8 Clutter Mistakes and How to Overcome Them

Keeping a clutter-free home means managing the extra stuff—a simple task for some, but a real challenge for others. Today, we’ll explore common clutter mistakes and how to overcome them, making it easier to maintain a tidier home.

When learning how to declutter, mistakes matter. Let’s keep them away and create a neater home when we do.

Decluttering isn’t easy when you’re up against a mountain of stuff.

For some, this might be a cabinet or a closet that is so packed that opening the door feels impossible.

And for others, things might be a bit worse, like an entire room so full you avoid it, acting as if it isn’t even there.

I used to have it all. Junk drawers, closets, and even a room. These were all places where I would toss the extra stuff that I had no idea what to do in the hopes I would get to it later.

Decluttering is not easy

We all have at least one. A space where we toss the stuff and leave it for another day.

And sure, maybe your room isn’t a room at all, but instead, it’s a drawer, or that creepy area below your bed that may hold things you are just not ready to face yet.

Whether or not you have one space that is full of things or multiple spaces, an easy decluttering project is not how you would ever describe it.

Maybe that is why it can be so frustrating looking for clutter answers online.

Because online, people tell you that you CAN clean that space out in only a few hours. Or you CAN declutter your entire home in a weekend. And maybe instead of finding answers, you are only finding frustration because they don’t get it. They don’t get you.

But I do get it. And I do get you because I used to be you.

I not only had a junk drawer, but I had a junk room, a junk basement, and even a junk attic.

My biggest mistake was hiding the clutter and feeling like it was all okay.

Eventually, I realized that hiding it only allowed me to keep living with the same habits. Habits that got me into this mess in the first place.

If you find yourself stuck in mess not sure what to do to dig yourself out, this list will help.

A list of things NOT to do so you can get back on track to cleaning out your home and transforming it into a space that you love.

Clutter Mistakes and How to Overcome Them

Take it one step at a time, and watch your home transform. Then, build a few clutter-free habits to create a space you truly love!

Mistake # 1. Not Getting Rid of Things

This is by far the biggest mistake folks make when decluttering. Instead of removing, they are moving. Getting the clutter out only to put it somewhere else. And that is not going to create a home you love

Clutter-Free Solution: As soon as you fill a box or a bag or a tote, take it right to your car and tuck it safely inside.

Then the next time you are out, you can drop those boxes and bags off at the local donation center.

Mistake number one avoided. Incredible decluttering progress made.

Mistake #2.  Keeping it Because You Can

I don’t think there is anything more tempting or confusing than an empty drawer. We are just called to put things inside whether we need those things or not.

And that can really stall us when we are trying to declutter. We feel that if we have room for our things, it is okay to keep all our things.

Whether we need those things or not. This only leads to overstuffed drawers and cabinets, making the inside a cluttered and unorganized mess.

Clutter-Free Solution: Keep only what you need. Even though you may have room for 15 coffee mugs, realistically, you only need 6-8. By paring down, you will have a cabinet that is neat, tidy, and so easy to keep it that way.

Mistake #3.  Doing it Alone

Decluttering is hard. I know this from experience, and decluttering alone is even harder. You need a buddy, someone you can vent to when things get frustrating, someone to lean on when things look impossible, and someone to help when things get hard.

Clutter-Free Solution:  Find a friend or family member you can ask to help. Offer them a dinner out in exchange, and turn this into a partnership that will help you make progress.

No friend to ask? How about an army of friends? Find the support and encouragement you need in my FREE Facebook group.

Declutter and Simplify your way to a home you love. JOIN HERE

Mistake #4.  Not Being Prepared

It’s funny. As you look at your clutter room, you think it just can’t get any worse. Oh, but it can. And it will.

When you are decluttering anything, things always get worse before they get better.

Clutter-Free Solution:  Prepare yourself for a temporary bigger mess as you work your way through. Knowing what is coming makes it easier to handle when it comes.

But also know this setback is normal and part of the process and, yes, only temporary. With every bag and box you fill and remove, you will take huge steps toward a cleaned-out room.

Mistake #5. Thinking Big

It can be so hard to not look at the big picture, but this is imperative when decluttering. This is especially true when you are just starting out.

We tend to say to ourselves, “I am going to declutter this entire house!” And even though this sounds great at the moment, it is actually the worst thing you can say to yourself.

Looking at the entire project instead of the little ones you will make to get there will cause you to lose steam and motivation before you finish.

Clutter-Free Solution: Baby steps are your friend here. What I mean by that is, instead of looking at your entire home or even the entire room as your decluttering goal, instead, look smaller.

Say this, “Today, I am going to get rid of the clutter on that table. Or I am going to remove the extra stuff from this corner.”

These little accomplishments are small wins that will catapult you to a finished room.

Don’t underestimate the power of a small win. These are things you can build on. As your small decluttering accomplishments pile up, you will find begin to see large victories as you make your way through your room.

Decluttering shouldn’t feel like a never-ending task. Learn more about the 5 Mistakes People Make When Decluttering a Home.

Mistake #6  Not Having a Purpose for Your Room

It can be easy to look at our rooms in our home as just that, rooms. Places in our home to hold our things with no rhyme or reason.

Sure, we may have an idea of what happens where, but maybe being just a little more specific can give you the direction you need to make progress.

Clutter-Free Solution: Give a specific purpose to each room in your home. This will help you to decide just exactly what items can stay and what needs to go. And when you do this, it is incredibly freeing.

It takes the decision-making process off of your shoulders and helps remove some of the overwhelm that can come with a project like this.

• Tools found in the kitchen can be put into the garage because that is where you use them for household projects.
• Toys belong in the playroom because that is where the kids play with them.
• Pens, pencils, and paper all belong in the office because that is where you use them.

Let the purpose of each room help you move the items in your home to where they belong.

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Mistake #7. Not Having a Plan

It can be easy to think that all you just need is a handful of bags to clean out a room. That all you need to do is grab things, toss, and go. No more tools are necessary. No plan is needed. No list of what to do first, second, third.

Clutter-Free Solution: Take time to gather up the supplies you need and the tools that will make this project easier to do. While you are at it, set up a sorting area so you can make the decision process easier.

Know where your clutter is going to go and when you are ready to get it out of the house. What places will take clothes, toys, furniture, and linens. Where you can recycle electronics, appliances, and metal.

Do your homework before you dive in so you can do more without getting sidetracked.

DM Pro Tip: To help you jump into a new decluttering project more quickly, set up a declutter kit that you can grab whenever the motivation hits!

Mistake #8.  Not Asking the Right Questions

Normally when we declutter, we do the same things in the same order.

• We pick up an item.
• We ask ourselves if we can get rid of that item.
• We may even ask how much we paid for that item.

And just like that, the decision is a resounding NO, and the item gets dropped into the keep pile, and we move on to the next item and start all over again.

Clutter-Free Solution: Ask yourself a new set of questions.

• If I was at a store, would this be something I would buy right now?
• If I could only keep ten items in my home, would this item be one of them?
• If this item something I use on a regular basis?

The thing is, you will not be wasting when you remove an item. The money was spent when you bought it, and that item is no longer connected to that same price tag.

By decluttering, you are not losing or wasting money; you are creating space. Room to breathe. A place to make memories that can last a lifetime.

And that right there is priceless.

Now that you know what not to do and what to do instead, you are set to tackle your first space. But first, let’s cover a Few Crucial Steps to do Before you Declutter.

I hope this list of clutter mistakes and how to overcome them helps you to keep the messes from taking over your home.

Remember, progress, no matter how small, is huge when working to create a home you love. Keep at it; I know you can do it!

More Clutter Resources:

• Transform Your Messy Dresser
• How to Declutter a Family Room
• Stop Counter Clutter for Good