You know what I am talking about. That closet, or drawer, or room that every time you open causes a jolt of anxiety. Avoiding it at all costs just to not experience the overwhelm of visual clutter. I can absolutely relate, and you can declutter that panic-inducing space without getting overwhelmed with these helpful tips and encouraging words.
Our garage. That was the overwhelming space for me in our home. When you lack in storage and have ample things to store, that catch-all room/closet/drawer is inevitable. The garage was the catch-all space for us. Partly because I have worked my way through rooms and closets and drawers for the last several months decluttering and things I didn’t quite know what to do with yet went to the garage.
Down-sides to that are you end up with a giant collection of STUFF, you have another project to tackle, and you become overwhelmed. Learn from my experience and make your decluttering project go a little smoother. Here are some helpful tips on how to declutter a space without getting overwhelmed.
Use What You Already Have
Don’t go out and buy all new organization bins and totes just because so-and-so has a perfectly curated closet or space on Pinterest. Sure, they look beautiful and aesthetic. But, that is part of how you ended up in this situation! Instead of getting rid of things you buy more things to hold the things you don’t part with. Ahh!
Trust me! Once you pull everything out and start with all of my tips, it will be very unlikely that you need to go out and buy something to store and organize what’s left. There is also the thrill of the challenge of thinking outside the box and repurposing other things that aren’t being used, to give them new life. I bet you have a basket or box somewhere to put to use! Here is a fantastic compilation of some inspiration for you to look at!
Think Ahead to Not Get Overwhelmed
Scale your project to your availability. I will even add that you should be realistic and double the time you initially think you will need.
It took me a while to learn this tip. All to often I would get a few free hours or a weekend and plan these huge projects. Sure, you can paint a bathroom in an afternoon. Though maybe not when the humidity is 90% and it is taking twice as long to dry. The kids accidently break a glass when unloading the dishwasher. Then your husband needs you to find that certain thing that he needs right now and any other time you would remember where you put it.
You will not get overwhelmed when you give yourself ample time in relation to the task.
In my mind, I gave myself two days to tackle our garage. Our kids were away for the week and I had nothing else on my schedule. Day one I planned to pull everything out and decide each thing’s fate. Day two I planned to install shelves and take care of the donation items after getting everything back in. By God’s grace I was able to get everything done that first day except the donation drop. And I did not feel overwhelmed once in the process from any kind of time constraint or deadline.
Work Quickly
Don’t spend a lot of time considering each piece. If you didn’t KNOW you had it then you probably don’t NEED it. You haven’t seen it for over a year so it can continue “not existing” somewhere else.
This is important because we can reason ourselves into keeping everything if we think and talk it through long enough. I will talk this through more specifically in the next section.
Create Piles
Create piles to allow you to work quickly and avoid overwhelm and decision fatigue All you need is four piles: TRASH/DONATE/KEEP/CONSIDER.
TRASH
Aside from the obvious pieces of trash, anything broken, beyond repair, stained, missing parts, or otherwise not worthy of selling/donating goes in the trash.
DONATE
Shopping donated items at thrift stores is one of my favorite things to do. However, even I get a little annoyed at the condition of some things that make it into these stores. I can look past dirt and well-loved to see potential, but if YOU wouldn’t buy it in that condition at a re-sale store then you probably should just toss it.
KEEP
Ideally this pile will grow a little more slowly than the previous two. If your instinct is to sit and deliberate on the item then put it in the CONSIDER pile and carry on. Don’t stall your momentum or let yourself grow overwhelmed trying to really dwell on an item.
If you are unsure you can ask yourself a couple of quick questions first. Have I used it in the last year? Is it something I can borrow from a friend or neighbor? Can I replace it for under $20 if the need for it arises? These quick questions can help you make a quick decision you won’t feel guilty about later.
CONSIDER
This pile is for the items that didn’t offer a quick decision OR require input from your spouse or possibly children. It may even be for items that do need to come back in the space, but in a specified tote/box. Possibly a seasonal tool or item you may need for the upcoming season.
For our garage space I used this pile to place items I needed my husband’s input on for the final decision. It worked great for my momentum. And not every decision was mine to make.
No Lingering Piles
Take care of the trash and donate piles immediately – if they linger, they make stick around. Then you will be right back here in another three months. At minimum, get the donation items in your car so you can drop them off during your next errand. Trash; you are at the mercy of your trash pick-up day.
How Do I Start When I Feel Overwhelmed?
Start small and let it snowball. Begin with a 15 minute time and a drawer. Don’t tackle the biggest project first. The feeling of satisfaction at the end the smaller declutter will fuel your motivation to do the next space.
It’s okay if decluttering a space takes a few tries. You see people constantly doing these big decluttering tasks and there are two main reasons for that.
One, a slower mind shift. You may have decluttered a space but continue to bring more things back in; creating a cycle. Guilty here! Until you train your thought processes to think differently about what you buy, why you buy it, and when to move other items out of the house, you will remain in that overwhelming cycle.
The second reason is that the first declutter was from a place of uncertainty and lack of confidence in making those decisions. That’s okay! Continue working on the mindset shift and your home and it will get there. It doesn’t all have to happen in a weekend! Practicing with those smaller spaces will boost your confidence as you declutter the next space.
Consider Others
Be cautious when deciding to trash or donate something. Most importantly if it’s your spouse, but also your kids. Some things will need you to make an “executive decision” on, but try to be considerate when dealing with items of sentimental value or great effort. A rapid decision for the sake of getting rid of something isn’t worth hurting a relationship or someone’s feelings. The people in your home are more important than the things. That also means that not everyone is on the same page when it comes to getting rid of things. You can declutter your side of the closet without throwing out your husbands favorite graphic t-shirt from 1999.
Keep the Conversation Going
Generate a continual conversation in your family about holding onto things. What does your family think/feel/believe when it comes to deciding what to keep and what to let go of? When your kids want a new toy or have a birthday coming up where they may receive gifts, have them choose 3-5 toys or items to get rid of. Use these as teachable moments so your children grow up empowered to make healthy decisions about keeping and parting with things. Same for you! When you find that stellar deal on something, ask yourself what other thing that you already have can you part with?
Have fun!
The best medicine for avoiding overwhelm is fun. Crank up the music and dance your way through the declutter. Make up a little game or challenge; set a timer for 15 minutes and race the clock to fill up your first donation or trash bag. Whatever you like to do to energize a task.
Keep an Eternal Perspective
Lastly, none of these THINGS truly matter for eternity. Your home is for the people, and being a place of refuge and light in this fallen and dark world. Removing clutter truly helps with creating an atmosphere of peace and calm. But also, in our consumer-driven culture, we all-to-quickly become attached to things. Then, we spend so much of our time and energy managing these things.
We are called to go out and make disciples. Think of how much time and freedom you would have to disciple your own children or mentor another young woman when managing your home takes a fraction of the time because you now have a fraction of the things.
“And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
We are called to store up heavenly treasures, not earthly ones. What are you filling the storehouse of your heart with? The latest must-have from social media, or memorizing scripture with your children?
“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”
Matthew 6:19-21
We are called to fix our eyes on what is unseen. To fix our eyes on Christ, our only hope in life and death, and eternity with him. Set your heart and mind on things above.
If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. 3 For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
Colossians 3:1-3
Be encouraged. Christ is King! Rest in Him.
I’d love to know what space you are decluttering and which of these tips you found most helpful.
Also, do you have someone in your life that you are able to go to with questions about Jesus or walking out your faith in everyday life? If not, I’d love to hear from you and pray with you. Check out this post about what to look for in a mentor/mentee.
If it isn’t decluttering that makes you overwhelmed, but you feel that way already, perhaps this post will give you some better ideas.
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