How To Stop Procrastinating Decluttering Today

Are you human? Oh, good. Then you suffer from decluttering procrastination, too. Isn’t it the worst? It’s hard to overcome this undertone of dread. Ugh, I need to do this thing, but I don’t feel like it. Bleh.

So, it happens.

The vastly larger part is maintaining. Either way, procrastinating getting started or following through with general upkeep can lead to a nasty cycle of one step forward and two steps back.

Luckily, procrastination doesn’t have to be so ugly. In this article, I share some key methods and tools I’ve used to overcome decluttering procrastination or, at the very least, coexist with this natural tendency.

#1. Procrastination Awareness

You might think you’re aware of when you’re procrastinating, and maybe you are—to a point. But the tricky thing about procrastination is how easily it disguises itself. It’s a master of deception, quickly masking avoidance with rationalizations that feel completely logical in the moment.

Here’s something interesting: the act of procrastinating and the act of justifying that procrastination both come from the same source—your brain.

• Your right brain, the creative and emotional side, thinks, “Ugh, I really don’t want to do this.” This response is often tied to past negative experiences or fear of an uncertain outcome.
• Meanwhile, your left brain, the analytical and rational side, jumps in to help by crafting a perfectly reasonable excuse or distraction to justify avoiding the task.

It’s a tag-team effort, and trying to overcome this without a plan is like fighting an invisible opponent. That’s why awareness techniques are so effective for how to stop procrastinating decluttering. By bringing your avoidance into focus, you can disrupt the pattern and take control.

And the best part? These techniques are simple and easy to try, with no downside. Why not give them a shot?

The key to developing awareness of procrastination is surprisingly simple: take a neutral action every time you feel the urge to procrastinate. That’s it! You don’t have to commit to never procrastinating again—just bringing awareness to the urge can make a huge difference.

What do I mean by neutral action? It’s any small step that doesn’t assign a value to what you’re doing—it’s not about labeling your procrastination as good or bad. It’s simply about noticing and acknowledging the behavior without judgment.

Here are a few easy awareness techniques to try:

• Switch a bracelet or rubber band to the opposite wrist every time you feel the urge to procrastinate.
• Keep a tally in a notebook for each procrastination urge.
• Drop a coin in a jar as a visual record of every urge you notice.

You can choose to take a neutral action every time the urge arises or only when you act on it (e.g., actually avoiding the task). The beauty of this approach is its flexibility—you can tailor it to what works best for you.

By consistently taking these small, neutral actions, you’ll start to recognize patterns and build the self-awareness needed to tackle procrastination head-on. It’s a simple yet powerful first step in learning how to stop procrastinating decluttering.

Then, pay attention to the data

One of the coolest things about this method is that it gives you actual data to work with. This data can reveal patterns and trends that help you build better habits and more effectively learn how to stop procrastinating decluttering in the future.

For instance, you might notice:

• Certain times of the day, week, or month when your productivity dips.
• Specific tasks that consistently trigger stronger urges to procrastinate.

Having this information laid out in front of you can be incredibly motivating. For example, if you see that you’ve already marked four tallies for procrastination, it might encourage you to pause and avoid hitting number five.

This isn’t about shaming yourself—it’s about using awareness and patterns to make intentional adjustments. By understanding the data, you can take steps to minimize triggers and create a more productive environment for decluttering success.

#2. Get Ahead Of Procrastinating Decluttering

One habit that is a game-changer in helping me overcome decluttering procrastination is time-blocking.

I know myself, so there will be weeks when I have zero motivation and feel mentally drained. So, I plan for that. I share this plan in this post about maintaining your progress when you feel low energy. 

I block my writing time to complete a few articles at once. I’m writing this article now, though I won’t post it for another two weeks.

And I intend to write another one after this. I know that if the deadline for this article were tomorrow, I would not feel motivated to write it. I would feel rushed and trapped and dread the whole process.

Because I’m ahead of the game right now, I don’t feel any of that. I can write from a place of freedom, which makes my work better, in addition to preventing that resistance of procrastination.

To overcome procrastination, I suggest you intentionally block together similar tasks and schedule them for times when you’ve historically been more productive.

Tip: It’s much harder to procrastinate when it’s on a schedule with a firm timeline. If it’s not on the schedule, it isn’t real!

#3. Lower The Resistance

Procrastination = resistance. That’s why a great method to overcome decluttering procrastination is to chunk big projects so they aren’t so scary. 

Take a big project like clearing out the garage and break it down into manageable tasks like “go through 5 boxes” or “bring bags down from the attic.”

If it still feels overwhelming, then start with the smallest viable step.

• Make a list
• Move boxes to one location
• Lower the ladder to the attic

Chances are that once you start with those small steps, you’ll have a bit of momentum to go further.

You can sit there and think about how much you don’t want to tackle this task, but let’s be honest—that doesn’t change the fact that it still needs to get done. Instead of using mental energy to dread it, focus on how you can reframe the experience to make it more enjoyable. It’s a great strategy for how to stop procrastinating decluttering.

Even mundane activities like grocery shopping, sitting in traffic, or going to the post office (my personal least favorite) can feel less frustrating when you add a positive twist. For example, think about a podcast you’d love to catch up on (hint: my Mind Your Home Podcast is always a great choice!) or an audiobook you’ve been meaning to dive into.

When I have something entertaining or educational to focus on, I sometimes find myself not wanting the experience to end. There have even been times I’ve parked the car after a long day and stayed there just to finish a particularly good episode or chapter.

This simple mindset shift can work wonders for how to stop procrastinating decluttering. By adding something enjoyable to the process, you turn a dreaded task into an opportunity to treat yourself while getting things done.

#5. Add Urgency To Everything

Urgency is a pretty powerful emotion. It’s why we can publish college essays and complete projects the night before their due date when we couldn’t manage it the previous 5 nights.

If you add urgency (without waiting until the last minute), your procrastination diminishes. Here are 2 classically effective ways to easily add urgency to tasks.

Cook in some accountability

Accountability is a powerful tool when you want to stop procrastinating decluttering. We’re far more likely to follow through on tasks when they might inconvenience someone else or risk being judged—nobody wants to come across as a flake.

This is why personal trainers are so successful. It’s not that you couldn’t learn the exercises from a book and do them yourself; it’s that the trainer provides accountability and a vested interest in your progress.

For decluttering, accountability could look like:

• Joining a group, such as a Facebook community, or enlisting friends or neighbors to keep you motivated.
• Planning a game night or dinner party, knowing people will be coming over. This adds not only accountability but also a built-in deadline.

Accountability doesn’t just encourage action—it creates structure and urgency, which are key to overcoming procrastination and making progress in your decluttering goals.

Timelines are necessary for urgency

Suppose I didn’t have a schedule of what I needed to accomplish daily, weekly, monthly, etc. I wouldn’t accomplish anything consistently.

Trust me; I’ve tried. If it isn’t on the schedule, it isn’t real.

This cannot be easy if you set your deadline without outside influence. This is why some form of accountability is also a great combo.

However, you can get super creative and personalized with your timelines. For example, you could complete a task before your favorite coffee shop starts its 10 a.m. happy hour. Hint: then you have a built-in reward as well. Double win!

You can set timers, create schedules with reminders, or add outside forces to support your timeline (such as scheduling a donation truck pick-up). Urgency overpowers procrastination.

#6. Enlist Help (Even If You Don’t Need It)

Tackling tasks with someone else is just more fun—and it doesn’t have to be solely for accountability! Sometimes, having a companion can make even the most mundane tasks feel lighter and more enjoyable.

For instance, I dread running errands if I’m not already out of the house. But when Matt tags along (which he usually does), there’s WAY less resistance. It’s almost like splitting the pain of the task.

It doesn’t take two people to mail a letter, but having someone with you makes it a different experience. Grocery shopping is another perfect example. Going solo feels like a huge chore, but when we go together, it turns into a mini-social event.

This same principle applies when you want to stop procrastinating decluttering. Even if you don’t need someone’s help, having their presence can turn a daunting task into something much more manageable—and maybe even a little enjoyable!

Outsmart Procrastination and Conquer Clutter

Procrastination is a natural part of life, but it doesn’t have to keep you stuck. By understanding how to stop procrastinating decluttering and applying simple strategies like creating accountability, turning negatives into positives, or enlisting help, you can make real progress toward a clutter-free space.

Remember, procrastination thrives on avoidance and overwhelm, but you have the tools to outmaneuver it. Break tasks into smaller steps, add urgency, or make the process more enjoyable—whatever works for you.

Decluttering is a journey, not a one-time event. The more you practice these methods, the more natural they’ll become, and the easier it will be to maintain a clutter-free, calm, and functional home. So, take that first step—your future self will thank you!