15 Ways to Find Fierce Motivation To Declutter Today
Do you long for a simple, clutter-free home? A space that allows you to move with ease and purpose. It energizes you rather than burdens you.
And yet, in our culture, that’s no easy thing. Belongings pile up out of nowhere (until you know you need to purge).
No one wants to do this at first. But luckily, there are powerful ways to get motivated to declutter. These ideas are easy and build momentum, so the rest of the journey is a piece of cake.
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But first, if you’re struggling, let’s address the cause:
Why do I have no motivation to declutter?
For most, the lack of excitement is from overwhelm. Your clutter gets to a point where it feels insurmountable. So, you let it go entirely.
Sometimes you’re also drowning in the busyness of life. A schedule that never stops makes it impossible to address the problem at hand (leading to more overwhelm).
What’s the best way to address this?
Take on your clutter one small area at a time. Break it up into chunks. Before you know it, one spot leads to another. And you’ll have put yourself in motion – the antidote to paralyzing overwhelm.
How to Build Motivation To Declutter Your Home
Choose one or two to start. Then, see where it takes you!
1. Do Something Fun While You Work
First, decluttering is work. There’s no way around it. But the more fun you can make it, the more excited you’ll be to do it. So, turn on your favorite music, listen to a podcast, or put on a show while you go through your junk drawer.
2. Try a Challenge For Declutter Motivation
You’ll love this free minimalism challenge calendar! It has one small task a day for 30 days. After, you’ll have whittled down your belongings and regained your freedom.
3. Turn It Into a Game Or Competition
Want to make it more challenging?
Start with getting rid of one item on day one. Then, from every day forward for one month, you double that amount.
- Day 1 = 1 item
- Day 2 = 2 items
- Day 3 = 4 items
- Day 4 = 8 items
By day 30, you’ll be doing the biggest purge of your life!
Or, turn it into a competition. Make a bet with someone that the person who gets rid of the most stuff wins. The loser pays for dinner!
4. Tell a Friend or Family Member
Use social accountability and tell your partner or friend about your intentions. By spreading the word, you’re building your own motivation to declutter. And when they ask you later, you’ll need an answer.
5. Set Up Stations Before You Start
Next, make your declutter session as easy as possible.
Just as setting out your workout clothes helps you follow through on workouts, setting out boxes can help you declutter. Make one for donation, one for selling, and one for trash. Label them and put them in a place you pass often.
6. Purge Clutter In ONE Small Area
Forward motion builds momentum. And baby steps are all you need to build it! So, where can you start? Here are a few ideas:
- One bathroom, junk, or clothes drawer
- One shelf of a bookshelf
- One cabinet
- One shelf of the pantry
The great thing about decluttering is that once you start, you’re usually motivated to keep going. Without you even realizing it, one shelf becomes the entire bookshelf. That’s forward momentum in action!
7. Do One Aspect of Your Life At A Time
Just like with one small area, focusing on one compartment of your life can help you narrow your focus and get more done. This increases your motivation 10x.
For example, if you focus solely on simplifying your finances, you’ll be able to give it all your attention. Then, you can move on to another. Here are more great ideas:
- Your home
- Your office
- Your digital world (phone, computer, other devices)
- Your business or job
- Your social life/activities
- Your family life routines
Related: Tips To Collect Moments Not Things
8. Read a Book For Declutter Motivation
Next, books are inspiring! Read one of these popular books on decluttering to get you going or to keep you moving once you’ve started:
9. Watch a Show
I’ve had multiple people tell me how motivational the Home Edit show on Netflix is. In fact, my mom was inspired to clean out her entire closet because of it.
You can also check out:
- The Minimalists: Less is More (Netflix)
- Tidying Up With Marie Kondo (Netflix)
- Hoarders (Netflix)
10. Utilize Quotes & Other Motivation Too
When motivation is low, you should use anything to get you going! That includes great decluttering quotes, podcasts, and articles. Utilize one form of motivation on this page each day, and you’ll be well on your way to rocking it as a minimalist!
Daily input matters!
11. Get Help
Next, if you have a family, you’re not the only one responsible for the amount of clutter you have. So, make clearing it a group effort! You will declutter faster if you can enlist help.
Motivate your kids to declutter by letting them sell stuff for money. Also, give everyone specific tasks to accomplish.
12. Visualize For Motivation To Declutter
Superstars everywhere use visualization as a success tool for work and life. So, why not use it for decluttering too?
Sit in your chair for a moment and close your eyes. What does your space look like in your mind’s eye when all of the clutter is gone? How does it feel deep in your heart to move through it?
Now, put the work in to make it happen! (See more: Money Vision Board Ideas)
13. Give Yourself a Healthy Reward to Keep Going
When you’re in the middle of a decluttering project, it can feel like it will. never. end.
And that’s the moment when you need to be looking for different budget friendly rewards that will help pull you through. Try one in the image above!
14. Set Mini Smart Goals With Time Limits
Next, setting goals with specific time limits can be extremely motivating. You are putting pressure on yourself to follow through!
Below is how to set a smart goal (find financial smart goal examples here)
Using the guidelines, here’s an example:
I will clean out my bedroom bookshelf by November 31st to be clear on the books I want to read for winter and make extra money on old books (for next year’s vacation). To do this, I will declutter one shelf a day!
Related: Fill out a commitment contract to make this goal stick!
15. Hire A Cleaner (Forced Declutter Motivation)
Even if it’s just one time. Here’s why:
When you hire a house cleaner, that person is paid to clean. BUT they can’t do so unless your house is picked up and organized. Do you know what you can do while you pick up your house?
Declutter!
If your house is a mess, this isn’t going to be easy, but there’s nothing like forcing something to get done if you really need to do it.
Related: Free Stay Motivated Checklist
To Consider With Declutter Motivation
Finally, be ok with slow progress. And don’t beat yourself up if you need to come back to these ideas over and over. We’re all human. What matters is that you’re doing your best to create the life you want for yourself! Good for you!
Now, let’s get decluttering! *This declutting checklist room by room might help too!
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