If you are anywhere on the internet, you’ve probably noticed the decluttering craze, (every mom blog has written about it at least once, amirite). Everyone is looking for ways to live a more simplified and intentional life. Which sounds great, but decluttering isn’t always the easiest solution to make that happen.
1. It isn’t always practical
It depends on just how “into” decluttering you want to get, but for the purposes of this point, let’s go as far as minimalism.
As a mom of three young kids, the idea of minimalism is simply unrealistic. Sure, it sounds nice- only buy the essentials; the less you have, the less you have to clean, etc.
Listen, there are 5 individuals sharing my home, each with their own hobbies, interests, toys, and style. That means STUFF.
For better or worse.
Factor in owning a home, and other obligations of being an adult, and that just means MORE stuff.
It’s unavoidable.
And that’s okay.
It isn’t materialistic to possess items that make you happy, bring you contentment, or allow you to snake the pipes for the umpteenth time.
Minimalism is an entire lifestyle, and one that, frankly, isn’t appealing. A lived-in home is a slightly cluttered home.
2. It Can Make Overwhelm Worse
If you are in a state of overwhelm, decluttering can actually make that feeling worse.
Decluttering, especially if it’s your first time, is an entire process that won’t be accomplished quickly or easily. It takes time, energy, and you must have the bandwidth to make emotional decisions- which is hard to do if you are already at your capacity.
Decluttering is appealing to you in this state because you are attempting to control that which you can, and the state of your home is something you can control. Before you take on decluttering, focus on overcoming that overwhelm. Here are a few Tips to Overcome Overwhelm.
3. It can work
Now, decluttering does have its place, and is an important aspect to keep your home functioning. Getting into a system of cycling through your goods and decluttering two or three times a year is completely manageable.
There are a ton of benefits to decluttering as well, as long as you are in the right headspace to do it.
- You can keep items rotating through your home.
- It does free up space, and allow you to clear out items that are broken, unused, or outgrown.
- It keeps the inventory list circling in your head, so you can keep better track of what you have versus what you need.
The key, as with everything else in life, is to find what works for you and your family comfortably. If the idea of decluttering is something that appeals to you yet simultaneously overwhelms you, here are a few quick tips to get you started.
- Start with your junk drawer. Get a quick win under your belt, and feel better every time when you can actually open the drawer and find what you are looking for.
- Pick a spot and set a time for 10 – 15 minutes. Clean and declutter until time runs out. If you want to keep going, do so, if not, congrats you made progress!
- Get your family involved in their own spaces with their own items.
- Make a donation pile, so as you are tidying up, you can easily cull out items that you are ready to pass on.
What are your thoughts on decluttering? Love it or hate it?
