6 Decluttering Motivation Tips

July 16, 2021 - By Fiona Hawkes

I’m now half way through my July Decluttering Challenge and I’ll be honest, sometimes decluttering can feel like a bit of a slog. So, I thought I’d put together some decluttering motivation tips to help you keep going even when you feel like giving up.

When you have a lot of stuff to declutter it can feel like a never ending task. However, there are plenty of reasons you should keep going.

6 Decluttering Motivation Tips

1. Take Before and After Photos

If you’re a fan of using Instagram you’ll know lots of people like to post ‘Tap to Tidy’ pictures, showing before and after pictures of a previously messy room.

Having these pictures in your phone can be a great motivator. It will help you to see how much decluttering you have already achieved and could help you want to push forward even on days you don’t really feel like it.

2. Keep Track of Everything You Get Rid Of

I love writing list and usually have several on the go for various things, work, shopping, meal planning, day to day things I need to remember, even cleaning.

I also make lists if I’m working on a big project like decluttering to help track my progress.

Here are some things you could track –

Number of items of clothes you’ve got rid of.
Number of bags taken to the charity shop.
Bin liners taken to the tip.
How many items you’ve recycled
Overall number of bags of ‘stuff’ that have left your house

3. Motivate Yourself With Money

If you’re selling the items that you’re getting rid of or decluttering than the thought of all that extra money could be a great way to keep motivated.

Selling can take time, so if your sales have slowed a little you could try mixing things up, such as trying switching to Vinted from eBay or offering big bundles in a bid to get rid of things more quickly.

4. Set Yourself Mini Challenges

When it comes to decluttering there can sometimes be a point where things get worse before they get better. If you find yourself struggling to get past that point, it might be time to set some mini-challenges.

How many items can I declutter in a day?

Can I declutter 100 things in 10 minutes?

Can I declutter a room for one hour?

Having the extra challenge to complete can be an excellent motivator.

5. Decluttering Motivation: Reward Yourself

So at this point I’m absolutely not advocating bringing more stuff into you home, however, sometimes a small reward can be a way to motivate ourselves.

For me, I find cake usually works.

If there’s a decluttering job you’ve been putting off because you really don’t want to tackle it, reward yourself with something small when you’re done.