Decluttering with Obstacles

Ilse of Sweden asks,  "How do you declutter when you have a husband and a baby?"

In my current Declutter Group we have one participant that has a house full of kids and a part time business. Another works full time and is in a play. One has a grown child that needs extra care – another a sick husband. I’ve had clients with fibromyalgia that makes them tire easily and they are in pain much of the time.

I have been so proud of how well they are decluttering in spite of obstacles. How do they do it?

1. They’ve decided getting the clutter out of their houses is important. They decided enough was enough to living with the effects of clutter.
2. They get support for encouragement and accountability so they can keep going.
3. They get it done by waking early. Or staying up later.
4. They forgo some activities like chatting on the internet or TV, for the 8 weeks at least. Think of one thing that tends to waste your time. How much you could declutter if you said no to that activity for 8 weeks? Even if you kept the activity but only did it after your set decluttering time?
5. Work in spurts around naps, helping your family members and work. If you have a short list of the next 5 small areas you plan to declutter you won’t stand in the middle of your house asking, Where do I start?". And you can start wherever, it really doesn’t matter as long as you are moving.
6. For those with a more set schedule, have a specific 10 min, 15 min, 30 min time each day to declutter. Some break it up so it is half in the morning, half at night.
7. Note your progress – look at that beautiful linen closet when it is done, admire how clean your desk looks. Use that as motivation.

I also want to say, I remember being a new mom. You most likely aren’t getting enough sleep and may be tired. So take naps when your baby sleeps, don’t decutter. Enjoy your new family and play with making little declutter steps. Make use of those little times when the baby is happily engaged. Maybe take a stack of paper to sort on the floor while your baby lays on the blanket next to you (providing the baby isn’t crawling yet – that’s a whole new obstacle).

When you open a drawer, see if there is something to get rid of. As you leave a room, make sure you take something with you that belongs elsewhere.

Even if you only get 5 minutes a day of decluttering, that is progress.

Photo credit: JM Suarez