Declutter the Stress (with tips!)
Has anyone else been feeling the stress recently? Stress seems to be around every corner, coming from every angle possible at all times these days. I will be the first to admit I am not good at managing stress. I am however an expert at suppressing the stress… I won’t even know it’s there until something happens (usually in the form of some kind of ailment).
I have found both personally, and in the many articles and videos scattered about the internet that all confirms it - excessive stuff significantly affects our stress levels (especially women!). Stress, as we know, affects all aspects of our lives and really determines our quality of life overall.
Do you find yourself having little to no patience with your family (or yourself), are you tired all the time, mentally exhausted, overwhelmed, feeling like you’re drowning… would you describe yourself as “in survival mode”? These could all be symptoms of being surrounded by too much stuff - aka - clutter. Clutter is different to everyone and how much can be tolerated will vary person to person… Many of us are drawn to those Pinterest perfect restock videos, the aesthetically pleasing matching baskets and bins with cute labels… we compare ourselves to the people on social media who never have anything out of place, who instantly file every piece of paper as they get it or instantly put away their laundry when it comes out of the dryer or those who seem to have the perfect kids who always put everything away perfectly sorted in color coordinated shelves. While yes those people might live like that daily most probably don’t, it it was done for a video, they didn’t show every closet, bin or room of their house - so try to avoid the comparison monster - it will steal all your joy. We are all uniquely designed, we do not all think, operate or live the same. Therefore our homes, systems and processes should all be just a little different. (Yes, even among families!)
Many of us live with other people, we can’t have everything exactly the way we want it because of this, what do we do about it? We pick our battles and compromise. We try to understand each person’s preference and style - I LOVE the Clutterbug method for dealing with this. Ever seen the movies where one person “helps” someone clean up and the person who had stuff everywhere gets really mad because they can’t find anything? Same concept. Clutterbug classifies people as visual/micro, visual macro, hidden/micro, hidden/macro - I HIGHLY recommend going to her website (Just search Clutterbug!) and taking the free quiz, especially if you and your spouse / co-inhabitants are at odds with how things should be organized, have them take the quiz too and see if it helps you understand each other. Now, don’t get too caught up in which style you are, you might be multiple; it might just depend on the area! I personally am a mix of all of them depending on what area I am organizing! Having this concept in mind can be very helpful in working through things.
Let’s chuck the idea of “perfect” out the window. Progress over perfection is one of my favorite mottos that has been picking up momentum in the organization realm. There is always a reason to not get started… but there is a really good reason to start… YOU. You are a good enough reason to start! If it improves your life even a little it will be worth it! Even if it’s just one drawer a day, consistency and follow through are key. Depending where you are starting in your journey you might not see instant results in the physical, but you might start to notice it emotionally and mentally first. Slowly chipping away at the to do list (which is usually just a make decisions about XYZ list) will lighten the load slowly but surely.
Try to view this as a journey, not a destination - a marathon not a sprint.
Here are some of my favorite tips for just getting started no matter where you are at:
Let go of perfection - done is better than perfect (you can always come back to it later).
Set goals and remember why you are doing this - it WILL get hard, these reasons will ideally cheer you on even when it’s hard (for example: more time for family fun when chores take less time because things are tidy. Having a neater house will make a less stressed Mom which will make everyone happier. We will save money by not having to repurchase things because we couldn’t find it when we needed it… etc.).
Trash bag roundup - just take a bag throughout your house/area you want to tackle and just get all the obvious trash.
Set a timer and do what you can - five, ten, fifteen, thirty minutes, an hour, however much time/capacity you have… if you are enjoying it and on a roll keep going! Sometimes the hardest thing to get is going! If you aren’t enjoying it feel free to walk away after your timer is done, not before but as soon as it dings.
Don’t try to clean and organize at the same time as decluttering - this is a sure way to become overwhelmed. Focus on one thing at a time to avoid a “if you give a mouse a cookie” situation - one thing leads to another and another and another. Remember you can always come back to an area again.
Check in on your social media. I believe the content you watch should inspire, motivate, encourage and challenge. If it’s not having a positive impact on you it’s okay to unfollow or mute. If every account you follow makes you feel like you have to have what they show/sell this will only contribute to your clutter! It’s okay to declutter accounts if they aren’t helping you in a positive way. (You can always refollow later!)
Bring in a professional organizer - accountability, fresh perspective and a helping hand. A few decisions off your plate can make a huge difference! It’s okay to need help, we are human we will all need help of some kind at some point in our lives. We do this not to judge you (if you get this feeling, get a new organizer!) but because we genuinely want to help. We do this because it makes us happy to turn your chaos into calm. Because we like sorting through the hundreds of tiny items that somehow accumulate in your home.
Celebrate each little step you take, you will find your own personal momentum and pace! Make this an enjoyable experience for yourself as best you can.
Set some guiding questions for yourself as you declutter:
“would I remember I have this in my house if I need it in the future, or would I go buy a new one?”
“could I buy this for less than $20 if I needed it again?” (Adjust for your budget)
“do I like this?”
“does it make me happy?”
“does it make me feel confident/comfortable when I wear/use it”
“if I was moving would I want to spend the time/money to pack it, move it, unpack it and then find a place for it?”
I hope this helps you feel encouraged and motivated to prioritize and invest in yourself. You might not be able to change the whole world for everyone, but perhaps you can start with changing your own world.