Decluttering Goals: The Best Decluttering Strategies to Begin With

Is it really important to set decluttering goals? How will they help you get rid of the clutter?

Well, the truth is decluttering can be hard. This is because decluttering your home requires a lot of decision-making. Heck, if you have a lot of clutter even the thought of where to start decluttering is hard. Then you have to add in decisions about what to do with all the stuff you declutter.

In addition to all the decisions, there are countless emotions attached to the decluttering process. Whether it’s guilt, regret, memories there is no wonder as to why it can feel stressful and overwhelming.

This is where decluttering goals come into play. The bottom line is they stop you from floundering around wondering what you should work on. No longer will you encounter that situation we’ve all been in where you pick up one item, become overwhelmed and move it to another place, then move on to another task. 

The Benefits of Decluttering Goals

The benefits of decluttering goals are simple. They eliminate that sense of overwhelm and reduce the stress by providing you with clear direction. They will keep you motivated and focused to ensure the task is done. You will know exactly what your priorities are and have a timeline for accomplishing them. Decisions become easier to make and you are left with a feeling of personal satisfaction.

Let’s look at how this works when it comes to decluttering your home. After all, it’s hard to declutter if you don’t know what you want to accomplish by doing all that hard work or even why decluttering is important. When you take the time to set declutter goals that will answer these questions for you.

Decluttering Goals Provide Direction

When you have a lot of clutter in your home, trying to figure out where or how to start is overwhelming. But if you have clear decluttering goals they will provide you direction on where to start.

Having this clear direction allows you to focus on exactly what you need to do. For example, if you find that having dirty dishes constantly in the sink causes you the most stress or takes up much of your time, you have a direction to go when decluttering the kitchen. Eliminate the excess dishes, mugs, and glasses.

Perhaps you have so many clothes you can’t fit them comfortably in the closet or draws. Decluttering goals to focus on clothing gives you a direction to go in. If your goal is to create a cozy relaxing home, you know to start decluttering in the main living space.

Whatever it is for you, by defining your decluttering goals you will have a clear sense of direction to follow when clearing the clutter from your home.

They Keep You Motivated

Decluttering can be hard. It takes time, energy and can involve a lot of emotions. This makes staying motivated difficult throughout the process.

However, when you have clear decluttering goals it helps keep you motivated during those hard times. Not only that, decluttering goals can make the entire decluttering process easier. Because you have a clear direction of what you want to achieve those decluttering decisions become easier.

When you have a goal and clear vision for how you want your home to function and feel, you know decluttering is what’s going to get you there. This will motivate you to do the work.

The bottom line is that setting goals for decluttering your home provide the motivation to carry you through those hard phases.

They Help You Set Priorities

As you go through the process of setting goals, as described below, you’re naturally going to get clear on what matters most to you.

Goals for decluttering your home allow you to clarify exactly what it is you want from your home. This will, in turn, help you to create a home that supports you in the life you want to live.

Instead of wasting time on things that don’t support that life, your goals will provide you with clarity on what your priorities are. Of course, this makes it much easier to focus on those priorities.

Setting Decluttering Goals Keep You Focused

Staying focused on what you want from your home is how you create a home you love.

When you have clear goals for what you want to achieve by decluttering your home, you stay focused.  Even when decluttering gets hard, you can look at your goals and stay focused. This is because you know exactly what you should be working on to create the home you dream of.

They Give You a TimeLine

The simple truth is decluttering is hard work, which makes it easy to put off. After all, the idea of laying on the couch watching your favorite show is far more appealing.

However, when you set decluttering goals they will be based upon what is truly important to you in your home. This will give you the desire to accomplish them as soon as possible.

Setting decluttering goals allows you to set the timetable for completing the various tasks that are necessary to achieve your goal. By giving yourself a deadline it creates a sense of urgency to get the task done.

They Help You Make Difficult Decisions

One of the things that make decluttering your home hard is that you have to make a lot of decisions. And decision-making is exhausting.

Because decluttering goals keep you focusing on what you want to achieve from your home, this helps you in the decision-making process.

When you know exactly what is important in your home, you are in a better position to make decisions as to what should stay and what should go.

Often it is as simple as asking yourself if the items you own fit within the goals you have for your home. If the answer is yes, you keep it. If the answer is no, it becomes so much easier to declutter that item.

They Give You Personal Satisfaction

When you take the time to set decluttering goals, they lead to a feeling of personal satisfaction. Setting and then accomplishing each goal, makes you feel like you’re able to reach all of your goals.

Something as small as decluttering a single drawer will give you the confidence to declutter the next drawer and on and on. Before you know it, you’ll have your entire home clutter-free and loving your new space.

The Process for Setting Your Decluttering Goals

Now that you’re clear on some of the top benefits of setting decluttering goals. Now what? What is the process for actually setting those goals?

Decide What You Want From Your Home

Any decluttering goals you set should start with deciding what you want from your home.

I talk in detail here about how to create a vision for your home and you should read that article. It will help you think through the things important to you in your home. For example, do you want a quiet relaxing, and calm space? Maybe hospitality and entertaining are a priority? Perhaps having space for family gatherings matters most.

Thinking through how you want your home to feel and function should be the first step in setting your decluttering goals. 

Determine the Current Things in Your Home That Are Not Working?

To get clear on your decluttering goals start thinking about the things that are not working in your home.

Do you have to move 10 things just to vacuum or sweep? Are clothes scattered on furniture or the floor because the closets are drawers are overstuffed? Is the sink constantly full of dirty dishes? Does everyone eat in front of the TV most nights because of all the clutter on the dining table? Your answer to these questions will help you focus on what your top goals should be.

Pinpoint the Areas of Your Home Causing You the Most Stress 

This is another important area to consider when setting decluttering goals. The likelihood is this area of your home you identified about. But maybe not.

Think about where the majority of your stress is coming from in your home. I know for me it was having to spend every Saturday cleaning for hours on end. This was required just to keep up with the mess that accumulated from the week.

If you’re not sure which areas of your home are causing you the most stress try these exercises:

Do a Walk-Through

Walk through your home and note the things you notice when it comes to clutter. Do you see your home room by room or in terms of categories?

Doing this will help you focus on the priorities and the methods you will use to declutter.

If you see things in terms of categories of items such as laundry or dishes you’ll want to focus there and complete decluttering those items.

If you notice specific rooms that need a lot of attention, you may want to declutter room by room. This will also mean you’ll want to complete decluttering that room before moving on.

Note the Time You Spend Dealing With Clutter

Now consider how much time do you spend dealing with the various types of clutter in your home?

Are you constantly picking up clothes and having piles of laundry? Are you finding yourself cleaning up piles of toys off the floor before you can vacuum? Does dusting take forever because you have to move everything off your flat surfaces? Perhaps the sink is constantly filled with dirty dishes? 

How Is Clutter Affecting Others

Next, consider whether the clutter in your home is impacting others. Can your husband find what he needs?  Are the kids’ rooms too overwhelming for them to keep up with? Do the kids struggle to focus on homework because they don’t have a clear designated workspace? Is there a clear and focused space for doing paper and desk work? Do family members struggle to put things away because they don’t know where to put things?

Getting clear on these questions is going to help you know what to focus on. The answer to these questions will tell you exactly what decluttering goals you should be setting and what goals should be priorities.

Decluttering Strategies for Achieving Your Goals

By this point, you should have a clear idea of what your priorities are when it comes to clearing the clutter from your home as well as the types of decluttering goals you want to set.

So the next all-important question is how do you actually achieve them? What are the best decluttering strategies for actually accomplishing the goals you’ve set?

Be Realistic

Clearing the clutter from your home is one of the best things you can do to simplify your home and life. The problem is you likely live with other people, and if those other people are little ones, they come with a lot of stuff.

All this means you have to make sure your goals fit your lifestyle. I remember when I first began my simplifying journey, my husband was not on the same page (and still isn’t). So this meant I had to be realistic about what I could and could not get rid of.

Having a spouse that is not interested in decluttering doesn’t mean you still can’t eliminate a good amount of clutter. What it does mean is you have to consider the other people in your home as you are going through the decluttering process.

You also want to be realistic in the amount that you can accomplish at any given time. If you work full time and have other commitments, or a family to care for, it’s probably not realistic to expect to declutter your whole home in a weekend.

By keeping your decluttering goals realistic so they fit your season of life, you will be far more likely to stick with them.

Write Your Decluttering Goals Down

There is scientific evidence that people who write their goals down are significantly more likely to achieve them. This means one of the best declutter strategies you can implement is writing down your decluttering goals!

I recommend writing them down in your planner. Schedule time to work on your decluttering goals the same way you would any other important appointment you have. Pick a date and time that you will work on your goal and schedule it out!

Take One Step at a Time

A big roadblock that people often encounter when it comes to decluttering is they make a goal that is too big. Another roadblock is looking at decluttering your home as one giant project. When we do this, overwhelm is pretty much guaranteed to set in.

However, the opposite is also true. If you break your declutter goals down into small steps they are much easier to accomplish.

So instead of setting a goal to declutter your bedroom. Set several smaller goals to declutter the various categories or spaces in your bedroom such as a drawer, the jewelry, or the tops of dressers.

By taking your goals one step at a time, you’re sure to accomplish them all!

Take Before & After Photos

If you have a lot of clutter in your home you may not notice the effects of all your hard work right away. This makes it easy for discouragement to set in.

But by snapping a few before and after photos you will see exactly how much progress you are making. This of course encourages you to keep going.

Do Something to Everyday

When it comes to success in any area of your life consistency is key. This holds true when it comes to accomplishing your decluttering goals. Without a doubt staying consistent is one of the best decluttering strategies you can implement.

The best way to stay consistent is to do something every day that will bring you closer to your dream of a clutter-free home. This does not have to take a lot of time. Commit to clearing off the kitchen counters every night before bed. Even tossing one item a day, or watching your shopping habits so you’re not bringing in more things you don’t need will go a long way towards accomplishing your goals.

The point is to do something each day. This will keep your focus on the end result, a clutter-free home you love.

Show Yourself Grace

I’ve said it over and over again, decluttering is hard work. It’s important to understand this now so you don’t get discouraged or overwhelmed.

Knowing that you’re undertaking a difficult task means you deserve to show yourself some grace as you work on your decluttering goals.

Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a few days or it’s going slower than you expected. Just pick up where you left off. Give yourself time and know that as long as you’re moving forward you’re doing great!

What are your Decluttering Goals?

Having clear defined goals for decluttering your home, will not only help you get rid of the clutter, but it will also help you keep your home clutter-free.

Know that you have a clear vision for your home, you know exactly what you want from your home. You also know how you want your home to feel. This is the key to keeping your home clutter-free.

By setting decluttering goals you are setting yourself up for long-term success to conquer the clutter once and for all!!

All that’s left is to start writing those goals down. Leave a comment, or shoot me an email and let me know what your goals are. I’d love to cheer you on as you begin the process of creating a home you love!