Decluttering your home on a consistent basis is not easy – especially when starting. I know that when I started decluttering in 2015 I had a new resolve that wasn’t there before. Yet with 3 boys and husband who didn’t necessarily share the same enthusiasm, it’s a slow process. And like any new habit, it takes a while to build up one’s “decluttering muscle”.
I hope that the before and after photos of my decluttering projects will encourage those of you who are seeking to simplify your spaces. Before I started decluttering, I was reading a lot of blogs about simplicity and minimalism. As I was reading, I really wished I could see what their lives were like “before” they had reached their “after”. It would have encouraged me to know that I could get there too.
Open spaces…
I am far from done with my decluttering, but there has been progress through the year. My mantra has been and will continue to be – Progress, not Perfection. Striving for perfection can be discouraging, but striving for progress is attainable for everyone. Progress may be decluttering one drawer from start to finish, or it may be decluttering a whole room. Whatever progress looks like for you, I hope that you will take a small step towards achieving it today.
I have tackled decluttering in a few different ways this year.
1. Decluttering Your Home by Area:
Entryway Before and After
Clothing
Bathroom
Linen Closet
Children’s toys
Children’s bedrooms
Kitchen Cupboards
Paper
Books
Photos
2. Decluttering Your Home through Mini Projects
Storage Bench
Kitchen Counter
Storage Closet
3. Decluttering Your Home:the 30 day Minimalism Game
Intro to the Game
Week 1
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
4. Our Basement
Our basement – BEFORE
And finally, our basement. Our basement is a space that I’ve dubbed our “area of shame”. Do you have one of those? We have worked on it in spurts and made a large dent in getting the stuff out of the basement, but it’s far from done. Here are posts related to the Basement Declutter:
- Area of Shame
- Basement Clutter Reveal
- Basement Update
- Basement Declutter: One Corner at a Time
- Decluttering with a Spouse
Don’t Miss these Decluttering Posts:
A Funny Story About Decluttering Sentimental Objects
15 Items to Decluttering RIGHT NOW!
How to Stay Motivated while Decluttering
5 Pivotal Lessons About Deluttering from the Spice Cabinet
7 Benefits of Decluttering Your Home
Recommended Decluttering and Simplicity Books
I hope you’ll stick around and share your own progress towards simplifying your space and your life.
Here are some great books that I recommend to keep you motivated in decluttering, minimalism, and simplifying! Click the links to find out more information on the books. I have book reviews on the blog for most of these books.
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We’re gonna make it!!
Yes we are Melinda! We’re making progress with every step!
Angela, I’ve been doing great. My daughter and 2 girls moved into a house with me in March 2017. Wow!! Lots of decluttering to do!
Then I got married, in Feb 2018! Ha Our combined households made a huge mess!! I’ve been very proud of him. He got right on board. I’ve passed 1018 so far this year!!
I need to go look at your basement posts. I love afters!!
Wow Melinda! Congratulations! I sounds like there have been HUGE changes in your life – but good changes. 🙂 Keep working! Progress, not perfection!
This is an awesome resource, Angela! When I was little and had to do chores that I didn’t like, my mom would tell me to “make it a game” – and it worked! Love this approach to one of my most hated chores: decluttering!
Thanks Gretchen! Your mom is a smart lady! I’ve had to try several games as you can see – and I’m still working at it. I’ll have to think of some game suggestions for my boys with cleaning their room!
Thank you so much for sharing this! I have a lot of areas in my apartment that are so unbelievably cluttered, you can barely make it from one end to the other without tripping on something. Right now, it’s just me and my bf and we share a small space (1BR) with our pup but because I live from home, I’m trying my darndest to at least clear the pathways, lol. I needed this!
Hope you had very happy holiday season and wishing you all the best for a wonderful 2017 🙂 XOXO
Thank you Charlotte! You can do it! Happy New Year!
Decluttering through mini projects is the route for me. I know that once I clear one drawer, I’ll be motivated to keep going. Thank you for the inspiration and the book recommendations.
That’s great that you know yourself and how to get the decluttering engine revving Nicole!
I had to laugh at your area of shame, Angela! Because we all have some places that just never seem to keep organized!! Right now–it’s my office!
Jodie
http://www.jtouchofstyle.com
I’m glad you could laugh at it Jodie! We all DO have an area of shame – some are bigger than others I fear…;)
Thanks for the inspiration! I really like the Joy of Less book as a straight forward guide to decluttering. I’m going to add your other recommendation, Money can Buy Happiness, to my reading list.
I love the Joy of Less book Davi. I love the global aspect she added to the book.
“Progress not perfection” so true. Looks like you’ve done a whole lot of that.
Thanks Debbie! It’s a good motto to live by – especially on the days when it feels like you’re starting at step 1!
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I love decluttering! And purging! It makes me so happy to take a box/bag to the donation center a few times a month!
Thanks for sharing your before/after pics for inspiration to all!
#wineddown
Katelynn
Hi Angela! Spring is just around the corner and I am motivated to get rid of the clutter. Thanks for the great tips. I’m ready!
I need this right now, Angela, I did the start part long ago but as I did more and more (Marie Kondo would be pleased with my progress lol), I began to question myself and with Spring around the corner (I hope, I hope), I’ll get back to it. Thank you.
Dropped by from #BloggersPitStop but always glad to be here. 🙂
Wishing you a clutter-free weekend. 🙂
We really want to put our house on the market so need to declutter pretty urgently. I’m secretly a bit of a hoarder but I hate having too much mess around me so occasionally blitz it – only for the space to quickly become cluttered again later on. I’m going to use this as motivation! #brilliantblogposts
Yes to all of these! Clutter is taking over my life!!! Small house with growing family. Not to panic. Need to make more by decluttering! Thanks for the resources. #piecedpasttimes
Visiting from Saturday Sharefest. The Joy of Less is a great book. I am finding it very helpful in my quest to get our house decluttered. It is an ongoing challenge. Thank you for all of the encouragement in this post.
I love how you are sharing your journey in this. I myself will be starting a major declutter to get ready for downsizing to a small apartment from a 3 bed room house. We are going to tiny living now that the kids are gone to save a lot of money to buy another home in 2 years. I will be following your journey! #MMBH
I appreciate all your decluttering links and resources. Clearing clutter is a process and there’s not quick tricks. Commitment to the decluttering process is the only trick I know of. Congrats, you’re featured this week at the This Is How We Roll Link Party.
Wow, this is so great! I love how you have a method for each room! Thank you for linking up at Mommy Moments Link up, this was the top viewed link and will be featured in the post today. Congrats!
At least once a year, every year I get out the big black bags and declutter the house and garage. It feels like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders. It’s also amazing how much useless junk we acquire in a year. Those flashy signs and Amazon sales, but most end up in the useless junk cupboard. Thanks for the great article.
Yes! It’s so true Mary. We really do need to stay on top of it or else it starts to accumulate again!