Before Starting Any Design Project, do THIS - My #1 Tip for ANY Home Makeover!
- Molly Ishmael
- Mar 12, 2022
- 9 min read
Updated: Apr 10, 2022
Is anyone still looking for a good New Year's Resolution? It's not too late! I believe it's NEVER too late to set a worthwhile goal. No matter what shape your home design plan is in, you can set an attainable goal to achieve for a reasonable investment of time, effort and money. Making over your home and improving your lifestyle doesn't have to be expensive or hard, especially when you start with my #1 tip below!
There is one thing everyone can do that's guaranteed to improve your enjoyment of your home - and it's totally FREE! And it's not just a good idea - it's essential to any good design or home makeover plan. So please forgive me in advance if I come on strong with this topic; I'm really passionate about this one! Scroll down to read my number one tip on how to finally achieve peace with your home that will never revert to disorder again! Lasting organization, no takesies-backsies!
When it comes to physical possessions, this is probably true for most of us!
We all want neat and attractive homes, but it seems clutter and disorder just creep in no matter how many organizational systems we try. Where does the stuff keep coming from? Why do most homes never achieve complete order that actually lasts? What will finally work to make a home tidy and orderly for good?
HINT: You don't have to pay for it. You don't need to hire anyone. You don't have to keep wondering why your house keeps getting messy over and over again, seemingly on its own, no matter how hard you try. You can finally achieve organizational success with your stuff.
So without further ado, here it is - my number ONE tip for starting out any home makeover, organization, or design project. YEP, HERE IT IS, I PROMISE, IT'S RIGHT OVER HERE, EVERYONE!
MY #1 TIP FOR ANY HOME MAKEOVER
Remove excess things.
Remove excess things.
REMOVE EXCESS THINGS!
REMOVE EXCESS THINGS!
Truth: No organization system in the world is powerful enough to combat clutter. NONE of them. Not even thousands spent at the Container Store - and I love Container Store. But there is only ONE way to win this war: You must let go. Let go of all the extra things, the "just in case" items, the old t-shirts, the broken stuff you've been meaning to repair. Let go and be free.
First things first when it comes to any design makeover.
Purging is the first step of many improvement processes including decorating. No matter how many gorgeous things you have, if a room is muddied with clutter and its surfaces covered in stuff, the space will never achieve its full potential. Bottom line, even if you create a perfectly lovely look, it won't last beyond the first day if there's too much stuff stashed in the space. The stuff WILL rear its ugly head sooner than later and you'll be back to having spend yet another day "organizing" the same stuff over and over.
Worse, there will always be the unfinished sense of "something to do" or that you should be cleaning up, and this subconsciously weighs on your mind. I believe there is no way to completely relax in your space if it is a mess (even if you think you are resting, your mind knows better). Granted, it's easy to agree with this idea on principal, but how to actually attack our stuff in a way that really lasts? There's only one answer: to remove most of it. You really can't go wrong with that plan!
Clutter weighs us down and bums us out, none of us want it yet most of us have it, and no matter how much we "organize" it always seems to return... Why? Because clutter is like weeds. If you don't remove every single root and seed, it will grow back. The only way to permanently and truly organize any space is to begin by removing ALL EXCESS THINGS, no exceptions.
Complete purges work because in so doing you are not really just cleaning out your home - you are cleaning out your mind. Until that process takes full effect, everything will revert back to the same bad habits as before... impulse buys, shopping just because there's a sale, and holding onto useless things "just in case." But with a real and complete purge, you will be forced to encounter your inner fears: fear of missing out, fear of inconvenience, fear of poverty and need. The ONE reason people hold onto clutter, I personally believe, is fear. And FEAR is very powerful.
This quote is so true in my own life!
No Fear in Letting Go
If you're ready to get serious about finally cleaning out, my first piece of advice is to have NO FEAR. Isn't it amazing how fear holds us back in so many aspects of life? Did you every consider that fear may be what is causing you to hold onto those extra things "just in case"? Not trying to sound like a jerk, but in case of what? The apocalypse? Honestly, if the apocalypse happens during our lifetimes, I highly doubt that extra Tupperware will save us.
Granted, most of us may think we have this under control. I mean, we're not full-blown hoarders, right? We've seen hoarders on TV where they can't see their floors and have to sleep on a pile of literal garbage. Assuming none of you are in that extreme situation, it can be easy to think our relationship with stuff is just fine. But I bet there are quite a few mini-hoarders. No judgement, I promise - I used to be one myself without realizing it!
What is a mini-hoarder? A mini-hoarder is a person who has the same fears and anxieties as a full-blown hoarder but is able to temper their behavior with societal norms enough to confine their hoarding to acceptable areas, i.e.: The garage. Junk drawers. Basements. Attics. Storage units. The cabinet above the fridge. The guest room closet. File cabinets. The china cabinet - not the visible shelving, of course, you can see that behind the glass, but underneath behind those doors - we all know the spot. Boxes stuffed with outdated paperwork, receipts, mismatched plasticware (no one has seen the lids in years) and your old dorm dishes you never use.
"If the apocalypse happens during our lifetimes, I highly doubt that extra Tupperware will save us."
I firmly believe that fear is the root cause of hoarding. Don't be afraid to let go of excess things for any reason.
Replace clutter with gratitude. Every good and perfect gift comes from above.
Wouldn't it be nice to achieve that completed home vibe once and for all? It IS possible. It costs NOTHING. Yet not everyone wants to incorporate this simple tip. And I'm totally okay with that because I'm not here to change anyone else; I have my hands full working on myself, trust me. However, for those who are ready to declutter, here is the most succinct advice I can offer: Let go of excuses and don't be afraid.
One way to let go of fear of the process is turn it into excitement at the outcome. Visualize the way you always wished your house would look and function. Review Pinterest photos you like (spoiler alert, there's no clutter in those photos.) Try to focus on the goal you wish to achieve - the positive clarity of a clean space and the contented feeling of knowing exactly where things are, for instance. Perhaps approach each room like a sculpture; remove everything except what needs to stay to create the end result: only beautiful, useful, easy to clean items. No clutter, no dust, no negativity, only the few things you really like.
P.S. For specific tips on dealing with 7 common types of clutter, read my follow-up article here:
Chucking things in the trash can feel negative; turn things positive by donating your excess things!
Here are a few concrete ways you can get started:
Clothes: Give away clothes you don't like, that don't fit well, or that you never wear. It's that simple.
Bathroom Products: Get rid of expired cosmetics, hotel samples, and anything else that you don't use, or (personal recommendation) anything that is chock full of chemicals. Now is a great time to clean out your closet and your body! All such products are doing is taking up space, collecting dust and polluting your air.
***Cleaning Supplies: Yes, clean out your cleaning products! Safely discarding those that are redundant, expired, or containing unhealthy ingredients will free up a ton of space under your sinks! The last thing you want is unhealthy products near your water or food supply, or anywhere near where you sleep... or breath... So ya, it's better to just let those go.
Unfinished Projects: FINISH THEM. End of story.
Broken Things: Fix or discard. If the item can be repaired, fix it instead of adding to the landfill. But if it's unlikely to ever return to working condition on your lifetime, just let it go. Don't waste any more energy thinking about fixing things but then not actually doing it while keeping the item out of guilt.
***For more inspiration on this topic, please get my FREE "Natural Household Handbook" by subscribing here
Focusing on your end goal makes the process of letting go positive and enjoyable.
Get in the Right Mindset
Here is my advice when it comes to keeping too many things: Get yourself in the mindset to accomplish a goal of majorly reducing the volume of stuff in a given space. The right mindset for this task is a focused mindset. First of all, if you know you have too many things, then you already know something has to go. Sounds redundant, but I've seen people state they are ready to declutter then somehow think they don't actually need to get rid of anything. By literally saying out loud, "I am about to let go of a lot of things," you can prepare your mind. This focus helps to replace the negative feeling of loss with the positive feeling of accomplishment.
"Ruthless" is a good word to apply to clearing out clutter. I typically use the following question as my rule: "What's the worst that will happen if I give this away or toss it?" Will there be death, carnage or a major financial setback if I realize I need it later? No? THEN IT GOES. Naturally, this only applies to clutter, not beautiful things you love and use. But I've seen a lot of people (my past self included) keep things they don't even really want.
Feel free to toss items that are no longer working, unhealthy, or cheap and useless.
Don't be afraid to let go of excess things for any reason. Focus instead on the goal you want to achieve. No clutter, no dust, no negativity. Just a few things you really like. Removing things that have negative energy is your first step in achieving a home that remains orderly all the time PLUS provides a simple, clean canvas for your next design project. No more fear - just let it go.
TIP: If you're having a hard time identifying clutter, try taking a photo. It's fascinating how "different" a room looks in a photograph which doesn't lie versus in our minds which can deceive us. Our eyes can start to ignore the mess and not see the piles because we block it out mentally. Looking at a photo can be a real wake-up call. I also do this with with decor and design - I look at my own work in a photograph before calling it good. For better or worse, it's amazing what stands out when doing this!
One of my favorite quotes.
I'm sure I don't have to tell you there are plenty of good reasons to cut the clutter:
Physical health benefits: less dust, easier to clean, fewer tripping hazard, better air quality...
Mental health benefits: increased ability to relax your eyes and brain, not being overstimulated, preoccupied or guilty about unfinished projects, enjoying your home in peace...
Lifestyle benefits: getting ready is faster when you know where everything is, spend time with each other instead of constantly cleaning up yet somehow getting nowhere, less frustration and arguing over lost things...
Financial reasons: no more accidentally buying stuff you already own but can't find, taking better care of your existing things, less impulsive shopping because you finally appreciate what you already have...
I could go on! Having a carefully edited home affects every single aspect of interior design, art and our personal lives from a philosophical viewpoint all the way down to the nitty-gritty.
This book changed my life. I actually didn't think I needed to declutter until I read it. Eleven huge green garbage bags and hundreds of pounds of donations later, now I know!
While more inspiring experts than I have shared many aspects of this concept over the years, I'm happy to provide my take also because you never know which insight may resonate with someone. That's what happened to me - one day it just clicked and I never looked back! Anyway you slice it, the principal is the same: to keep our homes low-maintenance and aesthetically pleasing for good, we must REMOVE EXCESS THINGS. It's a truth that will set us free.
I believe in decluttering. It does a body good! Removing things that weigh you down is the first step in achieving a permanently orderly home. And bonus, it provides a simple, clean canvas for your next design project. Embrace peace by letting go not just of clutter but of your fears.
With Love,
Molly
P.S. For more design & decor fun + updates on my newest projects, subscribe for free HERE:
Comments