Do you wonder why it is that every time you try to organise your home, you end up right back where you started? Hum… let me guess…
The 3 behaviours that prevent you from having a clutter-free and organised home
#1 You skip the decluttering stage because you find it difficult to let go.
I’m sure you have plenty of reasons for holding onto your things. Maybe you fear you might need the item in the future. Or you feel guilty of letting go because of the financial or sentimental value you attach to it.
Trust me, you’re not alone. Most people do find it difficult to let go.
But why is it important to declutter? Because if you don’t do anything about it, your house or flat will eventually become more of a storage unit than a home. Unless you move to a bigger home or rent external storage space, of course. And even if money is not a concern to you, do you really want to spend time and energy taking care of something that has outlived its purpose?
“Your home should be the antidote to stress. Not the cause.” Peter Walsh
And the good news is, the more you do it, the easier it becomes. Because you’ll start realising the weight of the stuff you’ve been carrying on your shoulders and how easier your life becomes once you start streamlining it and have a clutter-free and organised home.
If you’re ready to start your journey to a more streamlined life, my free Quick Wardrobe Fix guide offers a gentle way to begin letting go of clothes that no longer serve you.
So don’t miss this step. Only you can decide what’s important in your life and what does or doesn’t belong in it. But having someone by your side who will make you look at your belongings in a different light, so you’re able to change your relationship with your stuff, can be extremely helpful. However, this person shouldn’t try to influence or judge your decisions.
#2 You underestimate the time it takes to organise your home and give up along the way.
Getting organised does take time. Clutter hasn’t happened overnight, right? So don’t expect it to disappear overnight either!
Instead of the task, try to focus on the benefits of having a clutter-free and organised home. Getting organised is bound to make you save time in many areas of your life and improve your mental well-being.
Although getting organised is not rocket science, you can save time in the process by learning a proper approach. Many professional organisers have come up with their own methodologies, but in the end, they are not so different. This is the approach I’ve developed and use with my own clients.
Obviously, having me by their side for all, or part, of the process also helps them stay focused, fight off distractions and feelings of indecision, and keep them motivated, which in the end saves them even more time.
If the idea of organising your entire home is overwhelming (as it is for most people!), start with a little corner or a category of items. Just keep going until you get it organised, and once organised, maintain it that way. Then, once it has become almost second nature for you to keep it clutter-free and organised, move to another corner. It may take time, new habits take between 3 to 6 weeks to stick, but eventually, you’ll get there.
#3 You think moving things around or sticking them in boxes gets you organised.
The thing is, organisation isn’t about the “stuff”. No, it’s about you, your habits, and how you manage your stuff. Getting organised involves setting up processes, systems, and tools. Once these are in place, your home will follow and stay clutter-free and organised.
Do these thoughts cross your mind too?
At this stage, I need to clear a common misconception about getting organised. It’s not a talent you’re born with, it’s a skill that can be learned and that requires practice. And that’s what I try to transfer to my clients during our time working together – easy-to-implement, customised organising solutions that we apply to specific spaces in their homes. Once they grasp those concepts, they’re able to use them in other areas of their home, even after our work together is done. So they’re developing a lifelong skill that will make it easier to maintain and build off of these changes.
I often come across people saying, “Who needs to pay for this type of help? I / You can do that!”. Others think that something is wrong with them, that they should know how to do it and feel embarrassed to ask for help. But then, when they don’t reach their goals, demotivation sets in, and it’s even harder to start all over.
As Amanda, one of my clients, said
“Professional organisation is an investment – you invest in the time (and maybe even discomfort) of figuring out what’s not working, so you can cleanse, declutter and put a system in place. But once that system’s in place? You’ll have more time and head space to focus on what matters. A bloody great return on investment, if you’re willing to take the plunge.”
Check what other past clients have to say about our work together, and contact me if you struggle at any stage of your organising journey. I’ll be there for you. Holding you accountable, coaching you and guiding you throughout the process. Helping you understand the emotional or psychological barriers or issues that have created the situation in the first place. Empowering you to make decisions that will leave you liberated, not regretful, and teaching you a lifelong skill.
This blog post was first published on Connected Women.
See related publications:
- Decluttering Tips For Those Who Really Struggle To Let Go – Well, Who Doesn’t Really?!
- Time estimate: the one thing you need to add to your to-do list if you really want to take control of your time
- Why you can’t get organised: Clearing 4 common misconceptions about organising that prevent you from getting organised
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