Do I Need to Declutter?

How do you know? Should you jump onboard the decluttering bandwagon? Here are some questions that will help you know if all this talk of simplifying and decluttering is something you should be paying attention to.

Answer these questions honestly, and it will become apparent pretty quickly if you need to declutter your home.

How do you feel when you walk in the door of your home?

This is the big one, friends. How does your home make you feel? When you open that door and step over the threshold, what are the thoughts and emotions that fill your heart? Are they positive? Does your home make you feel calm, safe, comfortable and happy? If so, you probably don’t have a problem with clutter.

On the other hand, if you walk into your home and feel stress, overwhelm, guilt or shame, you need to make some changes. 

Our home should be our sanctuary. It is our peaceful retreat from the big scary world. Home is where we go to recover from the stress of life, not the other way around.

What are your thoughts when you know guests are on their way?

Do you feel a sense of panic? Or peace? Do you have to drop everything and hide the clutter? Or just pick up one or two things from the kitchen counter? Do you feel embarrassed to welcome guests into your home? Or do you feel peaceful and hospitable?

This was a big indicator for me. If I knew someone was coming, I would be in panic mode. If someone just showed up at the door, I would feel embarrassed.

How much time do you spend keeping your home running smoothly?

Do you spend every weekend cleaning, shopping, sorting, organising and arranging? Is your cleaning routine, laundry routine and home admin taking up more time than you would like? Are you free to go away for the weekend without your whole system falling apart?

I remember when my clothes spent more time in the dirty clothes hamper, in a laundry basket or waiting to be put away than in my wardrobe. The whole process was arduous, and I never (ever) completed the task. It was just an ongoing drudge.

Our home is for us to live in, not just to work on.

Is it easy to find the things you need?

Do you frequently lose your car keys, your passport or your sun hat? Do you spend time looking for things that you know you have in your home, somewhere? 

If you have kids, this is particularly challenging. Not only do you need to know where your things are, but where everything else is as well. Everyday items such as hats, shoes and lunch boxes are a constant challenge without a good system for everyone to follow.

Do you own things you no longer need or use?

Do you have clothes in the closet you haven’t worn for more than two years? Do you have expired food in your pantry? Do you have kitchen appliances you can’t remember how to operate? Do you have a pile of paper with advertising, school newsletters, unpaid bills and an unwritten birthday card in it? Do you have sporting equipment in your garage that has cobwebs on it?

If you answered yes to any of the questions above, a bit of decluttering would have a big impact.

There is good and bad news. 

Let’s get the bad news out of the way first. Maintaining a clutter-free home requires ongoing and intentional effort. It never really stops. Our homes constantly acquire more and more stuff. New things are added almost every day. And, if we let things get out of control and the clutter stacks up, it can feel like an insurmountable mountain to climb. The messier it gets, the more overwhelming it feels and the harder it is to start.

But there is good news too. It usually looks worse than it is, and you can make a huge impact with minimal effort. By following a few simple principles and putting in some effort, you can get the clutter under control and create a home you will look forward to living in and be proud to invite guests into. You can create a sanctuary for you and your family to enjoy and share.