MORE vs. less: 4 Things I’ve Learned in My Decluttering Journey

Day 31 – This spot no longer exists! Hurray for me.

I am done with this series, MORE vs  less: 31 days Devoted to Decluttering. My home, garage, car, and office contain a lot less stuff. But I need to declutter more. More importantly, I need to treat this project as an ongoing journey.

Let me share four things I learned during this process.

1. Declutter before I organize. The fastest way to clean up a messy space is to toss everything into labeled containers. However, this is only a short-term, quick fix, because when stuff is put in a box, I rarely look at it again. In the long-term, it does not meet my goal of having a decluttered home. I need to declutter as I go and keep only what is necessary and loved.
2. Make a plan for things coming into my space. Items still come into my home from my purchases or from others. If I don’t make disciplined, ongoing decisions about what goes, what stays, and where it will “live,” my spaces will fill up again, and I will once again have a cluttered life. I need to ask the following: “Do I need it?” “Do I love it?”
3. Reinforce the why of my decluttering goal. When I feel overwhelmed or lack the desire to declutter, I think back to WHY I want a decluttered space. When I ruminate on the inspiration for my goal, my motivation stays stable.

Here are some of my reasons why.

• A decluttered home is peaceful.
• Company is welcome as there is no need for a lengthy house cleaning.
• I save money and time by knowing precisely where everything is.
• My kiddos will inherit thoughtful treasures, not containers of junk.

4. Accountability is essential to my success. I started a private Facebook group that interacts on this topic. We share questions, challenges, wins, information, quotes, frustrations, and encouragement. And I recently started a regular Skype session with a friend on the same journey. Michelle’s positivity and steadfast pursuit of her own decluttering goals prod me on in my efforts. Both of these accountability avenues help call to mind my why and how, which keep me progressing on the decluttering journey.

Your Turn . . . How is your decluttering journey going? Share what you’ve learned.

Related resource – . How to Kick Your Clutter Habit and Live in a Clean House Once and for All by Alan Henry

Day 31 –  31 Minutes of Decluttering = Several hours in the garage. This is a big project, but step-by-step it is doable.

Go here for the landing page with all the posts for MORE vs less: 31 Days of Decluttering. #write31days  . . . I am joining 100’s of bloggers who are determined to write every day in October on one topic. To read more about #Write31Days, go here.

Join me in this experiment of MORE vs less. If you’d like, you can join our private Facebook group that is encouraging one another in this task.

Updated on August 17. 2018. Our Facebook group is still operational, in case you’d like to join us.