Biggest Decluttering Challenges EXPOSED

Decluttering can feel like sunshine and rainbows when you see the “after” shots in my makeovers. But the truth?

Behind every tidy pantry and calm closet is a journey — often full of overwhelm, resistance, and emotions.

In this post, I’m pulling back the curtain to show you the real challenges I see time and time again with my clients — the ones I don’t always show in the makeovers.

And if you see yourself in any of these stories? You’re not alone.  These emotional blocks are far more common than you think.

1. Blaming Others for the Clutter

Meet Stephanie — one of my favorite clients. We had so much fun transforming her spaces, but she struggled to let go of anything… and often pointed the finger at her husband.

Sound familiar?

Stephanie was frustrated that her husband’s shoes, tools, and clothes were always out.   Why?  When we looked a little closer, it wasn’t because he was messy – it was because he didn’t actually have a place for them.  All the closets and dressers were filled with her things.   So if the items don’t have a home….they end up everywhere.

Decluttering Solution:
You can’t blame your family for messes if they don’t have storage space of their own or if you haven’t created “homes” or “zones” for items to live.  Everyone deserves a home for their stuff. Sometimes, that means you have to declutter to make room.

2. When Shopping Becomes a Coping Mechanism

I’ve worked with many amazing women like Kathy,  who used shopping to fill emotional voids or and Krista (a clothing store owneer) who used clothing to express herself.  Both these women had homes (and closets)  bursting at the seams.

Kathy’s laundry room was packed with unopened purchases she didn’t have time or space to put away.

Krista, a boutique owner, had more clothes than she could wear in a year, but couldn’t bear to let them go because they were part of her identity.

Decluttering Solution:
If new stuff is coming in faster than you can manage it, it may be time to talk to a therapist or support group. There’s zero shame in needing help — but without addressing the root cause, no amount of organizing will stick.

3. The Scarcity Mindset

Marg couldn’t part with anything. Empty jars, pill bottles, stained placemats — she kept it all. To her, everything had potential. She was raised with the belief that throwing anything out was wasteful, and that deeply ingrained mindset made decluttering feel like danger, not freedom.

Even though sewing was her passion, she couldn’t enjoy it because her creative space was buried under layers of “just in case.”

Decluttering Solution:
Scarcity mindset often comes from past trauma, financial instability, or fear. If this is you, take tiny steps. Celebrate every decision to let go, even if it’s just one scrap of fabric. It adds up, and you can break the cycle.

4. Lack of Trust

Carla’s home was neat — except for one room. Her “Monica closet” (Friends fans, you know!) was a dumping ground because she didn’t trust herself to make decisions. So instead of making the wrong choice, she avoided choosing at all.

Decluttering Solution:
Indecision is still a decision. Start telling yourself, “I trust myself to decide what stays and what goes.” Progress doesn’t come from perfect choices — it comes from any choice.

5. Perfectionism

Seana wanted to do it all right — sort everything, label everything, color-code every bin. But that need to be perfect kept her stuck. Piles grew because she couldn’t let herself do it “badly.”

Decluttering Lesson:
Perfectionism doesn’t make your space better — it keeps you from making progress. Try doing something just okay. Embrace “good enough for now.” You’ll prove to yourself that imperfect action is still powerful.

6. The Inner Critic

Michelle had lived with disorganization her whole life. She believed she couldn’t change, and criticized herself constantly. But during our virtual session, everything shifted when she stopped saying, “I’m bad at this,” and started saying, “I’m proud of myself.”

She let go of bags of things, cleared out an entire closet, and smiled at her own transformation.

Decluttering Solution:
Be kind to yourself. Changing your self-talk changes everything. Instead of “I’m a mess,” try: “I’m learning,” “I’m growing,” or “I’m doing the best I can.”

7. Letting Go of “Just Bought” or “Barely Used”

Even my own team isn’t immune! Emily (behind the camera!) had a hard time parting with winter boots she’d just bought. She wasn’t ready to let go — and that’s okay. The first step is recognizing that emotional attachment doesn’t always equal usefulness.

Decluttering Solution:
You don’t have to declutter everything right now. But if you know something isn’t serving you — even if it’s new — allow yourself to release it without guilt.

8. Progress Takes Practice

Decluttering isn’t about doing it all in one day. It’s about building the muscle, one decision at a time. Whether you’re dealing with clutter from others, emotional shopping, scarcity, perfectionism, or fear — the path forward is always the same:

Start small.

Celebrate every win.

Trust yourself.

Keep going.

You don’t need to have it all together. You don’t need to be perfect. You just need to be brave enough to take that first step.

Your home deserves peace. You deserve ease. And every little decluttering win is a step toward both.

SEE THE MAKEOVERS MENTIONED ✨

Seana’s Craft Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Idnl9vmrEHM&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=15&t=566s

Marg Craft Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8bRkQ1XWkU8&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=20&t=620s

Krista Bedroom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsGru35JE4Q&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=5&t=1057s

Michelle Office: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RI3HzRCqjJo&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=7&t=26s

Kathy Laundry Room: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Min58woWPbY&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=11&t=18s

Stephanie Basement: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuJUJ_YDvcE&list=PLzglswYcXP2jv051eNB6Xo1BzlSeqisWB&index=27&t=58s

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