Best tips and mantras to get you motivated into decluttering?

[Mousey84]

I love reading things about decluttering. I tell myself its so that Im inspired to do it, but in reality its just procrastination!

However, I'd love to know what tips/sayings you use to help you (regardless wether you use them or not!)

Mine, in no particular order...

1. If it takes less than a minute, DO IT NOW (hanging up coats, putting dish in dishwasher rather than on counter on top of dishwasher etc)

2. "You didnt waste the money when you threw or gave the item away, you wasted it when you bought it" (re guilt at wasting money by getting rid of un used or lightly used stuff)

3. "If there was a fire and I lost everything, would I replace this?"

4. This ones more of a technique - invite a friend around for coffee. I always tidy faster when Ive people coming over. :)

Right, Im suitably re-inspired (and had enough procrastination for now) and Im off to tidy my kitchen. Hope others have some other tips for me to come back to later :)

When deciding whether to keep stuff, I like the 'useful/beautiful/special' rule.

If it's useful, store it where it can be used easily.
If it's beautiful, put it on display.
If it's special, put it in your treasure box.

Also, keep a box somewhere for charity shop stuff- in a hall cupboard or in the car.

If not in the mood for it, I make myself do two minutes of it and if I want to stop then I can- after 2 minutes, I'll find I'm really enjoying it. (usually for exercise but works for chores too).

I like your No.1 Mousey. Will put it to good use on my next decluttering spree. Last one was just before DD was born. Five months later, we seem to have accumulated a whole new set of shit essential child-rearing aids. :o

I live in a small house so mine I easy: Which will I enjoy more, the item I am thinking of getting rid of or the extra space I will gain?

As for feeling guilty about buying something and wasting money on it, I don?t bother, I don?t/can?t give as much money as I would like to charity so I?m happy to give stuff to the local hospice charity shop that I won?t realistically get around to selling.

Do I neeeeeeed it?
When was it last used?
Would I be sad if I lost it?

This is what I ask myself before I chuck.

I sometimes add in
Could someone else use it- charity shop
Can I flog it? - eBay

I love a good session with a bin bag! :)

ten item challenge. each day find ten items in your house to get rid of - to charity bag if possible. (if you have as much crap as i do, this is easy. it's really an antidote to hoarding tendencies...)

My message to my DH is: "Use it or lose it".

William Morris phrased it rather better though, and I love this:

?Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful?

I am working on it ...