You’ll be a lot happier with the results if you do.
When we start a project we usually have a vision in our mind of the end result.
- Eggs = Omlette
- Wool = Knitted Scarf
- Messy House = Pinterest Perfection
Most of our projects ARE achievable (Do I hear perfectionists snorting?!)
It IS possible to copy a style from Pinterest (Kmart is fabulous for affordable accessories & storage btw.) But sometimes we attach WAY more to a project (or a thing) than we realise. That’s why it’s sometimes incredibly hard to declutter projects that we never finished or weed out whole chunks of your wardrobe that are the only evidence that you were once a different person.
Lets have a look at the Big Three Decluttering beliefs:
Decluttering Will Make You Happy
Actually, yes. Decluttering can make you feel happier. If the things you’re decluttering are causing you unhappiness, stress or anxiety. Which IS the main reason you’re decluttering right?
Thoughtfully getting rid of things that have bad memories attached to them will feel liberating. Every time you open your linen cupboard to see neatly folded and organised sheets and towels you might feel pretty darn good.
The peace you feel when you walk into your tidy home is better than feeling overwhelmed and tense. It’s so easy to find what you need so you feel way less stressed. All of these changes to the way you feel in your space CAN improve your mood.
But life will still have it’s ups and downs.
Decluttering Will Fix Your Home
Your decluttered home can feel like a place you retreat to and find peace. But decluttering won’t fix bad design (don’t get me started on storage!) or a house that doesn’t suit your lifestyle or your dream lifestyle.
It WILL make your home easier to manage. Less stuff means it’s easier to clean, and easier to manage daily life in a busy home. It can clear space giving you an opportunity to re-purpose cupboards and whole rooms to suit your needs and dreams.
When there’s less stuff filling every nook and cranny it’s a bit like you’ve just moved in. Decluttering can make it possible to live differently in a space that wasn’t quite right before.
Decluttering CAN give you a different way of looking at how you use your home but it won’t change the layout or location.
Decluttering Will Change Your Clutter Behaviour Forever
You are still the same person after decluttering as before. Decluttering just frees you from reminders of times best forgotten, reduces your work load managing all that stuff and opens up your time for the things you enjoy.
It can remind you of your habits around buying things and keeping things. It can be enlightening when you notice a theme to your clutter. Maybe you notice that you have trouble saying no to well meant gifts or struggle to let go of even slightly sentimental items.
You might’ve decluttered before and wonder why it all came back. Noticing and understanding our habits are two different things. But even if you don’t quite get what the reason is behind your clutter habit, you can spot when you’re doing it and choose not to.
If you can’t and it bothers you, you might need a hand with working out what’s going on.
Liz.
Declutter Coach | Home Organiser
