Decluttering Don’ts – Navigating Common Pitfalls on Your Simplifying Journey

In this episode of The Simple Joy Show I explore the often-overlooked mistakes that can hamper your decluttering efforts.

From the premature purchase of storage containers to the pitfalls of a ‘maybe’ pile, and the importance of respecting others’ belongings, this episode is packed with valuable advice to refine your decluttering strategy.

Whether you’re a seasoned declutterer or just starting your journey towards a simpler life, this episode offers practical tips to avoid common mistakes and make your decluttering process more effective and enjoyable.

Tune in to avoid these decluttering traps and embrace a more organised, serene living space.

Stay tuned for more episodes of my podcast, The Simple Joy Show, where we share tips on living a simpler life every Friday.

USEFUL LINKS:

How to Get Started Decluttering When Overwhelmed PDF: https://hub.simplejoy.co.uk/overwhelmed

30 Day Decluttering Challenge: https://hub.simplejoy.co.uk/challenge

Facebook Group: The Simple Living Society: www.facebook.com/groups/thesimplelivingsociety

Instagram: www.instagram.com/hellosimplejoy

Shop: https://hub.simplejoy.co.uk/shop

Transcript

Hayley Forster [00:00:00]:

Hello, and welcome back to the Simple Joy Show. Today, I’m gonna flip the script on decluttering. I often talk about what to do, but it’s equally important to discuss what not to do. So whether you’re a seasoned declutterer or you’re just starting out, I’m gonna go through how you can avoid those common pitfalls and make your decluttering journey as smooth and effective as possible.

Hayley Forster [00:02:39]:

Decluttering can be an emotional and physical whirlwind. It is so easy to get caught up in the moment and make decisions you might regret later, and I think that’s a big worry for a lot of people. So I think this episode should really help you think about how to approach it.

Hayley Forster [00:03:21]:

And I just wanna discuss the the big no no’s in decluttering and how you can try to avoid those. So the first one is don’t buy storage containers right away, and this is the one that I was really guilty of. Because the urge to buy a bunch of storage containers is massive. I know they look really promising. They give you hope, and it’s showing you that you’re gonna be really organised, but you must declutter first, then assess what storage you’re really gonna need. And that way you avoid the trap of just rearranging your clutter into nicer boxes, basically. And it’s such a common thing to do. You’re motivated to organised.

Hayley Forster [00:04:01]:

So you pop out to the shop and you buy all these lovely fancy pretty containers, but you are putting the cart before the horse. And as an example of this, when I was organising my kitchen, I went out and bought lots of lovely kitchen and fridge organisers. And I was so excited about getting my kitchen organised. But, actually, after decluttering, I realised I only needed a fraction of the containers that I bought. So, actually, the rest that I had, were just adding the clutter, and I wasted my money as well. So you must declutter first, then assess what, if anything, you truly need. The next one is to avoid the maybe pile, and it’s really tempting to create a maybe pile. And I’ve done it when I first started out, and I know a lot of clients do tend to sneakily have a little maybe pile even when I say try to avoid one, because it’s just that little bit of reassurance and that security for you.

Hayley Forster [00:04:56]:

But actually, it often leads to indecision and then some clutter relapse as well. So be decisive. Ask yourself if the item serves a purpose or it brings you joy. And if it’s neither, it’s time for you to let that go. I have got a client who ended up with a massive maybe pile when he was clearing out his garage. But actually, a week later, he ended up just putting it back in the garage because he didn’t know what to do with it. So the maybe pile just delays your decisions. You need to be bold, you need to be decisive.

Hayley Forster [00:05:33]:

So if it doesn’t have a clear purpose, just let it go. Another is don’t declutter other people’s things without consent. And I mentioned this in the last episode. It is a big one. You just wanna respect the belongings of others in your household. Decluttering someone else’s stuff without their permission can breach their trust. So you want to encourage them to join in, but you want them to make their own choices. Is it’s really crucial that they do that.

Hayley Forster [00:05:57]:

And I had a lady on social media actually contact me about this when I was discussing it, and she said that she started to declutter a lot of her husband’s old magazines that were just lying around, and she didn’t tell them. And, actually, that ended up in a big argument, and that was just a prime example of what that can lead to. It can lead to some tension. It can lead to some trust issues. So just always get consent. Decluttering is personal. There’s a reason why people tend to keep things, and you’re not necessarily privy to that. So just encourage them, but I wouldn’t enforce anything without their consent.

Hayley Forster [00:06:33]:

Next is don’t try to do it all at once. Trying to tackle everything in one go is ultimately gonna lead to burnout and frustration. So you wanna break it down into manageable chunks. Maybe start with 1 room or even just 1 drawer. I’ve said that before. Don’t focus on it as a full room project, break it down into smaller bits and just gradually work your way through the space. The amount of people that I’ve had discussions with about them starting decluttering and they say “I’m gonna dive into it this weekend, and I’m gonna get stuck into it.” And then I speak to them the next week,

Hayley Forster [00:07:08]:

and they’re like, “ugh, I got a bit overwhelmed, and I just managed to do a couple of cupboards.” And that’s usually what happens because you build it up so much in your head about being a massive project, and then when you come to do it, you just feel overwhelmed and then you give up. So break it down. Start small, 1 drawer, it’s a journey, not a sprint, and just break it up over time. One of the biggest ones I see when I speak to clients is guilt. You want to try and avoid holding on to anything because of that guilt. Guilt can be a really powerful emotion, especially when it involves gifts or perhaps inherited items as well. You’ve just got to remember, it’s okay to let go of things that don’t add value to your life. At the end of the day, your well-being and your calmness of space is worth more than keeping something out of obligation.

Hayley Forster [00:08:04]:

Guilt can make us hold on to things we don’t need. And you’ve got to remember that, it’s okay to just release things that don’t serve your current life. I’ve got a full episode on guilt from previous episodes, and I can link that in the show notes. And the last one, which is the one that I think nearly everyone forgets is don’t forget to reflect on your shopping habits. Because decluttering isn’t just about getting rid of things. It’s about curbing the influx of new items. I mean, I’m terrible with sayings, but there’s that saying about you can’t empty your bath without turning off the tap. So you need to be mindful of your shopping habits.

Hayley Forster [00:08:42]:

Think about whether the new purchases that you’re making are gonna add to your life, or are they just gonna become future clutter? One of the ladies that I’ve just finished working with said that she really noticed that post decluttering her house, she was shopping much more mindfully. She was avoiding those impulse buys because she knew down the line, ultimately, that they would become clutter, and she would just have to process it and get rid of it in the future. So it’s all about creating that sustainable cycle, being really aware about what you’re bringing into your home and making sure that what you are bringing in is gonna be of use to you or bring you some form of joy. And you’ve got a massive bonus in there as well, of not spending as much money, which is always a nice thing. But as I always say, decluttering is more than just tidying up. It’s about creating a space that reflects and supports your life. So by avoiding these common pitfalls that I’ve mentioned, you can make your decluttering journey a really transformative experience, which is what I want for everyone listening. As always, I’d love to hear about your decluttering journey.

Hayley Forster [00:09:42]:

If you’ve got any pitfalls that you’ve encountered, please let me know. Let me know how you’ve overcame them, and share your stories using #simplejoyshow so I can check them out. Or come into my Facebook group, The Simple Living Society as well and share it with my community. But for more insights into making the most of your decluttering journey, join me next week on The Simple Joy Show. But until then, remember, in simplicity, we find joy. Goodbye.