People everywhere are embracing minimalism. Maybe it’s because of the way when one is doing something themselves that they’re more likely to see it in others. Or is it just that the ‘stuffing’ of our homes from buying at warehouse clubs has finally reached an apex? Could it be due to the ease of ordering and having an item within a day or two that we seem to have a never-ending supply of boxes to recycle.
It’s appealing to consider simplifying your life by getting rid of unnecessary physical possessions and concentrating instead on the experiences that bring fulfillment. For many of us, though, the process of lessening their load can be discouraging. We seem to forget that our belongings accumulate over time. By the time we’re ready to simplify, it’s usually due to the frustration of having too much, and we want this problem fixed fast.
To make decluttering more manageable, look at some specific ideas for how to handle decluttering overwhelm.
Knowing Your Why
Consider and envision an ideal life. What does a day look like to you? Where and how do you want to spend your time? Reflect on and understand your “Why.” Knowing this is prime importance to living life from this point on in a way you want to live it no matter where you are in life. Spend some time considering why you’ve concluded that maybe it’s time to declutter. Build a vision board you can look at frequently. Your vision CAN and WILL change but usually decluttering helps with this, too. Knowing why you want to declutter, and having this in mind can help. Consider this when you’re in the not so well-lit basement, going through spidery bins to rid yourself of the stuff that no longer fits in this future-looking life. You will need to refer to it when you get tired, decision fatigue, or even off track.
Plan it Out
It makes sense that planning out your steps to decluttering could be beneficial. Take a simple printout from the internet, follow the KonMari order, or write down the actions you wish to tackle your clutter. Decide how you will do the decluttering, by room or category. Set a bar for how much progress you’d like to complete each week. Decide how to handle items you might wish to sell (or if you are even going to try to sell any of the items) and where you will donate the rest. Schedule a donation pickup regularly to be able to plan on when to put things out. This proactive measure can go a long way to making it all seem more manageable, and you will see progress in no time.
Set Time Aside (Even if Just Small Chunks)
Also, understand that the clutter did not occur overnight and that with decluttering, it will also not be an overnight process. Schedule and set aside a small to medium amount of time for this project, knowing that, if necessary, you can extend your timeline slightly. By doing this, a lot of people find that making some progress is the key to feeling like they can do a little bit more, and then they continue for a bit longer time. Having a time frame provides structure but allowing wiggle room takes away the pressure. Promising to work on small chunks can get us past the inaction we all can feel at times.
Visualize Your Ideal Space
Try to form an idea in your head of how you’d like your finished space to look. Create a Pinterest vision board for inspiration. Jot down ideas or create a collage of pictures of how your better life looks. Doing this can help you decide what to discard because you will be able to tell whether an item will complement your vision.
Often the most challenging part is just getting started! Now that you know some tangible ways to manage the overwhelm of decluttering, hopefully, you’re ready to approach this life liberating task.
Which of these might you be willing to try right now?
