How many roadblocks do you encounter when trying to declutter? It’s rarely a smooth path.
Decluttering roadblock 1:
“How could I let my home get this bad?”
Reframe:
You survived difficult things and clutter was the result. Let the healing begin.
Decluttering roadblock 2:
“I might need this one day”
Reframe:
“Might” describes a hypothetical concept. Do you want to compromise your real, current quality of life for a bunch of hypothetical (and possibly unlikely) situations far in the future?
Especially since most items are easy enough to replace in the unlikely event you need them.
Decluttering roadblock 3:
“I paid good money for this”
Reframe:
This is Sunk Cost Fallacy. When you bought it you chose the thing over your money. Now you are choosing your space over the thing. Your priorities have shifted and that’s okay.
And hey, your space is worth money too!
Decluttering roadblock 4:
“My mum / best friend / partner gave it to me”
Reframe:
Does this unwanted gift represent your relationship with them? Even if they are no longer here, would they want you to be happy, or saddled by the guilt of their gift?
Decluttering roadblock 5:
“What if I get rid of this and regret it?”
Reframe:
You may regret it. But you may also regret the years / decades living in clutter when you couldn’t enjoy your home or your life, sacrificing happiness, relationships, experiences and peace.
Decluttering roadblock 6:
“I like it”
Reframe:
It’s okay to keep things you love, but if you have too much stuff and everything you own is a ‘like’, your home will continue to be toxic and oppressive. It’s time to prioritise. Where does this ‘liked’ item sit in the hierarchy of all your belongings?
Decluttering roadblock 7:
“I will fit into it one day”
Reframe:
This is aspirational clutter. Your wardrobe should be a joy to use – not a constant reminder of perceived failures. If you DO lose weight, you will want a few new garments, but for now it’s time to let go of outgrown sizes.
Decluttering roadblock 8:
“If I remove the item I will lose the memory”
Reframe:
If the memory makes you feel bad or neutral, let it go. If the memory makes you feel good, it’s okay to keep the item as long as you are not keeping everything – decluttering is a time to prioritise.
Another solution is to photograph the item to save space.
Decluttering roadblock 9:
“I don’t want it to be landfill”
Reframe:
Honey it’s already landfill. Do you want the landfill in your home or not?
Decluttering roadblock 10:
“It must be important because I kept it for so long”
Reframe:
Do you own your belongings or do your belongings own you?
While decluttering, with each item you handle remember your goal – to have a calm functional space. Is keeping this thing bringing you closer or further away from that goal?
