What NOT To Do: 5 Common Decluttering Mistakes

Clutter……the inevitable problem that comes with raising a family.  The kids are always bringing stuff home, collecting things, and promising that they can’t live without something.  My 19-year-old insists that his childhood toys are going to be worth money sometime and therefore we need to hold on to them.  I really hope he is right since I’m still storing many of his toys.  The other trouble I see is that no matter what I say to the kids, they keep growing.  New clothes coming in so certainly those old clothes need to go out.  Crowded closets, overflowing drawers, and beds that should never be looked under is a common problem for many families. 

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Today I am sharing my thoughts on what you should never do when decluttering.  Decluttering is a process which takes time and time is in short supply when you have a busy family schedule.  If you are feeling lost and really unsure where to start, you are not alone!  Keep reading for helpful advice on how you can put a dent in that clutter for good. 

5 Common Decluttering Mistakes

1.  Don’t aim for perfection.  Very few people have perfectly decluttered homes like you see in the magazines.  Each item you declutter from your home is one less item you have to worry about finding a home for.  There is nothing wrong with having a “mostly” decluttered home. 

2.  Don’t run out and purchase a bunch of organizers.  People often confuse decluttering with organizing.  The unfortunate truth is that you can’t organize clutter.  There just isn’t enough room for all of it.  Purge your belongings down to what you really love, need, and use……… and then organize. When I declutter, I often find that I need less organizers. 

3.  Don’t plan on an entire day or weekend of decluttering.  You likely don’t have time for that.  Instead work in small blocks of time. Declutter a drawer before baseball practice or tackle a shelf in the closet after dance class.  You will likely get more done when you don’t have to find a huge block of time to get it all done.  That time may never exist for you when your family has a busy schedule.

4.  Don’t start multiple decluttering projects.  I’m not saying that you can’t declutter a few things from the basement and then jump up to the kitchen to declutter some more.  Just make sure that when you work on decluttering that you declutter to completion.  Throw away or donate everything right away.  Don’t leave boxes around to clutter your home.

5.  Don’t plan on decluttering only once.  Decluttering is a constant process.  As our family grows and evolves, the new comes in and the old must go out. 

“Don’t sweat the small stuff,” my mom always says. Jump right in and start decluttering.  Don’t stress about the clutter as you are working on it.  All of the clutter didn’t come in to the house in one day.  It makes sense that it’s going to take a while to remove it from the house.  Each decluttering project you complete will make you feel lighter and free up time for other things.  Instead of searching through the closet for lost gloves or a certain shirt, you can use that time to prepare delicious real food.  That’s how we Juggle Real Food and Real Life. 

Leave me a comment and let me know what decluttering project you want to start first.  What are the obstacles that get in the way of you decluttering?

 

For more great decluttering tips check out our Freedom From Clutter in 40 Days series.