We have all been there at one time or another: we walk into our home and think “If only this were more organized and cleaned up.” In our mind, we see this clutter as a hurdle to the rest of our day. Some days, we are able to skip over the clutter while other days, it’s hard not to just stop and throw it all away now. This is called the urge to purge your home.
Your mind is an incredible part of being a human; it can analyze things in moments and it evolves over time based on learned knowledge and experience. But there is also a side to the mind that can be tricky to learn. There are certain triggers within you that seem to go off when you least expect it, which causes this pull from deep down that you have to stop and face the music now.
Decluttering and organizing are the exact product of this switch in the mind. When you see a mess, your mind tells you that you can’t continue with anything else in your life until this is cleaned up. Then it takes you too much time to do, which means you are now exhausted and haven’t left room for anything else to get done in your day. It’s a conundrum! This is when you start to wonder if you can ever effectively declutter and organize because it feels too stressful and overwhelming.
Where Does the Urge to Purge Your Home Come From?
There are a few different reasons why you might feel like you have to clean out your space right now. Some reasons could be finding unwelcome pests like ants and flies in a particular area. Maybe you have seen the same items out of order for weeks now and you just can’t take it anymore. Or you could be someone who feels a sense of de-stress when you see a clean space.
Whatever the reason is for you, the urge to purge your home can be very strong. Many individuals simply get too busy and things pile up. Also, mental health plays a huge role in the cleanliness of a home. If you are someone who is suffering with a depressive mood or an attention disorder, it could really just be too much to handle cleaning some days. When you get that spurt of energy, the urge to purge your home sets in.
5 Steps on How to Effectively Declutter and Organize
Instead of purging your home all at one time and then not being able to stay on top of things, here is a list of ways you can effectively declutter and organize your home. Remember, slow and steady wins the race.
Assess Your Space
The very first step in the declutter and organize process is to assess your space. Consider questions like: “Where are problem areas? What areas are used more often? Is this a ‘catch-all’ area? Is there a specific area I want to tackle first?” These questions will help you gauge how you should start the process and what area to focus on.
If you look at a big space and think of tackling it all at once, it becomes overwhelming right away. This can lead to taking no action at all, which is obviously not the energy you want to have about this process. Take the mental stress down a bit by starting with the assessment.
Make a Goal
You have to make a goal for your urge to purge your home before you can begin. Otherwise, it’s like the story When You Give a Mouse a Cookie where nothing actually gets done and you just keep doing things that are unproductive. Make this an attainable goal that will serve a purpose.
For example, you can start with organizing a closet space so that the door is no longer bursting at the hinges and you’re afraid to open it every time you need something from there. Maybe you desire a space for toys for the little one(s) in your home. Or you might want an office space that makes you feel creative with good energy and productivity.
Start Small
The best advice to take with you on your declutter and organize journey is to start small. Don’t come into this with thoughts of tackling an entire house in one day and trying to keep that house spik and span on a continual basis. Start small by choosing one area of your home to focus on.
The human brain thrives on achievements and productivity. When you accomplish something no matter how small, you become motivated to keep going. Dopamine levels spike in your brain, giving you a boost in feeling happy and confident.
Stay Consistent
Stay consistent with keeping that one small area organized. When you come home from work or errands, spend a few minutes tidying up that area. This will give you a sense of accomplishment and a sense of pride that your one area is staying just the way you like it.
Setting a new routine for a human can take three weeks for your brain to create a new roadmap of becoming second nature to you. Stay focused and consistent, then this will become part of your routine and it will be less likely for you to skip over.
Add On
When you feel you are ready to add on another part of your home to your declutter and organize journey, follow these steps again to make this addition a success. Make a goal, start small, and stay consistent. Sooner than you realize, your home will be organized and decluttered.
Purging Your Home Takes Time and Patience
The urge to purge your home can come and go. It is important to understand that it is a process. Just like making lifestyle changes for weight loss or fitness, it’s never something that you give up on. If you want to maintain a clutter-free home, it is a life commitment and a mindset shift.
Give yourself time and patience to get your home in a state that makes you happy. If you are someone who needs assistance with this process and desires to make these changes now, let’s start with a complimentary chat where I help you discover your home in a new way. As a home organization professional, there is no home too big that can’t be tackled with my services. Let’s declutter and organize together.