I’ve been decluttering since January and have removed 5,500 things from my house (about 3,000 of that has been paper.) I find my motivation by watching YouTube videos. When it comes to decluttering, books are fine, but when I’m reading, I’m not decluttering.
One of the YouTubers I follow, Dana K. White, has a decluttering book. I checked it out from the library as an e-audiobook, so I could listen and declutter. It’s a practical, non-emotional guide to getting rid of unnecessary stuff and worth recommending.
If you are new to decluttering (and if so, where have you been the last few years), there are many ways to declutter. Marie Kondo might be the most famous, with her pull everything out, touch each item, and decide if it sparks joy. Hers is not the only way, however.
If you think Marie Kondo doesn’t go far enough, you can follow the Minimalists. They recommend boxing up everything you own and then pulling stuff out as you need it. After three or six months of doing this, donate the boxes. What is left is what you truly need. That is hardcore.
For people who want to declutter but don’t want to become minimalists, I recommend Dana’s method. Decide where something lives, like dishes in a cabinet. Whatever fits in the cabinet can stay; whatever doesn’t fit has to go. There are no emotional decisions to be made because the limits of the cabinet are the bad guy, not you.
Dana reads the book in the audio version, and she has a no-nonsense, slightly snarky attitude that I enjoy. She’s not a drill sergeant, but she doesn’t accept any excuses. Anyone can find success with her method.
Except for books, my stuff wasn’t overflowing their spaces. I just had too much. Dana’s method has worked great for Hubby’s stuff though, which does tend to overflow its container. I explain that once a bin is full, that’s all he can keep. Sometimes, he agrees. That’s progress in my world.
If you are looking for decluttering motivation, check out Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff by Dana K. White. Her YouTube channel is practical too.