6 Simple Ways to Finish the Decluttering Process
You have been working on decluttering your home over the past several months, but it feels that what you’ve really done is just move it around from one room to the other. It may be piled in a corner of your basement or taking up space in your garage. You know the items need to go, but you just can’t seem to get them out of your house. What gives? The issue here is friction. You’ve done what feels like the hard part, yet you are still consumed with stuff. Turns out sometimes the hardest part is getting it out of your home because there are a whole new set of decisions you aren’t prepared to make. Do you recycle it? Do you donate it all? What about that friend that might want the clothes for the baby they are expecting or your aunt who you think might want the cookbook you’re finished with. It feels overwhelming getting all these items to the desired p[aces so you just let it sit there and build up.
The good news is that you are already half way there. You are so close to feeling the freedom of letting things go, you just need to get them out of your home. In an ideal world, you would have the time and energy to get everything to their intended destination, but in reality, you need to boil down this situation to what really matters. Getting it out of your house so you can live your life.
Lets go over a few common roadblocks and how we can finally conquer them.
You have piles all over your house of things that are ready to go but they just build up.
The solution: Designate a spot in your home - the corner of the basement, the garage, or even the trunk of your car, where all things that are on their way out will go. This will not only contain them to one area, but also eliminate the overwhelm of a “huge” task that you are dreading to tackle. It is much more approachable when you eliminate the need to gather it all from different locations.
Things are just piling up, but you can’t seem to get them to the donation center.
Solution: Schedule a regular day and time to donate. Pair donation time with another errand you do regularly, put it on your calendar, and commit to going on a regular basis whether it be weekly, monthly, or quarterly. Better yet, delegate the task to the person who has more capacity or motivation to get it done (which may or may not be you).
You can’t decide what to do with all of it.
Solution: Eliminate decision friction! Instead of giving some things to family, some to the donation center, and some to a consignment store, decide on one location for it all. This doesn’t have to be a permanent solution, but while you are feeling overwhelmed, make it simple so you can create momentum and move forward.
You can always find something more fun and exciting than dropping off donations.
Solution: Partner up with a friend. Make it a game. Do a decluttering challenge together and take turns with the donation runs. Do a room at a time and compare what you are downsizing. Did you find anything you thought was a game changer but turned out to be a dud? Did you find something funny from your past that you want to tell them about? Enjoy reflecting and remembering!
You second guess your decision to part with it.
Solution: Keep a notepad with you as you are decluttering to write down your thoughts. That red dress you wore for your prom was really itchy, doesn’t fit anymore and is no longer in style, for example. These notes can help reaffirm the reasons you made your decision in the first place. Better yet - get it out of your house before you have time to have second thoughts!!
Family members start to reclaim items that you have put in the donation pile.
Solution: First of all, I strongly encourage you to make decisions on your items only. Nobody wants to see their favorite toy or item of clothing in someone else’s donation pile. If you are working with your children’s things, get them involved. If your children are too young to participate, put the items you see they are no longer interested in aside in an opaque box or bag for a set amount of time. If they don’t notice or care that it’s gone, that is a queue it can be donated. Now, children can totally forget or lose interest in an item, only to decide it’s their FAVORITE once they see it in the donation bin. Once again, the use of an opaque/closed container can prevent all of your hard work from backfiring on you!
Letting go of the stuff you've already decided to part with should feel like the easy part, but for so many of us, it’s where the process stalls. Whether it’s decision fatigue, perfectionism, or just the chaos of everyday life, there are real roadblocks that get in the way of actually getting those bags out the door. The good news? A few small systems - like setting a donation day, designating a drop zone, or asking a friend to join you—can make all the difference. Once you clear that final hurdle, you’ll be able to fully enjoy the benefits of your hard work: less clutter, more space, and a little more peace in your home.
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