Mistakes to Avoid When Decluttering

When I first got into minimalism, I didn’t have a clear vision of what that would look like for me. However, I knew to start with my closet first. A couple of the bloggers/content creators I follow have pointed out this one mistake of decluttering too much on the first round and that’s something that has resonated with me. So when you first get into the purging process, take your time. Start by picking out one spot in your home, and from there, work on other categories instead of trying to do one room or space at a time.

Do you ever decide to purge only to buy more stuff to fill that empty space afterwards? I used to have this problem, and what I’ve learned is that it’s okay to have empty space. When you look at an empty space in your home, it’s easy to think that you have to keep that space full with something, but in the case of minimalism, having that negative space can actually be freeing. So the next time you think about spending out of habit after you’ve decluttered, try to have these three questions in mind before making a purchase:
Is this item going to serve a purpose for me, or will it just take up space?
Do I already have something similar to this item that I want?
Will this item be something I can use and love for a long period of time?

Decluttering just for the sake of decluttering can sometimes be wasteful depending on what you’re tossing out or donating. I’ve fallen into this mindset a couple times, and while I understand that it can be fun to an extent, you really have to be cautious because doing this can result in you not having enough of something, especially if it’s something essential like socks or underwear. I typically always try to evaluate my space every couple months to make sure that I don’t have too much of something or if there’s other items that I’m not using as much as I used to.

One thing I remember struggling with in the past is that if I ever felt overwhelmed or stressed by the amount of clutter I had, I would just buy a new organizing solution and shove all of my stuff into that. One thing I don’t really like about organizing containers is that it doesn’t solve the problem; it only aids it temporarily. The amount of stuff we accumulate in general can easily take control of us if we’re not careful with what we bring in, so because of this, I’ve eliminated those containers as well as the stuff inside of it that I no longer needed. Doing this has helped me immensely, so if you’re someone who’s in this situation currently, I’d advise to really evaluate your belongings and get rid of what you’re no longer using. This will help to free up space in your home as well as keeping you from feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

I hope that these tips and insights are helpful to you in some way. One thing I’d like for you to remember is that minimalism or decluttering in general is an on-going process. Knowing how most Americans are (or just people in general), there will always be little hidden spots of clutter even after you’ve purged the bulk of what you don’t need, but that’s just part of what makes minimalism a journey. If you ever have any further questions or just need advice, feel free to share that in the comment section below!