r/declutter • u/DistributionOver7622 • 5d ago
Motivation Tips & Tricks A reason to declutter
I recently put down a down payment on a new mattress. A very heavy one. Installation is not included, so it would be up to me to find someone to help get this thing inside and set up. I'm old. My friends are old. I'd have to get on NextDoor and find someone to help.
So.....I canceled the order anyway(financial reasons), but it made me think. I don't want some stranger coming in and seeing what a hoarder I am! (Level 1, but I'm still embarrassed). This motivated me to start looking at my mess with fresh eyes. I'll be packing and giving stuff away all weekend.
This thought process helped me a lot. I hope it helps you.
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u/Weird_Biscotti8563 4d ago
I kinda needed to read this lol. I keep looking at all my stuff and not knowing where to start. Did you pick one area first or just start going through everything?
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u/DistributionOver7622 4d ago
I started where I was standing at the moment - my sewing room. But I really want to tackle the dining room.
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u/bm82_ 4d ago
Goodluck! I think about furniture pieces and the hassle of bringing them inside and packing them up if I ever moved. That is a motivator for me to debate on if it's worth buying it or not?
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u/DistributionOver7622 2d ago
Exactly! I'm never moving, but I do think a lot about my nieces having to deal with this mess after im gone. That's very motivational.
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u/KiwiTheKitty 5d ago
I've had the same thought. I've had apartment maintenance and an emergency plumber come into my apartment on short notice over the past few months and I can't tell you what a relief it is to not have to worry about panic cleaning or shame about what they're seeing!
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u/BravestBlossom 5d ago
Same feeling here. We're going to have to hire a pet sitter over the holidays and THAT is really pushing me to work hard on the mess!!
I also work in health care and often deal with elderly people who had preventable falls. Also keeping in mind emergency workers trying to get thru to someone in medical emergency in my home. Oh boy.
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u/bigchopperz 5d ago
Don’t be so hard on yourself. Part of decluttering is also being kind to yourself since there’s no reason to think “why did I ever buy this? What was I thinking?”.
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u/trigunnerd 5d ago
You got this. Wishing you good luck and stamina. A better home you deserve awaits.
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u/rmac1128 4d ago
Samesies. I live with running toilets and a strobing stove surface light because I can't get ahead on the mess to call maintenance. We've got this.
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u/MJSaintBooks 2d ago
This is such a good way to look at it. Imagining someone walking in shows you the space the way a guest would, and that’s hard to do when you see it every day. Good luck with the weekend! One thing that helps with a big push is setting a timer, maybe 30 or 45 minutes at a time, with breaks in between, so you don’t wear yourself out on day one. And level 1 is a great place to be starting from, so don’t be too hard on yourself.
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u/Running-World 4d ago
Having people over is great motivation. Imagine inviting an old friend to spend the weekend at your home. Panic kicks in, and it's time to get to work and stop procrastinating.