The Biggest Mistakes People Make When Trying To Go Clutter-Free

Minimalism ≠ Decluttering

People tend to use minimalism synonymous with decluttering. Now, this is the biggest minimalism mistake because people feel the need to continue getting rid of stuff until their home is bare. 

Instead decluttering is a phase of achieving a clutter-free lifestyle.

The goal (for me and most people I know) is not to have an empty house. The goal is to have a holistic home that supports you.

Modern minimalism is trending toward a more holistic, fulfilling space (with less clutter and less excess) – as opposed to a stark blank slate of a place.

When I am talking about minimalism I’m talking about a clutter-free holistic lifestyle. The word holistic is used in a lot of different ways and I’ve taken a deep dive into exactly what I mean in past blogs.

I’m going to focus more on how to maneuver away from what I consider the biggest minimalism mistake and towards a clutter-free holistic lifestyle. If you do want to get deeper into these tips and how to work towards a holistic, clutter-free home I have a thorough workshop you can get on the waitlist to.

For now, I will stick to these 5 holistic scopes, starting with the mind.

#1. The Mind

Attachments

Each person has an affinity to objects in their home. These could be things you collect or don’t really like but feel the need to keep. 

You have an attachment to those things because of how they relate to you or your past, making it harder to part with them.

For example, you might collect shoes (or avoid getting rid of shoes) because growing up shoes weren’t easily accessible.  You can almost always find a deeper root that’s inevitably expressed through your space and belongings. 

Beliefs

Your beliefs impact every part of your life and they don’t stop when it comes to decluttering.

You can learn a lot about a person and their lifestyle based on their homes. In a similar way, your beliefs are reflected by your home. It tells the story of what you believe about yourself and what you think you can or can’t get done.

Do you believe you are a “hot mess” and can’t get your life together? You just could never get organized because it’s just “who you are”?

Having those beliefs about yourself build up a wall keeping you from doing those things. When you believe those negative comments it even becomes unnatural to do otherwise.

Your actions tend to line up with your beliefs about yourself. That’s why it’s important to consciously fight against those thoughts.

Fears 

And then we have the fears surrounding the clutter. Those unwavering “what ifs” that pop up the second you consider getting rid of something!

It’s not just the future that people have fears about though it’s the past and worrying about letting it go. Then of course there is the fear of being wasteful, or hurting someone’s feelings. Trust me, if you think long enough you’ll always find something to worry about.

These fears, as well as the rest of these areas of your mind, will hold you back when trying to achieve a holistic home. This is true even if you are decluttering! That’s why it’s the biggest minimalism mistake! You’ll continue to get rid of stuff and run into but continue to run into that same “mind wall” that’s holding you back.

#2. Emotions

It can be an emotional process to declutter for many people, for many reasons. If you live with your family it can be hard for the other members to get on board. It can be frustrating when you are ready to part ways with something but your husband isn’t.

And that is an uphill battle.

Finding a way to deal with those emotions (whether they are yours, your children’s, your spouse’s, or your roommate’s) means finding a process that works. A great strategy here is just a clear plan. Everyone has the time and knowledge to avoid large emotions boiling up.

#3. Physical

Taking action is everything! There is a spin on a classic saying I love:

“Knowledge isn’t power. Knowledge is potential power.”

– Dale Carnegie

It’s what you do with all this knowledge that makes a difference. You have to take a step (this step) to get anything done. 

But remember it’s only 25% of the process. Leaving out all the other steps you likely won’t see lasting results in your home (aka making the biggest minimalism mistake). Or you’ll get burnt out before you see any results.

#4. Energy

I’m talking about the mood or the vibe of your space. Any given environment can change your mood or your energy just based on how it’s presented.

If you’ve been around long there is no doubt you’ve heard my example of a spa vs. a haunted house. Think about how those two places are tailored to make you feel a certain way.

Your home should be no different.

Coming home from work to a chaotic kitchen and nothing in the right place is stress-inducing!

That’s just one example of how we draw energy from our homes. Consider though the payoff when your home actually replenishes your energy and supports you!

Don’t be fooled. The energy and time you put into creating your space need to be there. Things like the floor plan, colors, tones, and fabrics all are factors in getting a return on investment.

To be very clear, your space will look and feel different from others. I’ve done home tours and gotten comments ranging from “your room is my dream room” to “your house is so cold and bare” and I’m fine with both. 

Make your space YOURS not someone else. This is not one-size-fits-all! 

#5. Maintenance 

This all depends on the maintenance of your space.

We are taking a quick rewind to the mind and the components that will make maintenance easier. Those are habits, routines, and systems.

Creating those habits or daily routines can be the make-it-or-break-it factor in decluttering sticking. Think about the biggest minimalism mistake. It is basically just someone being stuck on repeat and never seeing the full potential. 

Working towards a clutter-free holistic home means moving forward, creating new habits, and changing things in a permanent, sustainable way.

Avoid These Minimalist Mistakes For A Holistic Lifestyle

Think about people (maybe even yourself) who do spring cleaning. They spend hours on hours decluttering and trying to make their home perfect. They snap a photo to remember the job well done because in 2 weeks it’s going to look the way it did hours ago. You can guarantee though that next year they will be the same thing.

That is the result of only practicing 20% of what minimalism is (hello, biggest minimalism mistake). Leaving out the rest means getting no lasting results.

A holistic lifestyle looks like smaller amounts of energy expelled over a longer period of time rather than pushing through with brute force (aka spring cleaning).