Decluttering Success! Clutter-Related Testimonials

Photo byMarj Bates

What does decluttering success look like? Your success is whatever you deem it to be. Everyone should have a vision before they start to declutter. When your space matches your vision you can congratulate yourself on an amazing job!

Don't walk away from your clutter challenge too fast! Yes, you have succeeded in removing a lot of clutter. This is great! Now it is time to put a maintenance plan in place to keep these wonderful significant changes clutter-free. A few small steps are all it takes to slide into this new way of life.

See, decluttering is not a one-and-done thing, it is a lifestyle. You have gone to great lengths to let go of the stuff you viewed as clutter, and you are feeling better than you have. Be excited you have an opportunity to set up a better system to stay decluttered and organized.

Think about this for a minute. The amount of stuff you bring into your home now will make the difference between cluttered and clutter-free. You cannot keep bringing in new things without discarding other items if you want to keep your entire home clutter-free. You want to protect all the positive changes your decluttering efforts have made.

The Emotional Toll of Clutter

The number one feeling people report after they have decluttered is the feeling of less stress, a light feeling, and freer. Some people talk about how they felt on edge a lot of the time and could not relax in their cluttered space.

It is so fun to watch people come alive when their decluttering process is going well, this is when they can see the fruits of their labor begin to take shape. This is one reason I continuously suggest people set up a maintenance plan.

I know without a maintenance plan it takes a very short time for the entire home to fill with too much stuff again,

A maintenance plan is the number one best gift to give yourself. If you live with others make sure your friends and family members are on the same page as you. A maintenance plan is a long-term thing. Think of this as an opportunity to make some new habits to aid your new decluttered lifestyle.

The first step though is to get yourself decluttered by first clearing out all the obvious clutter. By obvious clutter, I mean trash like empty wrappers, cans, and broken things.

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Personal Testimonies: From Overwhelm to Relief

Take Sandy, for instance. Every morning, her overflowing clothes closet was a reminder of tasks left undone. "I couldn't find anything, I had years of stuff accumulated, and it made me late for work," she confessed.

Or Jeff, whose garage became a dumping ground: "I avoided opening the door. I have been wanting to change this for a long time and didn't know where to start. It was easier to ignore the mess than face it." These feelings of dread and helplessness are a miserable way to feel.

Recognizing the Need for Change

There often comes a moment of truth, a tipping point, a point where your back is up against the wall. This moment makes it crystal clear the only way to fix this is to accept it and find a remedy. Decluttering is the remedy,

For Sandy, it was the third time her closet rod snapped under the weight of clothes. Jeff realized something had to give when he couldn't locate his son's bike pump amid the chaos. It’s these aha moments that light the path toward healing.

Deciding to Declutter | Initial Steps Taken

Acknowledging the problem is just the start. What comes next is navigating the journey to clutter-free. The first step of admitting there is a problem is generally the hardest. Making a commitment to change this is the next critical piece of the puzzle.

Photo byMarj Bates

Finding Motivation: Tools and Resources

Motivation doesn't always come easy. Start decluttering anyway, do not wait to be motivated, Usually just starting is all the motivation one needs. Jeff joined an online support group where he learned from others he is not alone in this cluttered mess. He saw other's successes and struggles.

The Declutterbuzz Facebook group is a great private online community. I am partial to Declutterbuzz because it is my group. There are many good online decluttering groups out there in cyberland. Find a good fit for you!

Setting Realistic Goals and Milestones

Rather than tackling everything at once, breaking down your tasks into manageable bits can make a world of difference. Sandy started with one drawer a week, celebrating each small win. Jeff set a goal to reclaim his garage wall by wall, section by section. These bite-sized milestones made the mammoth task feel doable.

Transformations | Clutter-Free Living Success Stories

The journey from chaos to clarity is marked by remarkable transformations. These stories not only inspire but also show you the tangible benefits of embracing a clutter-free lifestyle.

A New Perspective on Possessions for Decluttering Success

After decluttering, your view of material things may change as it did for Sandy. Sandy no longer saw her clothes as just possessions but as choices that reflected who she is today, not 30 years ago. Sandy learned too that growing and changing is a part of life to be embraced not feared.

Jeff learned that less was more, valuing the functionality of items over sheer quantity. It's like peeling away layers to find what truly matters.

Mental Clarity and Emotional Freedom

The mental and emotional lift was perhaps the most rewarding. Sandy reveled in the serenity of knowing exactly where things were. Jeff enjoyed the newfound room to tinker with his son. By clearing physical spaces, you make room for mental clarity, emotional freedom, and time and space to do what you love!.

Leave your new space empty until a worthwhile choice comes up. Do not fill space with anything just because you can. I don't know how as a society we have got to this point of feeling like more is more and better. I love the look of empty space.

To keep track of your progress download my free Ultimate Declutterbuzz Dashboard. This 4 page freebie will help you do the following:

• Initial declutter
• Daily decluttering
• Weekly organization
• Yearly tasks and reflections

Photo byMarj Bates

Maintaining a Clutter-Free Lifestyle for Decluttering Success

Staying clutter-free requires consistency and constant vigilance. With the right strategies, like the buddy system or an online community, you can hold yourself accountable

Developing New Habits for Decluttering Success Longevity

It's about establishing routines that prevent clutter from creeping back in. Clutter is insidious. You just decluttered your entire house and now it feels cluttered again. Of course, it does if you brought a bunch of stuff into your home and did not discard anything. Someone once told me life is a numbers game. I tend to believe this.

Sandy adopted a one-in, one-out rule for her wardrobe, ensuring no extras piled up. Jeff created a weekly cleanup schedule with his family, making tidying a team effort, and said the best thing he did was to join an online decluttering community.

Sandy found a girlfriend that she knew, like herself, who had held on to all her old clothing and lived in a cluttered environment too. They joined forces to reach decluttering milestones together and feel they would not have done a great job on their own.

Plus the ladies laughed a lot when they sent pictures of the old-style clothing they were holding onto. What could be better than laughter combined with progress made?!

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Most people won't adhere to a strict one-in, one-out rule simply because many find letting go of things to be incredibly difficult. It is a great idea and something to think about and work toward. Even without perfect adherence, it will make a difference. Progress not perfection is what you are going after.

Before you Buy an Item

My maintenance plan starts at the conception of buying new things. I ask myself the right questions.

• Do I need this?
• How much use will I get out of it?
• Is this a new fad?
• Is this item well made or will it end up in the already overcrowded landfill?

These are all good questions to ask yourself before you click the 'buy it now' button. Be honest when answering these questions.

Susan and Jeff could not believe how long they had held on to things they now realize were completely useless to them. Like stained clothing that no longer fit. Jeff said he had planned to fix a lot of the broken things in his garage. He finally realized even if he fixed the stuff it would still be clutter and he no longer has a use for this.

Change happens when you are sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Creating a Support System for Continued Decluttering Success

Another piece of practical advice is to put a support system in place. A lot of cluttered people have created a wall around themselves, are lonely, and feel they have no one to lean on. This is another great reason to join an online community!

I started a new career when a lot of my friends began to retire! Starting this idea alone though was too scary so I tagged a friend who shines in the parts of the business I was inexperienced in and I presented my friend with a partnership.

Today less than 2 years later we are having a lot of fun and helping many people! This is such a win-win! All because I recognized I needed help.

Don't ever feel ashamed to ask for help. Turn the idea around, and ask yourself if someone approached you for help - would you mind helping. Usually, the answer is 'no' you would love to help another. Why? Because helping others feels great!

Having a supportive network can be a lifeline. Just listening is a valuable service a buddy can provide. Good advice is another reason to ask for help. Plus you will have someone to share your positive energy with when you experience a win!

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Whether it's friends who share your decluttering goals or an online community offering tips and encouragement, this support keeps you grounded. Jeff checked in with his online group weekly, sharing victories and setbacks. Sandy found a decluttering buddy to swap ideas and keep motivated.

Start Your Decluttering Journey for Your Decluttering Success

Often decluttering can be a relatively easy task if we follow a few tried and true methods.

If Sandy and Jeff can find decluttering success you can too! The decluttering journey although challenging, brings a lot of satisfaction.

By letting go, you gain much more than space—you gain clarity, calm, and a sense of control. Begin with a small step today, and soon you'll be sharing your own story of transformation. Embrace change rather than fear it and see where it leads you.

Go into your decluttering project with a positive attitude and a clear and concise vision and it won't be long before you are kicking back in your new comfortable home!

Photo byMarj Bates

Happy Decluttering!

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutter-er and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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