Believe me. You’re not alone!

Almost everyone I talk to about tidying expresses some degree of unhappiness about how much stuff they have.

It’s so easy to get discouraged. Adding to that, there can be a lot of self-judgment about it.

And adding to that is the thought that goes, “Why can’t I declutter faster?” That’s the one that stands there sneering with a whip in its hand.

These are all things that can slow down your engine and clog up your progress, bringing you to a paralyzing stop.

But think of it this way:

How many years have you been accumulating things, or have the people who live with you been accumulating stuff without stopping to take stock and consider letting go of those things that no longer support your life?

If you’re like most people and depending on how old you are, that number could be well into the double-digits!

It’s just not something most people tend to do. There are plenty of other more pressing things to do, like making a living, raising kids, or having hobbies in the little recreational time you’re likely to have on top of that. Looking at your stuff and thinking carefully about what you no longer want or need is a task that falls to the bottom of the list if it makes it at all!

All this to say, don’t beat yourself up!

Don’t give yourself a hard time for having accumulated a lot because it’s really just something that happens, and it happens to just about everybody. There’s no reason to give yourself grief about it.

Any effort your put toward decluttering your home counts.

Here are some tips that can help:

1. Take what life coach Maria Nemeth calls “small, sweet steps.” These are bite-sized steps that feel doable. One small sweet step is enough to move you toward your goal.
2. Make a plan. It may work for you to plan ahead, blocking out a time. Or it may work for you to decide the morning of—”I will commit to taking this step before the end of the day.” Either way, do your best to stick to your plan.
3. If something comes up that gets in the way, don’t beat yourself up! Acknowledge that you didn’t do it, and reschedule.
4. When you do complete the task, take at least thirty seconds to soak in the sense of accomplishment. This is how long it takes to fully register or “install” a good feeling, as neuropsychologist Rick Hanson puts it. It will remind you of why you are undertaking this vital task along the way, and it will give you the joy that adds to a happier life which is what decluttering is all about!

Like everything else that’s worth doing in life, decluttering is a process that comes with obstacles and challenges that make the rewards all the sweeter when you find ways to take them by the hand and gently dance them out of the way so you can create the life you love!