How to Motivate Yourself to Declutter When Feeling Overwhelmed & Why It's Extremely Beneficial
Motivation is elusive if you’re doing something that feels like a burden. Decluttering is one task where your drive ebbs and flows like sea waves, but there’s a way to sustain it. Avoid the overwhelm and finish each chore you set by adding a twist to your cleaning routine.
A clean, organized home is a sight to behold, but getting there requires hard work and a bit of strategizing. Declutter any space easily using these tips.
1. Schedule It
Treat cleaning as an important task or a project by blocking out time in your calendar. It conditions your mind to commit to the job when it’s time to do it and avoids conflicts with your other responsibilities.
Scheduling also gives you the freedom to do the task when you want it and when you’re energetically available for it. You’ll be more motivated to accomplish the chore this way.
2. Start Small
People become overwhelmed because they try to finish everything in one go. You don’t have to clear out the mess in your home if you only have an hour to do it. Instead, start small, like dusting the shelves, then move on to doing the dishes and cleaning the toilet. The satisfaction of accomplishing one easy task at a time can fuel your motivation to complete bigger tasks.
3. Focus on a Single Task
Focusing on one task at a time makes you more productive. Concentrate on tidying a single room and move to another area once you’re done. For example, you can start putting away the clean utensils in the drawers and scrub the toilet next. When you’re mindful of the task at hand, you can efficiently finish it.
4. Take Breaks
Remember to take breaks, especially if you intend to do general cleaning that could take several hours. You can set a timer for 30 minutes of organizing, and have five minutes for a breather or to fix yourself some snacks.
If you start to feel anxious or demotivated, slow down and keep the unsorted items in a bag. Get back to them once you’re in a better headspace.
5. Remove Distraction
Since you committed to a decluttering project, don’t do anything else. For example, you noticed the kitchen cabinets could use fresh paint while washing the dishes. Don’t get sidetracked and hop to a different DIY project unless you complete the current tasks. Schedule additional projects for another time.
Another tip is to put your phone away and set it to silent. You can prevent being distracted by social notifications while you’re cleaning.
6. Involve Your Family
A meaningful twist to decluttering is involving your kids or other family members in the project. Cleaning with others keeps the motivation going and helps you finish tasks quickly. Use this opportunity to spend quality time with your loved ones. In addition, you can teach your kids the value of organizing their private spaces.
7. Make It Fun
Skip the boring part by adding in one fun thing while your hands are busy. Bust out your favorite playlist, podcast or audiobook. You’re more likely to enjoy and declutter again when you find pleasure in doing it.
8. Enjoy the Results
Bask in your hard work by enjoying the spotless view of your entire home. Notice how it makes you feel. Do you feel more optimistic? Is your mind more clear? Does a cleaner space give you a sense of accomplishment?
By tidying your space, you’ve achieved a big goal. You’ll feel even more motivated to start your next decluttering project after witnessing how a cleaner space makes you feel happier.
9. Reward Yourself
After putting in hours of work, celebrate and treat yourself to a reward. Cook your favorite meal, eat a cake without guilt or indulge in self-care. It doesn’t have to involve money, but rewarding yourself for a small win can keep your motivation burning. It also reminds you that what you did is worthwhile.
There’s a reason why walking into a clean hotel room makes you feel enthusiastic. Coming home to a clean and organized home has the following fantastic benefits.
A Source of Instant Cash
Decluttering feels like treasure hunting when you discover valuables you’ve forgotten about. You might find pieces of jewelry, rare coins or a spare phone. Pawn shops are the best place to sell valuable things you want to get rid of. If you need instant cash, you can pawn items at 5% to 25% monthly interest and repay it within 30 days.
Good for the Mind
A messy home is a constant mental worry for busy people. When you want to relax, the thought of laundry or dishes stops you from fully enjoying your rest time. A well-maintained house allows you to go to sleep without worries.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety
Parents often get anxious about scattered toys and dirty floors. A tidy home promotes positive emotions, improves relationships and adds meaning to life. It could make you happier.
Readiness for Unexpected Guests
If family members, friends or colleagues visit you unexpectedly, you’d feel confident about showing them your kitchen or living room since your home is always ready to accept guests.
Overall, if you can make decluttering fun and rewarding, you’re more likely to stick with the process and create a routine out of it.
Refrain from treating decluttering as a serious task. Instead, make it fun by approaching it as a project or a DIY activity. Set a goal, get your kids on board, do it while singing along to your favorite tracks and reward yourself afterward. A neat and orderly home puts you and your family in a better headspace, and benefits your physical health.
Cora Gold
Writer
Cora Gold is a home and family blogger and the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist. Connect with Cora on LinkedIn, Twitter and Pinterest.
