Struggle with Decluttering--The place to start will surprise you

When I was growing up, I was blessed to live with my grandparents in their home and with my mother in her home. They both kept very different houses. At grandma's house we had chores and needed to keep our things picked up. My mom was more relaxed and struggled with structure. It was natural for there to be things on the counters and floors. Clutter doesn't make you a bad person or unloveable, but it does create negative energy.

My mom was very vulnerable and authentic when she allowed me to come into her home and video decluttering and cleaning a few of her rooms for my YouTube Channel. Clutter isn't always about "too much stuff." It can be a lack of direction and daily habits.

If you are struggling with clutter the first place to start is loving and accepting yourself for who you are right now. You are deserve to be loved, valued and appreciated. Once you feel that love for yourself, think about sharing your love by making your home your personal haven. A space you can relax in that doesn't make you feel overwhelmed. Don't worry what other people will think, this personal haven is first just for you.

Start with one room that you enjoy using on a daily basis. Maybe it's your bedroom, the living room, your kitchen, even your bathroom. One room that becomes a space for you to ALWAYS put things away. This one room will serve as your personal haven. Your space that each day you walk into it, it is clean and inviting. 

To start, ask for some help in getting it beautiful. Once you have, the only thing you need to remember (you can leave yourself notes) before you leave the room put things back where they belong. Just one room. Use the power of your brain to help you create this new habit. Tell yourself, "I always keep my bedroom clean. It's easy for me to put things away in this room. I love myself. Every time I pick up this room I am reminded that I love myself. Every time I walk into this room I feel love. I enjoy keeping this room clean." You can come up with words that feel good.

Just know, you are more important and valuable than a clean home, but you also deserve to have one space where you can feel "at home." Clutter is negative energy that drains you and can even keep you from living with purpose and passion. If you "just can't make yourself put things away" then get some sticky notes and write yourself loving affirmations that you can put on the things you have out, to remind yourself that your real home is in your heart.

The secret to decluttering is to start loving yourself enough to create a space that makes you feel loved.

Now that you know that, know that you can change your mood with movement. Setting a timer and putting things away for a few minutes every hour, in the morning or before bed can give you the momentum to do a little more. I've read studies that happiness can come from doing the things you don't want to do in the moment. Don't let how you feel stop you from achieving your goal of a home that is peaceful and inviting.