9 Decluttering Motivation Tips That Will Help You To Keep Going

Lilian — Thu, 10 Mar 2022 16:30:00 +0000

Have you lost the motivation to declutter your home? Here are 9 decluttering motivation tips that will help you to keep going.

Have you ever started to clean and declutter only to stop halfway because you felt completely overwhelmed?

I have. Multiple times!

Don’t be fooled by the photos of my home on my blog and social media. Decluttering doesn’t come effortlessly to me!

It took me a lot of determination to start decluttering and organizing. Once I started, I needed a lot of motivation to keep going.

Just like you, I know it can be difficult to find the motivation to declutter.

Taking on big physical tasks feels intimidating, especially if you don’t know where to start.

Decluttering can also be emotionally and physically draining. Some things are harder to let go of than others.

Plus, a lot of us were taught not to be wasteful and to appreciate everything that we have. Decluttering can stir up a lot of guilt in some people – myself included!

Despite all the challenges decluttering brings, it offers a lot of healthy benefits.

For one, decluttering has helped to relieve my stress and anxiety. I like to think of it as an affordable alternative to therapy!

That’s why it’s important to find the right motivation to declutter.

If you’re wondering how to find the motivation to declutter, you’re at the right place! Here are nine decluttering motivation tips that have kept me going in my decluttering journey.

9 Life-Changing Decluttering Motivation Tips

Figure out your decluttering goals
Start small
Build good habits
Make a decluttering plan
Make decluttering fun
Recruit an accountability buddy
Reward yourself after decluttering
Keep track of your decluttering progress
Be kind to yourself

9 Easy Decluttering Motivation Tips To Help You To Keep Going!

1. Figure out your decluttering goals

Before you start decluttering, it is crucial to discover your goals for decluttering.

What are you trying to achieve? How do you want to feel? Why do you want to declutter?

Some people want to declutter because they want to spend less time cleaning and organizing. Some want to make more money by selling things they don’t need or want anymore.

I started decluttering my family home because I was grieving and feeling depressed after I lost my mother. I wanted to do something that will take my mind off things.

After that, I continued to declutter in my apartment because I wanted to create a peaceful home to live in.

Whatever your reason is, you need to identify your decluttering goals because these will provide you with the motivation to declutter.

So, whenever you’re unmotivated, take a step back and remind yourself of your decluttering goals.

2. Start small

Sometimes the biggest obstacle to a challenge lies in your head.

Feeling overwhelmed before you even start? Take the first step and start small.

Don’t pressure yourself into decluttering your entire home in one day. For most normal people with busy schedules, it’s just not possible.

If you’re new to decluttering, choose a small task that you can do quickly and easily. Once you finish it, you’ll feel so good about yourself.

This will set the tone for your decluttering journey and give you the motivation to declutter.

Not sure where to start? Use this list to declutter 10 everyday items in your home that you don’t need!

3. Build good habits

The key to success is consistency.

How does one achieve consistency? By building good habits!

I recently read Atomic Habits by James Clear, and it changed my mindset for the better.

In the book, James Clear uses the example of an ice cube. Ice melts only when it hits 32 degrees Fahrenheit.

However, that doesn’t mean the energy required to raise the temperature from 25 to 31 degrees didn’t matter.

It did. And, that’s why the ice melted.

The takeaway from this example is that you have to be consistent in your efforts for results to show.

The same goes with decluttering.

You don’t have to declutter for hours every day. Sometimes all you need is 15 – 30 minutes of decluttering daily to make your home clutter-free.

Building good habits will motivate you to declutter, even if it takes time to see tangible results.

4. Create a decluttering plan

Once you’ve built good habits, it’s time to create a decluttering plan.

Some people feel pressure when they have to create and follow plans. But, planning helps us to be accountable for what we do.

I like creating plans because it helps me break down a big project into small and manageable tasks.

Creating a plan doesn’t have to be complicated. Start by asking yourself these questions:

Which areas of your home do you want to declutter?
How long do you need to declutter each area?
When will you start decluttering?

Once you have the answers to these questions, you can begin to build your plan.

When I started decluttering my family home last year, I knew I wanted to declutter the main areas of the home e.g. all the bedrooms, the kitchen, and the junk room.

I wanted to give myself ample time to do it, so I told myself I’d try to get everything done within 3-4 months.

I would declutter every day for 2-3 hours and I would take a day off once a week to rest.

As you can see, it’s not a very thorough plan, but I knew exactly what I had to do.

I followed the plan diligently and realized that checking off each task gave me more motivation to declutter.

So, figure out what will work for you and build a plan around it. Once you have a plan, it’s time to execute it!

5. Make decluttering fun

I used to think decluttering was a tedious chore.

I was never motivated to declutter until I decided to make it fun!

You might be wondering, “But how can you make decluttering fun?”

Well, it’s simple! You pair it with another activity you like and enjoy.

I’m always listening to music whenever I declutter. It puts me in a good mood, and I often find myself having a mini karaoke session while I’m going through my things. Beyoncé, anyone?

I know other people who listen to audiobooks or podcasts while decluttering.

I don’t usually promote multitasking, but decluttering is the perfect opportunity to squeeze in a bit of ‘me’ time while you’re being productive.

Better yet, call a couple of girlfriends over and re-enact one of my favorite Sex & The City scenes. You know, the one where Carrie tries on all of her outfits and her friends decide which ones to toss and keep? That’s the one!

Get your motivation to declutter by creating your version of fun!

6. Recruit an accountability buddy

Another great way to find the motivation to declutter is to recruit an accountability buddy.

This person needs to be honest with you to keep you accountable for your actions.

My husband is my accountability partner.

He knows what my decluttering plans are and he checks in on me to make sure I’m on track.

When I’m having a hard day, he gives me the motivation to declutter by physically helping me. Teamwork makes the dream work, right?

It’s easier to find the motivation to declutter when you have someone who not only holds you responsible for your goals but also cheers you on.

7. Reward yourself after decluttering

Need more motivation to declutter?

There’s nothing more satisfying than rewarding yourself after a job well done.

Don’t forget to reward yourself every time you’ve made progress. And yes, slow progress is STILL progress!

It doesn’t have to be anything expensive or luxurious. It just has to feel fulfilling and motivating to you.

My favorite way to reward myself after decluttering is by taking a day off and spending quality time with my husband and friends.

Giving myself a well-deserved break gives me the motivation to resume decluttering the next day.

Other inexpensive rewards include indulging in your favorite self-care routine, going to the park, and making a delicious meal.

8. Keep track of your decluttering progress

The easiest way to get the motivation to declutter is by keeping track of your decluttering progress.

If your decluttering plan spans over a few months like mine, you may not notice your progress immediately.

That’s why it’s important to keep track of your progress. You can do this by adding a tracker to your decluttering plan.

If you’re a visual person, you can also take before and after photos of your home to document your progress.

I do both of the above, and I can assure you that keeping track of your progress is a sure way to maintain your motivation to declutter.

9. Be kind to yourself

Lastly, give yourself grace if you decide to take a break from decluttering.

Instead of being critical and saying you’ll never be organized, recognize that you’re simply taking some time off to rest.

Our bodies are not meant to be working 24/7. Sometimes a few days off is all we need to reset.

Use these decluttering motivation tips to keep going in your decluttering journey!

I hope you will remember these decluttering motivation tips when you’re feeling unmotivated. If I can do it, so can you!

All the best in your decluttering journey. Remember, you got this!

Need more decluttering tips and tricks? Check out these decluttering guides:

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