“Develop strong opinions so that you don't accidentally start believing what others think is best”
Strong opinions about clutter are important. Otherwise you might fall into the trap of decluttering just because others are doing it. When you do this you end up not having clarity in what is, and is not important to you. Which leads to keeping things you don't want and letting go of what you do want.
Often times we keep things for sentiment, when really it is the opinions of other people guiding our decisions. Our parents want us to keep all the childhood mementos they kept that they no longer want. But you feel no real attachment to the stuff.
Or our parents instill the notion that we won't have enough so we need to keep things we don't truly need.
Here are some examples of my strong opinions about clutter that are my guiding light in deciding what to keep and not keep.
The most affordable and best way to organize your home is to declutter
So often I see moms asking for advice on what shelves and bins are best to buy for their homes, and toys. My response is to always declutter first. If you truly declutter you often don't need to spend much, or any money at all on organization. Most of us can shop our own homes and organize what we have left after decluttering.
In the Motherhood Simplified community we have created “the empty bin club”. Its a thing that happens when someone declutters so much that they don't know what to do with the empty bins and shelves.
We don't need more storage and organizational solutions. We need less stuff.
Your home isn't cluttered because family and friends give you stuff
Yes, it can be overwhelming when family and friends give you too much stuff. As the former recipient of all my family and friend's hand me downs, I get it.
I had one friend who would fill my car and trunk to the brim every time we would visit. Trust me when I say I understand that frustration.
However, I am the gatekeeper of my home. This means I get to choose what stays and goes. No one but me is responsible for the clutter in my home.
If you are living your life with too much clutter, of course when your family and friends give to you it feels like a burden rather than a blessing or expression of love.
When I decided to take ownership of my home and everything inside it I began to be accept things with gratitude and grace. I understand now that no one but me is to fault for how much I have in my home. It feels so much better to be able to receive with love rather than resentment now.
Being a mom does not mean you are doomed for never ending laundry and chores
I'm here to normalize moms having free time. No more feeling like we need to be on the struggle bus. Stop apologizing for the condition of your home, and don't justify it away by making excuses for your clutter!
Declutter your home and create space, time and energy that you deserve.
Stop pretending like you are okay with either working yourself to the point of breaking, or that you are not overwhelmed by constantly being behind on the work in your home.
Just give yourself less work to do in the first place. It's okay to have white space on your calendar, and it's okay to feel in control and at ease in your home.
I know this all sounds so much easier said than done, but Decluttering Simplified makes it super simple to do. If you want to declutter your home in just 4 weeks with a community of moms like you, join us today in Decluttering Simplified!