Starting anything new can be incredibly overwhelming. It could be a house project, planting something in the garden, starting a new exercise habit or even just trying to clean a room. Just starting can feel like climbing Mount Everest. What if it’s not good enough? Is it worth it? How do I justify doing this thing to others? These are the kinds of questions we can get stuck on that stop us from moving forward.
For many of us this leads to procrastination – putting things off because the task feels overwhelming or unpleasant. Instead of just starting we distract ourselves with smaller, easier – and dare I say more fun – activities. Just today, instead of starting to write a blog post I decided to hang a picture up in a bedroom. Was this an urgent task? No. Did it need doing right away? No. But it was easier than sitting down and staring at a blank page, wondering what to write and being scared I wouldn’t be able to come up with anything.
Procrastination is not about laziness. It’s rooted in fear. Fear of failure, of making the wrong decision or even fear of success and the responsibilities that come with it.
We can also get caught up in ‘analysis paralysis’. This is when we overthink every possible outcome or decision and become caught in an endless loop of planning. And sometimes that’s fun. It can be fun to sit with our phone, looking through social media for ideas, inspiration, tips and advice on whatever task we want to start. However, this has the opposite effect. This perfectionism stalls our progress and can actually lead us to thinking we can’t possibly start anything before having all the answers.
Both procrastination and analysis paralysis are very common and very human. Everyone struggles with fear of starting something at some point. The trick is to recognize that this is happening to you and then taking actionable steps to overcome this, free yourself and move forward.
Getting started is often the hardest step, but it’s also the most rewarding.
How to Get Started
The best way to just get started on something is to follow a plan. This does not need to be anything fancy. You just need a simple set of small, achievable steps to get you towards your goal. Here I will explain 8 steps to help you on your way to starting – and reaching- your goals.
- Identify Your Goal
Before starting any new task or project, it is essential to sit down with yourself and ask the simple but powerful question: why am I doing this? Your why is your purpose and motivation and what will drive you to achieve what you want. It is what gives meaning to your work and provides a clear sense of direction, especially when things get hard.
So, before you start decluttering, ask yourself why you want to start. Why are you on this journey to declutter your home and live a more simple life? You might want to start this journey because you want to create a more calm and peaceful home environment, reduce stress and spend more time focusing on your family and less time on managing the stuff that’s in your house. Do you want to feel proud and relaxed when you walk into your home? Do you want a simpler, more intentional life for your family?
Some things to keep in mind as you set this goal are:
- How is clutter impacting your daily life?
Does clutter make your mornings before school chaotic as you search for school supplies? Is clutter making you angry when toys and laundry have been left all over the floor?
- What do you hope to gain by simplifying your life?
Maybe you’re tired of spending the weekends catching up on housework and projects instead of spending quality time with your family. Maybe your home feels chaotic and you would rather create a space that is calm and relaxing and where everyone can enjoy themselves. Maybe you want to free up time for yourself.
- What message are you teaching your kids?
Decluttering and simplifying your life can teach valuable lessons to your children. Instead of seeing running a home and family as a chore that leaves you exasperated, tired and frustrated, they will see someone calm and in control who appreciates what they have. Children model what they see at home, so by creating a calm and clutter free space you are setting your child up for success.
When you have discovered your why, write it down somewhere. In your phone, on a piece of paper stuck on the fridge, or in a journal. When you’re having a hard day and wondering why you are doing this, refer back to it. Read it and remember why you are doing this. It’s important to you and that’s what matters.
Breaking It Down
Now that you have your goal, you will want to break it down into a series of smaller, actionable steps to be on your way to a clutter-free and simpler life. Beginning this journey can feel like a massive undertaking, especially when balancing motherhood, work and daily responsibilities.
It is very easy to get stuck right at the beginning. The idea of decluttering and simplifying can be both exciting and overwhelming. On one hand you’re picturing your new life full of family time and less stress, and on the other hand you may be staring at a house full of stuff and wondering “where do I even begin?”
This is why breaking the decluttering process down into smaller steps, and starting small, is vitally important to you reaching your goal of a clutter-free and simpler life.
Here is a simple plan on how to put your why into action.
- Start Small
Trying to declutter your home in one weekend is a recipe for disaster. It cannot be done. There is a reason why it’s a journey. You need to start small. This could be a room in your house, a cupboard or even just a draw. Starting small stops everything feeling overwhelming because you will have a lot of small successes on the way by starting small. You might start with your junk drawer in your kitchen, or your bedside table? Maybe your bathroom could use a declutter, and that can be an easy space to start in as there wouldn’t be too many sentimental items in there.
- Set a Timer
When life gets busy and overwhelming it’s easy to convince yourself that you don’t have time to declutter. Setting a timer can help. It creates a sense of urgency and focus while also keeping the task manageable. You don’t need to declutter a whole room in one day. Set a time for 15-30 minutes and just focus on a specific task. If you make it focused it will be easier. So set a timer and choose a draw, your bedside table, your purse or the mail pile and you’ll be amazed at what you can get done in a short amount of time.
- Forget Perfectionism
Decluttering is all about progress over perfection. It’s about the journey. It doesn’t matter if it’s picture perfect. It’s easy to get overwhelmed by what social media presents to us as decluttering – a pantry full of perfectly organized bins or a closet with only 10 pieces of clothing in it for example. That’s not the goal. Your space has to work for you. No one else.
My house does not look minimal at all. I have color, throw pillows, rugs, photo frames and books all over the place. But that’s what works for me. I keep what works for me and try and get rid of the rest.
My decluttering process is not perfect at all. In fact, it’s probably very different to a lot of what’s out there. I will go through cupboards and draws and pull out old clothes and books that are no longer needed, but a lot of that ends up in the garage. The toys in particular end up in the garage. It functions as a go-between. I may think my son is finished with something, but I hang on to it for a little while just in case he asks for it. If he doesn’t ask for it for six months, then it’s gone.
Everyone’s process is different and that’s ok. It’s about your progress at your pace and the small wins along the way.
- Simple Systems
Keep your systems simple as you declutter. This helps with keeping overwhelm at bay and ensuring you’re successful.
You might choose to use the 3 box rule when decluttering. You label three boxes: keep, donate and trash. This is a quick way to declutter as you can quickly sort items into these categories without over thinking. I love this method.
There is also the one in one out rule. This is basically that for every new item that comes into your home an old item must go. For example, you might buy a new pair of pants and so you decide to donate an old pair that you don’t need any more.
You can also declutter by category. Start with something easy that has no sentimental value, such as the pantry or bathroom cupboards before working your way up to more sentimental items, which can be a little more difficult.
- Building Momentum and Habits
It’s important to celebrate your wins, however small, on your decluttering journey. These small victories matter and create a sense of pride. Celebrate the fact that you cleaned out that draw or sorted out that mail pile. Notice that feeling of how light you feel having done that task and not having it hang over your head and annoy you anymore. These accomplishments create a sense of achievement and motivate you to keep going.
Consistency is key in the decluttering journey. Start building small decluttering routines and you’ll begin to notice lasting change. Build 10-15 minutes into your day to declutter hot spots. Hot spots are areas that affect your everyday life like the kitchen counter, entry way or the play area. These spaces are magnets for clutter and clearing them will create an immediate and noticeable difference to you and your home.
- Get the Family Involved
Decluttering should not just be left to you and you alone, so make it a team effort. Involve your kids in decluttering their rooms. They can use the same principles as you, starting small and decluttering a small box of toys or a draw of clothes. You can even turn it into a game. Set a time and see how many toys they can declutter in 1 minute. With your guidance and the systems you have decided to use and teach they will soon start understanding the value of decluttering and simplifying.
- Reflect and Adjust
Allow yourself some grace. Decluttering and simplifying can be a new and overwhelming thing to implement. Take some time to reflect on your decluttering journey. What are you noticing about yourself and your home? I notice that I feel lighter. Calmer. I feel much less overwhelmed and I feel like I have control over my space rather than it controlling me.
Reflecting allows you to adjust your process. As you go through this journey you’ll learn what works for you and what doesn’t. And it’s ok to change what isn’t working for you. Maybe you find it easier to declutter room-by-room rather than by category. Or maybe vice versa? Whatever it is, notice what works for you and go with it.
Let’s Go!
Decluttering is not the goal, it is a journey. It isn’t about achieving perfection and creating an aesthetic and minimal home. Decluttering is about consistent progress. It’s about showing up for yourself and saying ‘I – and my family – are worth this work to have a more calm, peaceful, fun life!’
Decluttering and simplifying is not about waiting for the perfect tie to start. There is no perfect time, and life will always be busy, and the list of things to do will probably always feel long. But the good news is that you don’t need to spend hours planning and preparing and researching to declutter. Grab a basket, pick a room or category, set a timer and go for it.
Start small, stay focused and overtime you will be able to create the calm, happy, simple and clutter-free home that you’ve been dreaming of!
What are some of your favorite tips for just starting decluttering? How did you feel after starting the decluttering process? Let me know in the comments, I’d love to hear from you!
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