You have made the decision to declutter. You’ve prepped yourself on how to get started and now you want to stay motivated. Or maybe you are in the thick of it and losing steam. I have pinpointed a few things that have kept me motivated over the years.
Here’s to creating space!
Take Before Photos.
Just like a health journey, take before pictures. And just like a health journey, it’s not fun to take Befores. Believe me, you will wish you had them one day. Sometimes when you have been neck-deep in decluttering all day, you won’t realize how far you’ve come. You need those before’s when you feel like giving up.
A few real life Before + Afters for you!
Listen While You Work.
Listen to a podcast, YouTube, audibles, etc while cleaning. Just like anything else, it’s a mindset. If you are listening to stories about decluttering, an audible about the benefits, or watching Marie Kondo in the background, you will be subconsciously encouraged. Here is my list of favorite decluttering books. I listen on audible.
Ways to Depart From the Items “Original Worth”.
The money is spent. The HARDEST part for me was a division of cost per wears and feeling guilty for not wearing or using something “enough”. There are three things that got me to the other side of this.
1: Thank the item.
Marie Kondo is famous for her Spark Joy tagged line, but her perspective of thanking items for what they taught you really helped me. Thank it for teaching you what neckline isn’t your favorite. Thank it for teaching you that you won’t actually read a paper book because you like Audible. Thank it for the joy it brought the person who gifted it to you at the moment. Thank it for everything it did and didn’t really do for you. And then set that sh*t free.
2: You are not currently wasting money
It’s not a waste of money today. Maybe it was when you bought it, maybe it taught you that empire waists aren’t your thing. Maybe it wasn’t money wasted at all. Maybe it was thoroughly enjoyed for years and now it’s time to move on. Either way, stop beating yourself up. Its season is over in your life.
3: Let it serve someone else.
Another trap I kept falling into, especially with clothing, was wanting to personally pass it on to a friend. I realized that I wanted to experience the perk of seeing someone feel grateful. Once I identified that I realized maybe the person at the thrift shop, or on eBay, or on Facebook marketplace really needed that item. Whether it awarded me money back or NOT, it might have made their day. And I don’t need to experience it first hand to be true. Let it go serve the next person.
Getting Listing!
eBay, Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, ThredUp. There are a ton of places to sell unused items. From clothing to extra plates, to old toys, to extra makeup products – you’ll be surprised. $5 here and there adds up. Make a goal for your money (ours was a Disney World trip for the girls) and see the money chip away at it. You’ll be thrilled with the declutter process and the saving process at the same time!
