Without a doubt, the most common mistake I see people make on their journey to a minimalist life
is to start decluttering in the wrong place. Too often, we choose a difficult first step
rather than an easy one. Now, just to be clear, I'm fine with whatever method works for you to
minimize your possessions and free your life for more important pursuits, and if starting
in a really difficult area and working backwards works for you and your family, then go for it.
But for most people, the most effective strategy to minimize possessions is to start easy
and work your way up to harder areas and harder spaces. That's the process my wife and I used
years ago, that's the process I recommend on becomingminimalist.com and in the Clutterfree app,
so go ahead: start decluttering with your easiest step. I thought might be helpful to list some of
the places that people are tempted to declutter first, even though they probably shouldn't.
These spaces tend to end in frustration and exhaustion rather than success. So here we go:
10 things not to declutter first. Number one: photos.
Many people have boxes and boxes of old family photos that need to be curated,
but spending hours and hours flipping through old family photos usually just leads to hours
and hours more as memories surface, so save this project for later, and when you do keep only the
best. Number two: sentimental items. Sentimental items might be around for any number of reasons:
to remember a past season of life, a relationship, an experience or an accomplishment,
and again holding on to only the best is a great filter. Remember that less is different than none,
but wait for this step until you've experienced and noticed the benefits of owning less in other
areas of your life, because when you do you'll find this easier to accomplish.
Number three: paper. Paper clutter is a real issue, no doubt about it, but you can spend
hours working through just one small pile of paper and see no significant difference in your home.
Instead, spend that hour removing larger possessions from your home first.
You'll notice the progress easier, and then you'll be encouraged to keep going. Number four:
the garage. Similar to paper, large cluttered spaces like a garage or a basement
take a lot of time, and a more noticeable change in your home can be better made
elsewhere. Begin in an easier room that you spend considerable time in, like a bedroom or a living
room. That'll pay off greater dividends quicker, and then when you're ready for the larger spaces,
check out my video linked below. Number five: kids toys. I speak to a lot of parenting groups,
and when I open the discussion for questions, the first one is always the same,
"This minimalism thing sounds great. How do i get rid of all my kids' toys?"
And my answer is always the same: it is entirely unfair for you to begin your journey
by forcing your kids to get rid of their stuff. You need to go first. When your kids see you
removing the possessions from your own room and your own closet first, they'll be more prepared
for when you eventually get to theirs, and you'll be more equipped to help them. Number six:
your partner's stuff. Similar to kids things, you should never begin your decluttering journey
by getting rid of your spouse's or your partner's things. In fact I'd counsel you,
in almost every case, not to remove your partner's stuff without including them in the process.
It is simply easier to see everyone else's clutter than it is to see our own. So you do your work.
You set the example and when your partner sees the benefits, he or she will be ready, and you'll be
there to help. Number seven: drawers. I think it's important to move through your home room by room,
decluttering your unneeded things, but I also think it's important to start in visible areas
first, because seeing progress is important. Especially if you have a lot of work to do.
So when minimizing a new room, break it into smaller projects if you need to,
but start in the visible areas, not the hidden clutter like drawers and cabinets.
Number eight: your collections. Your collections probably need to be decluttered, but there
are some questions that need to go into this process first. Do I have too many collections?
Am I going to continue collecting these things? Is there a better way to store or
display these items? Personally, I have found that my opinions on these matters changed
significantly as I pursued minimalism. As I saw the benefits of owning less, I began to question
my collections in ways I hadn't before, and I believe you'll find the same to be true for you.
Number nine: digital clutter. Don't start your decluttering journey by deleting
emails. Again you should do that, and almost certainly unsubscribe from them as well,
but digital clutter is different than physical clutter. Physical clutter carries more weight
and burden than digital clutter, so start with your physical objects first. And number 10:
books. I'm going to include books on this list not because it's a problem for everyone,
but because it is a difficult task for many. If you love books, no doubt you own quite a few,
and you may even feel the sense that you should own fewer of them. This is probably true,
but if you feel an emotional attachment to books, you should hold off on this step.
Similar to all the reasons I've listed already, the becoming minimalist decluttering method is
to work through your home easiest-to-hardest, starting with the most lived in areas first. It's
the method that is the most effective for the most amount of people because we gain momentum
and motivation with every area that we accomplish along the way. And so, with that in mind,
don't start with any of these 10 difficult areas. Find an easier space to get started in first.