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The Secret to Decluttering

Overwhelmed. I know that feeling well.  I used to look around my house and feel hopeless that decluttering our home was possible. We are a family of five with three sons. Children come with a lot of *stuff* and if you’re not vigilant, clutter can slowly accumulate to the point of overwhelm.

How do we become vigilant though, if being vigilant is not exactly “in our nature?” After more than a year of working on it, today I’m sharing the secret to decluttering.

the secret to decluttering

Clutter Blindness

I’m not a naturally organized or clean person. I’m what I like to call “relaxed.” I used to have a serious clutter blindness problem. You know how you pass piles and you don’t even see them because they’ve been there so long? That is clutter blindness.

For me, clutter blindness was a necessity as a mom of three young children. My energy was spent on making sure the children were fed, in relatively clean clothes, making it to school and back, and spending some quality time with them. Editing clothes, toys, and papers was last on the list and rarely performed.

However, clutter blindness, can be overcome. Decluttering can be a natural part of your day and doesn’t have to take hours of time. What is the secret? The secret is making it a habit.

What's the secret of #decluttering? Find out here! #startwhenstuck Click To Tweet

 

The Secret to Decluttering

A what? A habit? Yes! Making it a natural part of your day instead of viewing it as a chore that needs to be taken care of when you have the energy (also known as never).

When I started decluttering I did it out of sheer will. The toys in my children’s rooms were getting out of hand. The closets were getting too full to stuff before guests were scheduled to arrive. The basement had a small path for us to walk to the washer and dryer – the surrounding areas were full of stuff. It was suffocating. Momentum carried me through some long, frantic decluttering sessions. The thing is though, momentum doesn’t last. In order to have lasting change in our lives, decluttering needs to become a habit.

Little did I know, but when I started blogging about decluttering, I was forming a habit. I chose an area to work on one week and took photos of the “before.” Then the following week I wrote about the process and shared my “after” photos. It created a rhythm and a schedule. It provided accountability. It became a weekly habit.

Help for Making it a Habit

If you are looking to declutter and simplify, the secret is to make it a habit. If you need help in establishing the habit, my eBook will walk you step by step through the process. Here’s what Heather said after going through the eBook:

“This book opened my eyes to the fact that I didn’t need more stuff to make me happy and have a beautiful home….quite the opposite. I needed less stuff. Sounds logical, but I didn’t really get it until I emptied out a room and only brought back in things I loved. It looked better and felt more peaceful than it ever had. Angela’s tips for incorporating new daily habits helped me make changes in my life quicker than I had been able to before. What a gift!”

Click here to find out more information!

how to start when you feel stuck ebook

Need help making #decluttering a part of your routine?There's help here. #startwhenstuck Click To Tweet

Starting a For Purpose Business

I’m especially excited that as I launch my first product, I’m committing to help another woman start her own small business. 10% of all sales will go towards a micro loan through Kiva: Loans that Change Lives.

The post will be shared at these link ups.

10 Step decluttering process

 

Comments

  2. Congratulations on your eBook! I wish you terrific success! Getting rid of the clutter in my life is something that is foremost on my mind. I look around and just feel bogged down. I look forward to reading your book.

  3. I think clutter blindness may be genetic in my family! LOL You’re so right, if we are going to keep clutter under control, we have to make it a regular habit. I actually have a permanent item on my to-do list to get rid of something every day. I’d like to say I always succeed, but I do make it a goal. Your book sounds great, too!

    • What a wonderful thing to have on your to do list! That sounds like a surefire way to cure clutter blindness! Thanks for stopping by and commenting Donna. I appreciate it!

  8. I absolutely hate clutter. I have certain times of year that I do a major clean out and keep a bag handy to toss those unused items when I come across them on a weekly basis. Thanks for sharing. #happynowlinkup

  10. Congrats on your book launch! I always feel like I could use some help with decluttering. Thanks for linking up with our Merry Monday party this week.

  11. Good luck and much success with your book launch. Visiting from #ThisIsHowWeRoll. I’m a neatness person and love the term clutter blindness. I understand the need to overlook some things, like my husband’s cluttered desk.
    LOL. I love organization. Please check out my post “Self-care Activities to Encourage Optimal Health.” It’s so important during the holiday season to fit self-care into our day. Don’t you agree? Be well and enjoy the moment.

    • Hi Gigi – it sounds like you’re ready and willing to discard a lot of stuff. Do it if it’s in your control! I’m sure you would experience a lot of freedom afterwards.

  14. I’ve definitely got that necessary clutter blindness you mention. With three littles, a little clutter building up isn’t something I can help most days. I could definitely be better about developing good habits, though.

    • I think most people have clutter blindness Abby – especially with kids! As I’m developing habits, I’m trying to pass them along to my kids too. It’s slow but steady progress.

  15. I’m definitely guilty of clutter blindness – our dining room table gets to be a bit of a dumping ground and it just builds up! I tackled it today and I feel so much better. Congratulations on launching your e-book – I hope it does really well for you! Thanks for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove

    • Thank you Katy! I understand – our dining room table and any flat surface tends to be a dumping ground! I enjoyed reading posts over on #SharingtheBlogLove.

  16. I definitely have clutter blindness. It does surprise me how much I can learn to live with and it all quickly becomes part of the furniture. We’ve just moved house and I am determined that this won’t happen. We will get tidy and keep it that way!! Thank you for joining us at #SharingtheBlogLove x

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