My Top 5 Tips to Help Conquer the Emotions of Decluttering and Downsizing

Whether you’re preparing to sell your home, choosing to downsize, or helping your parents clean out their home, decluttering is an emotional journey, you’re likely to experience a roller coaster of emotions:

Guilt for letting go of items you were gifted or inherited.Sadness for saying goodbye to things you used to love but will no longer need or use.Overwhelm from not knowing where to start.Decision fatigue from the sheer number of decisions you have to make.

All of this is part of the process—doable, but nonetheless emotional.

Here are my top 5 tips to help conquer the emotions of decluttering and downsizing.1.   Feel Your Feelings and Embrace the Process

It’s important to identify and acknowledge your feelings of sadness, guilt, fear, anger, and overwhelm. Whatever you’re feeling, don’t push it under the rug or try to ignore it. Take a few minutes to sort through what you’re experiencing at that moment. Accept it, and cry if you need to. This emotional release will help you work through those feelings and allow you to continue making progress.

2.   Take a Break and Step Away

It’s perfectly okay to step back. Take a break, go for a walk, or even take a nap to remove yourself from the moment. This reset can help you regain focus so you don’t feel stuck or overwhelmed to the point of quitting.

3.   Ask for Help

Another way to conquer the emotional roller coaster of downsizing and decluttering is to put aside your pride and ask for help. The process is a huge undertaking with thousands of decisions to make about what to get rid of, what to donate, and what to keep.

Rather than getting bogged down and feeling like you have to do it all alone, ask for help from a partner, sibling, or friend. Having someone to support you and help you make wise decisions will move you closer to your goal.

4.   Know WHY You Want to Declutter and Downsize

Keeping your “why” in mind throughout the process will motivate you to keep going, even during the most challenging moments.

During my downsizing journey, I created a vision for a simpler life with less stuff and less stress. It was magical! I highly recommend creating your own vision for why you want to declutter and downsize. This will serve as your anchor during the toughest times.

5.   Be Grateful for How Far You’ve Come

Too often, we don’t acknowledge how much we’ve already accomplished. Instead, we focus on how much more we have yet to do. Try taking before and after pictures to remind yourself of your progress, and celebrate your wins—whether big or small.

Downsizing and decluttering is a journey worth taking, but it doesn’t happen overnight. Remember to take care of yourself along the way.

Feel your feelings.Take a break.Ask for help.Know your “why.”Be grateful for how far you’ve come.

Best wishes on your journey!

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