Predicted benefits of decluttering are empty shelves and spaces, but it is incredible how it impacted my mindset, habits and how I deal with life. Would you like to know how changing habits can be easy and fun? How often the pay-off of a new habit is more than you anticipate and that you can do and achieve anything you want? I wondered what would happen when I was going to declutter. After all, I am the ‘queen of clutter’ and I love nesting. Nesting is leaving personal stuff hanging around you: empty cups, trillions of pens, little notebooks, always at least one lipstick, toilet paper roll that works as tissue, earrings, angel cards, a photo and more. Get the picture?
What is decluttering?
Decluttering is getting rid of mess, disorder, muddle, disarray and chaos. Mess, disorder, muddle, disarray and chaos you have created yourself. Maybe with the help of family members, but ultimately you can take control of most of it. Like I did. A messy person by nature, my living situation has always been chaotic. When I was a student, my friends helped me regularly to organize my room, because the idea of organising my living space makes me go blank. Something in my brain is missing. I totally miss the ability to see clearly where to start and what to do to make a change. Imagine the situation when that one student room is now a house…… The art of decluttering wasn’t mastered by me. It has been a continuous struggle to keep order in my living environment. But it changed.
Decluttering is a struggle
It WAS a struggle, which I have overcome with my coaching approach of baby steps. Proven on myself how my theory and approach work. In January 2019, I spontaneously started a challenge ‘Goodbye stuff’ – 30 days of decluttering’. I promised myself it wouldn’t take longer than 10 minutes. And to be honest sometimes it took a bit longer. Like when I sorted out my 66 pairs of shoes…. But it never took longer than half an hour. Every day I shared via Facebook my little project of the day and got great feedback. I bundled the videos, added more information and organised it neatly in a course, which is available at Udemy. Just click here to get an impression. Not only did the house look tidier, but a lot of stuff had also gone to new homes.
What was the outcome of ‘Goodbye stuff’?
- A sense of achievement– the feeling of ‘I did it’ gives great satisfaction. Not only did I declutter, but I also managed to video it each day and I developed more skills and knowledge around videoing.
- A sense of space – there are empty shelves in the house, half-full cupboards, spaces where I can put things (temporarily). It feels like breathing space.
- A sense of control– I know what I have and where to find it. Also, I know where stuff lives and can put it in the right place.
- More time –I spend less time looking for things.
- More confidence – I never thought it would be possible for me to finish a project like this with a great outcome. It is not just the result, it is even more so that I have learned how to do it. My new skills help me to keep it up.
- More mental space– I made decisions of where to put stuff only once and stick to it. It doesn’t need thinking about where to put or where to find things.
- New habits – the benefit of a habit is that it doesn’t take energy to maintain. Once your system is geared up and tuned in, you go on automatic pilot. And I knew that was the case when the other day an Amazon package arrived. I unpacked, put the new product at the place where it belonged, went back to the packaging and threw it away. That used to be totally alien. Before, I would have left the new arrival on the kitchen table, next to the packaging or days.
Inspired to tackle a bad habit? Start with baby steps, but walk every day and take stock in a month time. I bet you will be proud and surprised. Want to receive more tips? Click here.
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