How To Declutter Without The Guilt

Maybe it’s the time of year, maybe it’s the weather, but we’ve felt compelled to spend some of our free time over the recent holiday weekends having a bit of a clear out. And it feels good, cleansing almost, leaving you feeling more productive and organised. But it also leaves you questioning how you managed to accumulate so much stuff in the first place. Where on earth did this come from? What was I thinking buying that! Do I really need so many clothes? Did my kids even play with all these toys?

Sometimes these negative thoughts can stop you in your tracks, and it’s easier to turn away from the job at hand than to face up to the feelings of overwhelm, maybe even shame, when you’re confronting the financial and environmental impact of past purchases.

Well help is on hand. We recently came across decluttering coach Erica Layne on Instagram, who shares some mindset shifts to help you declutter with less guilt.

 

 

1.  Learn From The Past

Are you holding onto something simply because it cost so much to buy it in the first place? It’s hard to accept that you wasted money on something you don’t actually use, but if you don’t have a need for it anymore, what’s the point? The money has been spent, so make the most of the situation and use it as a learning experience. 

Change your mindset from ‘How could I get rid of this - I spent so much money on it’ to ‘I learned so much about myself through this purchase’ and sell it, donate it, or give it to someone who will get value from it. Yes, it was expensive, but you can’t undo the past so accept that you would do things differently now, learn from it and move on. 

2.  Share The Benefits

Most of us have been tempted to buy something on impulse that we will never use. The fashion faux pas you’ll never wear, the trendy must-have kitchen gadget you’ll never use or the late night one-click purchase that leaves you filled with buyer's remorse. Such a waste of money, not to mention the waste of natural resources and the environmental cost. 

But what’s done is done, and Erica suggests replacing ‘I feel so wasteful giving all this stuff away’ with ‘At least if I give it away it may benefit someone else. It’s definitely not benefiting ‘me’ by sitting unused in my house’. So true.

 

3.  Move On

We’ve all got clothes in our wardrobe that we’re clinging onto because ‘one day’ we’ll be able to wear them again. But our style changes over time, as does our body shape and whilst there are some items that you absolutely should hold onto - whether for sentimental or sustainability reasons - there are some that you know you will realistically never wear again. 

The decluttering coach suggests a shift in mindset from ‘Someday I’ll fit these clothes and be able to wear them again’ to ‘Donating these clothes is how I want to thank and honor my body right now’. This mindset shift can help you to clear out and move on.

 

Follow thelifeonpurposemovement for more tips and ideas to help you declutter and simplify your life.