Spring is the perfect time to declutter your home and start fresh. I love coming home to a clean house with everything in its place. The idea of tidying a whole house can feel daunting, but there are easy ways to start decluttering your home and making it feel like less of a challenge.
Sometimes, finding the motivation to start tidying can be the biggest problem. When there are so many places to clean, the task can feel overwhelming, and many of us just put it off. If you’re lacking the motivation to start decluttering your home, this post is jam-packed with tips to help you out!
How to find the motivation to declutter your home
Decluttering motivation can be hard to come by even if you’re not a hoarder, especially when you don’t know where to start and only have a limited amount of time. Stuffing items into drawers isn’t always the best solution! Here’s how to find the motivation to clean your house and be excited to organise it!
Choose a decluttering project that excites you!
It’s hard to start something when you’re already dreading a task. If something doesn’t excite you, you aren’t going to want to do it. Find a decluttering project that makes you excited and willing to put in the work. You don’t need to work on your entire home, but choosing something you’ve wanted to change for a while will increase your motivation and productivity. If you have a project that excites you, the task doesn’t feel like hard work. It can actually be fun!
To find a project that excites you, think about the first place you’d want to redecorate if you had the available funds. The first place you think of may be the decluttering project that excites you the most. It’s probably a good idea to start there.
For me, I’d love to declutter the kitchen and living room. There are many surfaces with junk on, and after lockdown, I’d love to invite guests over! This would be the first place I start and is a project that excites me!
Set a decluttering goal
Goal setting is one of the best ways to motivate you to start the decluttering process. You could list your little goals or come up with a big task you want to tackle. Whenever I want to motivate myself, I create a mood board on Pinterest or set it as my lock screen. I usually include pictures of organised pantries or minimalistic rooms!
Write down any goals that you set for yourself. It will keep you accountable, and when you write things down, it makes them feel real. You’ll be more motivated to declutter once you’ve challenged yourself.
I’ll admit, setting goals can be hard when you don’t know where to start. It’s much easier to think about where you’d like to be once you’ve tidied everything up. To help you with your decluttering, consider where you want to be at the end. If you want a minimalism lifestyle and house, where are the areas you’d like to tackle first? Knowing where you want to end up can help you to create a plan that works.
Create a decluttering plan
When you’re taking on a decluttering project, try to come up with a plan of action. Whether you create your own or use a premade challenge, it’s good to have an idea in mind before you get started on the entire house.
I love using free printable sheets to help me plan how to spend my time. Having a plan can motivate you to declutter because you know where to start. It can be overwhelming when you’re left to clean without a clear idea of what you’re doing. Having a plan can help you save time and give the rest of the family an idea of what’s happening.
Start with something small
Every big project has small steps to help you get to the end. Splitting your big goals into smaller jobs can motivate you to keep going and going until you have less stuff lying around. Plus, when you start something small, you may be more motivated and willing to take on larger tasks.
Starting with something small can make a daunting task seem easier to do. If you chip away at little bits, you’ll soon be in a position to finish the big projects. Remember, organising your entire home is a big task, one that you can take your time on. Some ideas to start could be tidying up a desk or the kitchen counters, or sorting the toy box. Even small jobs contribute to progress.
Remove distractions
It can be tempting to put your favourite show on Netflix and watch it as you declutter. However, it can also demotivate you to tidy and help you to procrastinate. Removing distractions can help you to focus on decluttering, and you may even finish quicker. That means no TV on in the background or constantly checking your notifications. You can only use your electronics for a digital declutter or listening to music.
If you don’t like to work in silence, you can invite your friends to join. You could also listen to Spotify or a decluttering podcast. I find it motivating to watch cleaning videos on Youtube as I work, but I am not easily distracted. Try to find what works best for you.
There are some apps and extensions that you could consider using if you’re still easily distracted. For your phone, there is an app called Forest. It lets you grow virtual trees while your phone is off. Your forest will die if you use your phone. For your laptop, you can get similar apps, or you could try a blocker. These blockers are Chrome extensions that will temporarily block you from accessing certain websites. You can set the time limit and enjoy a productive decluttering session!
Track your progress
I love planners and journals as they make tracking progress fun. When you track your progress, you can see how much you have left. You can also have a visual overview of your decluttering progress. It can be motivating to see how much you have completed already.
When I track my progress, I like to use a planner. I also treat myself to some cute stationery as I am more motivated to use things I think are pretty. If planners are not your thing, you could also try a bullet journal, checklist or use photos to track your progress!
When tracking your progress, you don’t need to make it complicated. Start by writing down the goals you previously set for yourself. If you want, you can write a plan of action. I like to start by decluttering surfaces and working my way to the drawers last. Once I have done that, I can simply tick it off in my planner. If you want to keep better track, you could write the completion date and include a before or after picture. When tracking your journey, you can go into as much detail as you like!
Reward yourself
After a long day of sorting through junk, you’ll be tired and ready to rest. You deserve a reward — like a mini self care day — so when you tackle a big decluttering task, give yourself a treat. Self care is something you should do regularly, so after a long day, find some ways to relax. Winding down can lead to less stress, and it ensures you give yourself a break. If you’ve had a day of lifting boxes, relaxation can help you feel refreshed.
Planning your rewards ahead of your decluttering session can motivate you to start. It will also push you when you’re hitting a bit of a low and are feeling bored. You can reward yourself by watching a new film, reading a book or even taking a long bath. Rewarding yourself can give you that feel-good moment and help you stay motivated. Plus, now you can relax in a decluttered home — which is rewarding in itself!
Get others involved
Including everyone who lives in the house can make decluttering more fun. Set a decluttering challenge between you, your family and friends, and see who can complete the most!
Working together or competing can motivate you to declutter as no one wants to lose a challenge. You can also share decluttering tips with each other. Maybe you learn a life hack that will benefit you for years to come! One of my favourite decluttering life hacks is the “one in one out” trick. When you purchase a new item for your home, you need to throw another away. I use this hack for clothes especially!
Getting others involved can also reduce the number of arguments you have. There have been numerous occasions where I move or throw something away, and suddenly everyone needs that item. Working with your family to declutter means you can collectively get rid of things without upsetting others.
Make it a regular habit
You can make decluttering easier by making it a habit. This also means you don’t have to spend a whole weekend organising everything. Tidying as you see mess isn’t the only beneficial habit you could form. Being more mindful of your spending and having a monthly clean and declutter can also be good habits.
Building habits take time, so don’t worry if you aren’t a minimalist overnight. As long as you keep up to date on cleaning, organising and sorting through drawers, you shouldn’t have too much clutter to go through every month.
Building good habits around decluttering has many benefits. Not only will your home look amazing, but you can begin to lead a more minimalist lifestyle. Reducing the amount you spend on materialistic items can save you money and give your room back. We recently cleaned out our back room, and it’s now an office! Having a clean home can also reduce stress and anxiety levels. Cleaning and organising can make you feel good, but so can walking into a clutter-free home after work.
Uncover the motivation to declutter your home
Decluttering can feel like an endless task, but keeping on top of it and splitting up the jobs can help you get it done faster. I don’t feel like organising is a chore anymore as I have used these tips to keep myself motivated and made it fun. What is your favourite motivation tip? I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with your decluttering journey!
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