Life gets crazy sometimes... okay, all the time. And I know it all too well. As a lady with a 9 to 5 marketing job, a small business, and still going through all the normal chaos of post-grad life (can I get an AMEN in the comments if you still feeling those student loans?), I AM WITH YOU.
With all that life keeps throwing at you, it may often feel like cooking, cleaning, & picking up, is way too much to ask, let alone decluttering and organizing. The issue is, in order to feel more on top of life (and to be able to cook, clean, & pick up) you HAVE to deal with all that clutter.
If you are feeling so overwhelmed that you don't have any motivation at all and just want to read 'motivating' blogs until you forget all your problems, maybe start here with my short exercise for overwhelm.
If however, you feel motivated, but just don't know how to make time in your hectic schedule for decluttering, here are my tips for for how to make more time for decluttering (or anything that you keep putting off):
1. Make it easy.
Part of the problem we create for ourselves when trying to declutter, is we try to do WAY too much at once. Maybe you've tried to tackle a whole room before and ended up with a bigger mess than you started with. Some days, big pushes are okay, like when you're motivated to conquer the kitchen or when you need to get ready to move. However, most of the time, that's just not realistic. Take it 5 min at a time. REALLY. 5 min may not feel like anything. But you can put a few things in a donate box and get some stuff off the floor. That is a WIN to be PROUD OF.
2. Do it daily.
The power of the 5 min declutter grows exponentially when you pair it with decluttering every day (4-6 times a week is also perfectly acceptable). The point is make it a habit. Wake up, brush teeth, drink water, make bed, breakfast, clean up, then declutter for 5 min. It can become so ingrained that it starts to feel like part of who you are. And with time. 5 min may turn into 30. Let the declutter spirits take you as they may :)
3. Put it on your calendar.
If the previous two tips are not your jam, or if you want to add onto them to make even more progress, then my tip for you is to put decluttering on your calendar. Make it Sunday power session and a Wednesday dance & pick up party, whatever floats your boat and fits your schedule. But just be sure that you keep your planned dates with your clutter. It feels rejected enough as is. Don't make it wait anymore. Just give it a home already or let it go.
4. Push through the hard days.
When your daily declutter streak is broken or you miss a few (or many) dates with your clutter, it can feel like as good of time as any to give up. But you have to remember that your life really does get crazy sometimes. Plus, there ARE more important things that come up sometimes (yes even the declutter coach thinks so). So give yourself a quality rest day, make some new declutter dates with yourself, restart that daily habit, and get to work.
5. Find a buddy.
If all the above fails (which for many it will), it may be that you need someone outside yourself to keep you accountable. If you have an organized roommate/significant other but just can't keep your stuff organized, ask them to help keep you on track. They probably have been WAITING for this day to come. If you feel that those you live with are part of the problem, maybe there is a friend or mentor you can reach out to to check in with you on a regular basis and remind you to keep going. And, if you want more accountability than anyone you know can give, it may be time to ask a professional (a.k.a. Hey! It's your friendly declutter coach here!). I love to encourage my readers through this blog, but my favorite thing is to interact with you 1:1 and see your home (and whole life) transform as a result of decluttering. Reach out and ask for some accountability (online or in-person) today!
If you found these tips helpful & want more to tackle your clutter, sign up for my emails to get my Top 10 Declutter Tips.
Comment below which tip you found most helpful.
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