The mindset shift that’s kept my home uncluttered for 10 years
I consider 2013 the year I started my organizing journey. I am a naturally disorganized person, and by my late twenties, I had accumulated a lot of stuff. In 2013, while pet-sitting for a very organized couple, I got to experience the benefits of living in an uncluttered space. I decided that I wanted to live in a clutter-free space, too.
But first, I had to deal with all of my stuff. I had books lining the walls of my hallway, bins of clothes crammed into every spare nook I could find, a tall cabinet overflowing with paperwork, and lots of other stuff crowding my space.
It took several years of work to get rid of everything I didn’t want or need anymore, and sometimes the process was painful. The hardest part was giving away lots of clothes that had only been worn once or twice, which forced me to confront my shopping habits. I realized that I had gotten into the habit of buying something new for every occasion instead of shopping my closet first. As a result, my closet space was maxed out, and I wasn’t getting to fully enjoy most of my wardrobe.
I knew that it wasn’t enough to declutter my closet once. If I wanted to stay organized, I had to change my shopping habits.
I realized that I needed to think about organizing before I bought something, not after I brought it home.
Before I got organized, my decision-making process while shopping went like this:
Do I want this right now?
Can I afford this?
If I answered “yes” to both questions, I went ahead and bought it.
This wasn’t a bad place to start, but I realized that I needed to ask myself more questions before deciding to buy something. Essentially, I needed to think about organizing before I bought something, not after I brought it home. Now, when I’m shopping, my decision-making process goes like this:
Do I want this right now?
Can I afford this?
How often will I use this?
Do I already have something similar I could use instead?
Do I have space for this? If not, am I willing to get rid of something else to make space for it?
Would it be better to rent or borrow this?
Will I still want it in a day? In a year? In five years?
Thinking through these questions before I buy something has had a huge impact on my buying habits. Now, I hardly ever have to purge or declutter items to keep my home organized, because I’m only bringing home things I really want and plan to use for a long time. Of course, even the most careful shopper will occasionally need to let go of things, but reducing impulsive and unnecessary purchases will go a long way toward keeping your home clutter-free.
I hope this tip makes it easier to keep your home clutter-free. If you’re looking for more hands-on help decluttering, schedule a free consultation with me to learn more about how we can work together.
