Beat Decluttering Burnout

So you’ve gotten the kick in the butt to finally get your space decluttered. Great! Regardless of where you got that surge of inspiration to declutter (though it’s really no mystery at this point), chances are you’ll hit a decluttering roadblock. And more likely than not, that roadblock can be traced back to what we’ll call decluttering burnout—the feeling that you’re too stressed and overwhelmed to make any further progress on decluttering efforts.

Thankfully, there are ways to combat decluttering burnout before it even hits you. So here are three tips you can keep in mind to keep the burnout at bay.

1.) Focus on decluttering

Decluttering, organizing, and cleaning are three tasks people tend to group together. And while the three are related, it’s incredibly important to note that they are not the same. That said, trying to do these very different tasks all at once is a sure recipe for fatigue and overwhelm. Our advice? Focus on decluttering only and refrain from doing anything else while you’re doing so.

Decluttering simply requires that you decide what you want to keep and discard the rest, so make sure that’s exactly what you’re doing. Avoid dipping your toes in organizing your book collection in alphabetical order or wiping down every surface you see while decluttering. Frantically jumping from task to task will only cut down your focus and slow down your progress. The better you are at staying on task, the faster time will fly. Promise.

Pro-tip: Another thing to avoid while decluttering? Doing random errands. Maintain your focus by scribbling down any errands that pop into your head while decluttering, so you can do them later.

2.) Know yourself better

Are you a sprinter or a marathoner? That is, do you prefer doing things quickly in huge bursts (like a sprinter) or slowly and steadily over time (like a marathoner)? Knowing whether you’re a sprinter or a marathoner can help you identify what decluttering style matches the way you work and spend your energy. (Read more about these distinctions on Gretchen Rubin’s website.)

Don’t force yourself to do things in a way that doesn’t make sense to you. Instead, find out what works for you and do it that way. Knowing ourselves better can help us to get things done in a way that works with the grain of our nature, not against it. This can make the whole process of decluttering a little less taxing, and therefore a lot more fulfilling.

3.) Have enough energy

Don’t run on empty. Make sure you have enough mental and physical energy to face your clutter when you finally choose to do so. Decluttering is basically an exercise of decision-making and followthrough. So without enough energy to make tough decisions and move things around, you’ll start to feel defeated before you’ve even begun.

Decluttering when you’re feeling miserable and tired will pretty much ensure that you’ll make excuses as well as bad decisions about your stuff. Keep in mind that there’s no rush and that you’re encouraged to take a rest when you’re feeling totally drained. Being emotionally prepared for decluttering is 100% a part of the process.

If you have your own tips for fighting decluttering burnout, do share your insights below! You might just help someone struggling with their own battle against clutter. Or share your own experience with decluttering burnout instead—sometimes knowing we aren’t alone can be a great comfort on its own!