Decluttering at a Steady Pace: A Method for Reducing Clutter When Anxiety About Disorder Overwhelms You
In the world of home organisation, Di Ter Avest, the owner of Di is Organized in Baltimore, MD (USA), is championing a refreshing and less overwhelming method: slow decluttering. This approach, which encourages taking the process one small step at a time, has gained attention from various publications, including Forbes, Today, ApartmentTherapy, Real Homes, Homes & Gardens, and Kitchn.
Slow decluttering is not about rushing through a massive overhaul of your home. Instead, it's about adopting a gentle, intentional mindset, allowing calm and thoughtful decisions rather than a ruthless purge. By focusing on small, manageable areas or tasks, such as sorting one drawer or going through a handful of clothes, progress is made gradually, without overwhelming physical or mental energy.
Di Ter Avest emphasises that stuff often holds emotions, leading to difficulties in decluttering. Memories, guilt, 'just in case' thinking, or identity can all contribute to the challenges of letting go of items. However, slow decluttering allows for reflection, making it easier to make decisions based on purpose and joy, rather than sentiment.
Consistency and giving oneself permission to take breaks are key aspects of practicing slow decluttering at home. Small, frequent sessions, such as clearing a few items that no longer belong or trashing empty packages, maintain progress without causing burnout. Acknowledging and appreciating the modest improvements achieved builds positive momentum, creating a sustainable and less stressful decluttering practice.
For those seeking inspiration, Di Ter Avest suggests setting tiny, doable goals and finding motivation in lists of things minimalists throw out every day. Books like "Less is More: Unlocking Happiness Through Minimalism" by Jane Harper and "Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home" by Nicola Lewis offer practical advice and insights into the benefits of decluttering. The "Motivational Decluttering Journal: A 90-Day Journal & Workbook" by Sunny Meridian provides tips, advice, and space for tracking decluttering progress.
Decision fatigue can make decluttering challenging, but slow decluttering offers a friendlier approach to learning how to declutter room by room. By working in small chunks, honoring your limits, and making gradual improvements, you create a decluttering practice that is both sustainable and less stressful.
[1] Di Ter Avest, D. (n.d.). Organize Yourself Healthy: 7 Steps to a Stress-Free Home. [2] Harper, J. (2020). Less is More: Unlocking Happiness Through Minimalism. [3] Lewis, N. (2019). Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home. [4] Meridian, S. (2020). The Motivational Decluttering Journal: A 90-Day Journal & Workbook. [5] Unknown Author (n.d.). Decluttering Tips for a Calm and Happy Home: How to Declutter Your Home Slowly and Mindfully.
- In the living room, consider the texture of the flooring to complement the minimalist lifestyle, as suggested by Di Ter Avest in her book 'Organize Yourself Healthy: 7 Steps to a Stress-Free Home'.
- For art enthusiasts, the kitchen could serve as a canvas for a piece that embodies the slow decluttering philosophy, such as the works featured in 'Homes & Gardens' magazine.
- Slow decluttering encourages focused decisions, allowing us to discard items no longer needed and create more space, a principle that aligns with the home-improvement mindset.
- Those aiming to implement slow decluttering can find inspiration in books like 'Less is More: Unlocking Happiness Through Minimalism' by Jane Harper, or 'Mind Over Clutter: Cleaning Your Way to a Calm and Happy Home' by Nicola Lewis.
- With the smallest improvements in the home-and-garden setting, we can gradually aspire to create a lifestyle that promotes peace, joy, and less stress, as detailed in 'Decluttering Tips for a Calm and Happy Home: How to Declutter Your Home Slowly and Mindfully'.
