The Great Declutter [5 Steps]

THE GREAT DECLUTTER SERIES

This is a 6-part decluttering series. Below are the links to the posts. If you want to read the whole thing in one post, head over to this page.

Overview | 5 Steps | 6 Options | Programs | Tools + Tips | Reminder

5 STEPS

1. Find YOUR Why
2. Determine YOUR Biggest Need
3. Decide Where YOUR Stuff Will Go
4. Design YOUR Challenge
5. Follow YOUR Plan

(I don’t have an “after” photo of this spot when we decluttered last year but you can easily see how this can go back to disarray if we don’t follow the steps to build good habits toward becoming clutter free.)

Step 1

Based on my experience working with others who are going through the decluttering process, without your why, the motivation you have when you first start until you finish will not last. There are so many good reasons to declutter, but until you figure out why YOU want to do it, you won’t have the BEST reason to declutter. Do the piles overwhelm you? Is there a safety hazard from things falling over? Are you needing to clear space to remove health hazards like mildew? Do you want to make it easier to host gatherings without having to take time to move stuff off your couch for guests to sit? (From this past year’s groups, many people really wanted to make sure that when the time came, their loved ones would not have to deal with the piles. While there are treasures among the stuff, it’s not how we want to be remembered. For quite a few others, we wanted to be able to open our homes in full hospitality to feed or house them in a safe and comfortable place.)

Step 2

Most people respond to this prompt with an area of their home, but I guess I’m asking is for you to expand your why reason so you know what somewhat where to start and strategize from there. If there are health or safety reasons, they are probably your biggest needs and you need to clear the space where the trip hazard or mold are located. Or maybe your family is growing and you need the space. You’ve had a career change and your old college textbooks are no longer needed for reference (and also, there’s the Internet and library). Figure out if there is something more urgent than your own desire to clear the clutter. For example, if my why is to host more gatherings and meals in my home, my biggest need would be to figure out seating space and making sure I have dishes and such. I mean, is it really reasonable and practical to invite 100 guests over if I only have space for one table inside and one table outside my house to seat people with standing room for only a few dozen others? Maybe, but maybe not. Either way, in this case, I wouldn’t start working on my closet spaces.

Step 3

I’ve added a new step for 2020 – Decide Where YOUR Stuff Will Go! One of the roadblocks I saw in our groups this past year (2019) was that we didn’t decide where our stuff will go once we’ve decluttered it from its old home.  Yes, there are plenty of places to donate, sell, or give our stuff to but until we specifically have a plan and deadline for our stuff, it’s not enough. Our good intentions of giving to others may end up just that – good intentions. Our stuff sometimes sat in donation boxes or bags without a destination. I think this will be a big help in this upcoming challenge. (And hooray for my friend who gathered up her recyclable items and received quite a bit of cash at the recycling place!!!)

Step 4

The fourth step is the choose-your-adventures part. There are many options for how to go about decluttering. The programs, courses, printables, checklists, and books are plentifuly BUT that’s part of the problem. We jump back and forth between this book and that method because we hear that it was wildly successful for that family or the before and after photos for this class was amazing. If hiring Marie Kondo (or some other expert) is not an option for you, the progress and success is in how much effort and work we put in. (Also, FYI, there are few true decluttering experts who only deal exclusively with people’s clutter…most people are organizers who start the organizing process by decluttering your space. In the next post, I will share some options to choose from OR you can sign up for one of the existing programs out there. (From our groups’ experiences, those who make the most progress are the ones who figure out their plan first, put in the time (like literally into their calendar), and push through the challenging days.)

Step 5

Most importantly, you need to follow through on your plan. If it is impractical for your season of life, you may be setting yourself up for failure. Make your plan something just a bit beyond what you think you are able to do but don’t be delusional about how much time or energy you actually have to declutter each day. In my own experience, as much as I want to junk it all and start over, I know that’s not an option, but as a been-there-done-that declutter-er, I understand it is a process (not one and done as Kathi Lipp shares repeatedly on her podcast) and pulling out all the things to go through is not a reality in my current season of life. I’ve heard this over and over again from friends who join the group that without the challenge, they let go of routine maintainence/decluttering and then the piles start again. It’s more about building a good habit than it is about shoveling things out our doors.

Let’s go!

I hope that this reality check isn’t too much of a downer because there really is hope for everyone no matter how big the piles are. During my 3-hour volunteer shift, I was chatting with one of the other volunteers who has a neighbor who is a hoarder. There’s a lot of backstory to this but bascially the neighborhood is rallying to help her out. So before we get to that place, let’s help each other out today…okay, not today…when this challenge starts!! I can share so many examples and analogies about starting and taking steps forward, but I think we’ve all heard them. Now, we just need to take action!

Heart Check <3

Are you really in a season for this change? I’m not sure how many have seen the show Hoarders or if that’s still around (we don’t own a TV) but it really is a state of mind and heart more than the actual stuff. Let’s really dig deep and check if we can really let go of some of this stuff. I’m not a therapist or expert of any sort so I can only guide you in what my own experience has been. Be ready to put in some hard work and overcome emotional stuff if you think that might be the case in your home. These steps may seem trivial or an annoyance to go through every session but I think they are really important to move forward.

REMINDER

We are DECLUTTERING, not cleaning or organizing.