If you've been spinning your wheels, not making much progress there is likely a clear reason why.
Not making decluttering progress? This troubleshooting episode will help you figure out where the holes in your decluttering plan and efforts are and then fill them up. In less metaphor-y words… what are the problems you are having while decluttering and how to solve them.
If you feel like you have been decluttering for a long time, doing a lot of work, and still not making progress this is for you. Let's brainstorm together and make your decluttering plan.
- You are unclear on what decluttering is. Let's give some definitions real quick… decluttering is the act of getting things out of your possession for good. Trash, donate or sell and it no longer lives in your home.
Not following through with the final step of letting it go means you haven't actually been decluttering. You've been clutter shifting, and that means your work is happening, and then it's coming undone or feeling incomplete as you stare at the piles you created.
Of course it feels like you aren't making progress. - Organizing definition “arrange into a structured order or whole”. So, this means that when you walk into the kitchen you are holding, moving, stacking and shifting things from place to piece it together in a cohesive way.
The reason this doesn't work on it's own is because you have too much stuff to put into order in a sustainable way. Organization is needed, but only when you have an amount of stuff that can be managed. Otherwise you end up doing a lot of work, that is again done very fast or left incomplete and leaving you feeling like your efforts are wasted. Give a toy example of organization gone wrong. - Cleaning: cleaning is creating a sterile environment, removing dirt, toilets etc.
These definitions matter so that you can use your time and energy in the most efficient way. Here are some other reasons you might be doing a lot of work, but not seeing progress without a decluttering plan.
- You are re-accumulating. Also known as REcluttering. This happens when you don't have a clear vision of why you are decluttering and how you want your new way of living to be. I know it can be hard for some people to visualize this, and I teach exactly how to do it in my course Decluttering Simplified. One thing you can do is create boundaries for your new incoming things, create a budget, create a temporary hold on new things coming in so you can live in your newly decluttered space for a bit.
- You aren't being efficient with your time or efforts. You spend a lot of time trying to figure out what to do, but not actually doing it. Researching, listening to podcasts but no action. Or maybe even creating lists, using a patchwork decluttering plan, then losing them and in turn all your progress. You need a clear start to finish path. having that allows for flexibility in the time it takes to complete it. You can make that plan yourself of course, or you can use the ones I have created for you!
Want to get a decluttering plan made for a mom like you?
The Motherhood Simplified courses