The unsexy secret to decluttering ... and staying uncluttered
Something I've been thinking about a lot recently is perfection. We are bombarded by it in magazines and movies, on TV and Instagram. Perfect people with their perfect teeth, hair, bodies, relationships, families and yes - their perfect homes. Just like Instagram filters set a totally false expectation of what real faces actually look like, so too do those Insta-perfect photos of pristine pantries and minimalist kids' bedrooms leave us feeling lacking somehow. Like we don't measure up because no matter how many times we have decluttered a space, it doesn't stay like that.
Well guess what - if you have decluttered once and been disheartened to see the clutter return, I’ve got news for you. You’re completely normal!
The truth is that those picture-perfect homes don't stay like that without *someone* taking responsibility for the clutter. Perhaps that someone lives in the home and works hard to keep it neat as a pin - honestly, I don't know because I don't know those people. What I suspect is that there is a housekeeper or an organiser that is there multiple times a week making sure everything stays perfect in between Instagram photo shoots. I have one client that I provide this service to - I'm there 6 hours a week, keeping the pantry, wardrobes, bathrooms and bedrooms organised and gorgeous. Every single week I could spend at least another hour in their home, taking care of this stuff so they don't have to.
Am I saying that decluttering doesn’t work? Absolutely not - it does work, and it can be life-changing. But too often the focus is on the purge, the transformation, the before and after. What rarely gets much attention is what happens after the after-photo has been taken. I’m talking about creating simple systems to keep stuff flowing through the home instead of landing, staying put and building up again. I’m talking about tweaking those systems when you notice that something isn’t quite working. I’m talking about creating a decluttering habit and sticking with it.
The follow-through is where your dreams of being free from clutter will come true. But the follow through doesn’t make a pretty picture in a 1:1 square, does it?
For what it's worth I love scrolling Instagram as much as the next person, drooling over colour-coordinated snacks, and wardrobes with just 3 dresses hanging in them. I just wish those super-famous organisers would sometimes chat about the maintenance aspect after the organiser has left, rather than perpetuating this myth that decluttering is a once and done kind of job. Because for most people, it is not.
Now if you’re a DIY declutterer, here’s how you keep the clutter to a trickle and hold back the tsunami:
Introduce simple systems
Commit to maintenance
Involve the whole family
If you’d like some help getting going on your decluttering journey, I’d love a chat to see if we’d be a good fit together. Rest assured that as well as my butt-kicking decluttering expertise to get you off to a roaring start, we’ll also cover systems to keep you on track and devise an ongoing maintenance strategy. It’s all part of the service!