate? I don’t know, ask me tomorrow!  {Just kidding.}

We tend to procrastinate for one of three main reasons.

• Perfectionists often procrastinate. I suspect the reason for this is because a person (ahem…me) who is a perfectionist tends to worry so much about failing a task that they put off completing it until the last possible moment. Or worse, they simply never tackle the project at all.
• It’s human nature to want to avoid unnecessary stress and unpleasant tasks. Let’s face it, decluttering is hard work. It can be emotionally and physically draining. Think about it, would you rather click “play” on yet another episode of {fill-in-your-favorite-binge-show} or declutter twenty boxes of decades-old photos?
• There is a disconnect between our present and future selves. If this sounds like a bunch of psychobabble, it’s because it is. But seriously, hear me out. We know we would be calmer, happier, and less stressed if we simplified our lives. Common sense tells us this is true. Unfortunately, it’s difficult for us to envision this future version of ourselves because we are so bogged down by our frazzled, miserable, overextended current selves that we keep putting off for tomorrow what we should be doing today.

Related Posts: 

• 3 {More} Things That Will Sabotage Your Decluttering Efforts
• How to Declutter One Drawer, Closet, and Room at a Time
• How to Declutter Paper in 3 Simple Steps
• Shock Treatment Decluttering Method: A Crash Course

Solutions to Procrastination

So, how can we renew our decluttering efforts and stop procrastinating?

1. Break decluttering tasks up into manageable pieces.

So maybe you don’t have an entire weekend, afternoon, or even an uninterrupted hour to dedicate to decluttering. Let me ask you something. Can you devote 10 minutes to your decluttering efforts? How about 15? Carve out small blocks of time whenever possible, set a timer, and get to work. I promise these short sessions can have a lasting effect on your clutter.

2. Stop beating yourself up. 

It’s good to have goals and ambitions. It’s not good, however, to torture yourself for failing to meet those goals. Instead, choose to celebrate your small decluttering victories such as clearing a desk, countertop, or drawer, and you’ll be motivated to continue. Do you struggle with allowing negative thoughts to override positive ones? Check out this post from Farnoosh Brock on clearing mind clutter. 

3. Get connected. 

Find a support group. Search Facebook and Instagram for people who are also trying to dig themselves out of clutter. Encourage each other. And remember, no matter what stage you are at in the decluttering process, I am here to help. I answer all comments and emails personally. We are all in this together.

4. Settle for good enough.

 Remember what I said about the perfectionist’s mentality? Don’t expect your home to turn out like the staged homes you see on Pinterest and in magazines. Aim to create a comfortable environment for you and your family, and learn to be content with what you have. 

5. Prioritize. 

Every single one of us has the same 24 hours each day. So how is it, you ask, that some people are able to “do it all”? The short answer is, they can’t. No one can. People who seem to have it all together are good at one thing. Prioritizing. They choose the most important tasks for any given day and focus on those tasks until they are complete. Everything else gets put off for another day or eliminated altogether. Oh, and they are often really good at delegating, too.

2 | ILLNESS

Being sick yourself or having sick kids for any length of time is sure to sabotage even the best decluttering efforts.

I don’t know how it is with your family, but our family likes to share everything. Especially germs! When one person catches a virus in our house, you can bet that at least two more will get it. In fact, at least once a year, our family has to be “quarantined” for a month (or more) just so we all have time to recuperate!

Solutions to Illness

I wish I could tell you there was an easy solution when illness derails your decluttering efforts, but, unfortunately, there is not. The only thing you can do when you or a family member is sick is to enter what I call “survival mode”. During survival mode, your goal should be healing whoever is ill. You will need to do your best to keep up on dishes and laundry from a sanitary standpoint, but everything else should be postponed until you or your loved ones are feeling better.

The same holds true if you suffer from a chronic illness. When we are sick, it’s our body’s way of telling us it needs a break. Allow yourself to rest and recharge. And, most importantly, don’t be afraid to ask for help!

THE NUMBER ONE ROADBLOCK TO DECLUTTERING

3 | KIDS

Okay, so this one doesn’t even need explaining, does it?

I love kids. I really do. In fact, I love them so much, I chose to have three of them.

I also love being a minimalist.

I’m not gonna lie, kids create clutter. For every one thing you declutter, you can pretty much guarantee your child will bring in three more. If you have a child who is a collector (aka packrat), and you are trying to declutter, you are fighting an uphill battle!

Kids are magnets for clutter. Whether it’s papers and projects from school, crafts from church, or party favors, stuff not only finds them, it begs them to take it home.

To make matters worse, some kids (like mine) get emotionally attached to every little trinket, rock, and doodad they come across.

Can I get an “amen”?

Solutions to Kids

When it comes to kids sabotaging your decluttering efforts you have a few options.

1. Wait eighteen (or so) years. Then declutter.
2. Train them while they are young. If you are starting your simple living journey while your children are still young (or better yet, before you even have children) I have good news. It’s easier to raise a clutter-free child from a young age than to convert an older child. If you have young children or have yet to have children, the most difficult part of decluttering will be trying to get the grandparents on board.
3. Communicate with them. If you have older children who are already “set” in their ways, don’t give up. Kid’s are resilient little creatures and they can learn to love a simple, decluttered life, with the right guidance from you. Be sure to include older children in the decluttering process and share with them your vision of a life where you aren’t spending all of your free time taking care of your stuff. Explain that with less stuff to take care of, you will be able to spend more time with them.
4. Lead by example. Declutter your stuff first. Then move on to your kids’ stuff. Once they see the positive effects a clutter-free environment has on you, they will be more willing to join in. If, for some reason they are not, you can always bribe them. Offer to help them sell some of their stuff and let them keep the proceeds. Money can be a great motivator for older kids.

Sometimes, our decluttering efforts are disrupted by circumstances beyond our control (like illness). Other times, we find our motivation has stalled due to situations we have a say in (such as kids and our own procrastination). Whatever the reason, I urge you to take action against your clutter today!

READ MORE: 

• 3 (More) Things That Will Sabotage Your Decluttering Efforts (Part 2)
• How To Declutter Fast With The Shock Treatment Declutter Method
• How To Declutter When You Don’t Have Time To Declutter

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