5 ways to get motivated to declutter

Guest blog by Eliza

Our homes have a constant flow of inwards traffic and accumulating ‘things’ is a natural part of everyday life. To ensure we stay on top of our home organisation and avoid spaces getting out of hand, regular decluttering is essential. Decluttering and sorting through your items can be a challenge and it is often something that we put off for a rainy day. Today we are sharing our top five tips for getting motivated to declutter and how to take action today.  

1. Conduct An Audit 

We find that the most common reason people struggle to find motivation to declutter is that they don’t know where to begin. One of our favourite tips is to start from your entryway and work your way through your home creating a list of the areas that need decluttering (don’t forget your garage and outdoor spaces!). The list can include spaces as small as a console drop zone or junk drawer and as large as the kitchen cupboards or a main wardrobe. By creating a list, this gives you a clear outline of the task at hand and which space you can tackle first. The satisfaction of crossing off a space once you have decluttered is definitely worth it. We also recommend sticking this list somewhere in plain sight, such as the fridge and crossing off smaller tasks when you have a spare ten minutes.

2. One Space At A Time 

Once you have your list of areas in your home, it is time to get started. Decluttering can feel overwhelming as we often think it must all be done at once and an entire home organisation feels unattainable. If you break things down by area or furniture item and get started with one space, the decluttering process is a more manageable experience. Often, by starting with one space, you find yourself gaining momentum and motivation to move onto the next zone straight away too.   

3. Look Online For Inspiration 

We all love a before and after and there is nothing more satisfying than looking at a beautifully organised home. If you are struggling to find the motivation to declutter because you are at a loss when it comes to inspiration, then we recommend jumping online. Head to places like Pinterest and Instagram and search for organised kitchens, pantries, laundries and bathrooms. We can guarantee that by seeing homes that are organised and functional, this will park inspiration within you to get started. Don’t forget to save these images and take note of the storage solutions used as these will be helpful when you get to the organisation stage.  

4. Take Action & Avoid Distraction 

Taking action is sometimes the hardest step, so as Nike would say ‘Just do it’. If you find yourself with a spare afternoon, evening or weekend then schedule in a time to declutter, that way you have no excuse if it is pencilled into the calendar. We also recommend avoiding distractions when decluttering as this can derail the process and result in it taking ten times longer, or worse, being half done and never finished. Let family members know that you are decluttering and for them to try not to interrupt you and put your phone on do not disturb to avoid notifications and distractions. Focus is key when it comes to decluttering and the least number of distractions the better.  

5. Hire Help  

If you find that you have tried all of the above tips, but still do not have the motivation or time to declutter then services like our own ‘decluttering service’ are the perfect solution for you. We have trained professionals that can come out to your home, guide you through the process and ensure you stay on track throughout the decluttering journey.

Get in touch today to see how this service can help you create a more streamlined and functional home.