You think, yes, today is the day, I’m going to tackle that …. Cupboard, wardrobe, kitchen, living room, paperwork etc
You start pulling things out, create a disaster and then cry and think WHAT HAVE I DONE! There's just too much, you just pulled it all out, you have no systems in place, there’s no piles, the donate, sell, recycle pile is lost in one big heap, you want to keep it all.
JUST STOP
Sometimes there’s too much clutter to tackle.
Someone told me that if you are in a maze, keep your left-hand brushing along the left, and you will eventually get out. It’s worked every time, (I LOVE mazes) and yes it takes longer than taking a chance, but I’m all about sanity and less stress over confusion and chaos.
This may take longer, decluttering often does, but it causes less stress when you have a plan, you will get there, and you will be able to go to bed that night because you haven’t flooded your floor and bed with chaos.
Give yourself a timeframe, what can you declutter in half an hour a day? Start small, a shelf or a drawer. If it’s a wardrobe then start with a category: socks, underwear, dresses. Pull all the dresses out and then decide: keep, sell, donate, recycle. If you are going to sell them then take photos and sell as soon as you've finished, or if you are going to donate them, take them to the destination straight away. Once you've decluttered, then organise, use labels, containers or dividers to make sure everything has a home. This will help with maintenance in the future.
Remember the end goal, you want to be able to find things, less things in the house make this possible to have systems in your house that are easy to maintain.
Sometimes when you’ve had a session with a professional organiser you think yes, I can do this alone, and sometimes that is all it needs.
Other times, you realise it’s just more manageable and fun doing it with someone else and that’s ok. Decluttering and organising isn’t a luxury when using a professional organiser, it’s a form of self-care. Be kind to yourself.
I just can't believe what Danielle achieved in FIVE HOURS!!! My back room had become nothing more than a dumping-ground, and I didn't know how to start ... but with me being ruthless about what could be dumped and what would go to charity, it was amazing. I now have a room with floor space, and items ready to be distributed into the correct places in my home. Fantastic service - take advantage!