Decluttering Workshop (Day 2)

This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see our Disclosure Policy.

Back for day two, huh? You must be pretty serious about this decluttering thing, and that’s great! It means you’re in the right place. 😉

We’re going to spend today getting ready to declutter… again.

Okay, I know what you might be thinking, “Wait, what? We just spent yesterday preparing to declutter. I want to get rid of stuff already!!”

We’re going to start decluttering tomorrow, I promise! But first we’re going to answer a few questions for ourselves that will help point us in the right direction and keep us on track if the going gets tough.

I’ve shared all the details in today’s video, and be sure to grab today’s free printable decluttering questionnaire and checklist by clicking here.

Questions to Ask Yourself Before Decluttering

What room or space do I want to focus on this week?

The are you choose to focus on decluttering and organizing can be as big or small as you’d like.

For some, that may mean decluttering a drawer or bookshelf. For others, it may mean an entire room!

The most important thing is that you choose a space you feel you can realistically and comfortably tackle in 5-7 days.

Why do I want to declutter this space?

If I was a bettin’ woman, my guess would be that the clutter in the space you’ve chosen adds some stress to your life. Clutter is rarely something we enjoy seeing because it’s a bunch of little nagging reminders of work that still needs to be done.

What is it about this space, in particular, that made you choose it for this week?

How will life improve once it’s decluttered and organized?

What are the negative feelings, thoughts, and stresses that will be alleviated once this space is decluttered and organized?

In today’s video, I shared that I’m going to be focusing on decluttering our entryway because anytime there’s an unexpected knock at the front door my stomach drops.

My first thought isn’t, “Oh, how exciting! I wonder who it is!” It’s, “Ahh!! The house is a mess! Who could possibly be at the door, and how can I avoid them seeing inside?” I don’t want to live my life dreading someone coming over. That’s not how I want to live.

Our entryway has been clean and decluttered before, and I remember how peaceful that feels so I’m looking forward to getting to that place again.

Click here for your free printable decluttering questionnaire

What is purpose of this space?

So believe it or not, the space you’ve chosen to work on this week wasn’t made to house clutter. Shocking, I know!

When the space is done, how would you like it to look? What would your dream scenario for that space be?

For my entryway, I want it to be pile-less. No piles anywhere! I want it to be a welcoming, orderly space that I’d be happy to open my door for others to see.

What belongs in that dream space?

What kinds of items and furniture would you need to have in that space for it to serve its purpose and make you happy?

All I really want in our entryway is a table with a few little decorations and a rug. That’s pretty much it. Just a pretty, clean, and organized space that feelings open and inviting.

Take Pictures!

I know a lot of people will probably dread this one, and I get it. Believe me, I get it!

It’s not fun to document things we feel embarrassed or ashamed of, and clutter seems to be best friends with those emotions.

However, taking pictures of a space is a great way to cure clutter blindness. It wakes us up to how we’ve actually been living and can help us see things our eyes have grown so used to they no longer see.

We would love to see your before pictures either on social media or in the Declutterathon group on Facebook (don’t worry, it’s a private group so only other members can see what’s posted), but if you aren’t comfortable sharing them that’s okay too.

Ultimately, these pictures are just a tool to help you see your clutter in a new way and document your progress. Sharing them is totally optional.

Estimate How Long the Room will Take

I am the worst at estimating how quickly or slowly we’ll be able to complete a job around the house. I’m usually extremely optimistic and end up with a big dose of reality hitting me square in the face. Not fun!

On more than one occasion, I’ve had a plan for the day that doesn’t feel too ambitious, but by the end of the day we’ll been lucky to have completed one or two tasks, and I always end up feeling discouraged.

Lately, I’ve started estimated how long I think different tasks will take, and I’ve been really surprised by the results. When it comes to decluttering, I’ve been overestimating by quite a lot!

I’ve avoided some jobs because I think I won’t have time to complete them, but once I’m working, I can usually get them done pretty quickly. It’s fun to compare my guess to the actual results, especially when it means a less than pleasant task took a lot less time than I’d anticipated.

Alrighty… that’s the end of the prep work, which means tomorrow we declutter! If you haven’t finished the prep work from day 1, be sure to get that done before tomorrow.

So gather your supplies, rest well, and I’ll see you tomorrow! We’re going to have a great week!