The document discusses the 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering. These include: 1) being in denial about the extent of the clutter problem, 2) not setting clear goals and a timescale, 3) thinking the project has to be done all at once, 4) underestimating procrastination, 5) starting too big, 6) not having a place to store items, and 7) thinking everything must be thrown out or kept. The author recommends accepting the problem, setting goals and time limits, working in small batches, being mindful of procrastination, planning storage, and being realistic about what to discard versus keep.

1. The 7 biggest
mistakes people
make during a
de‑clutter project
by Helen Sanderson

2. Starting a de‑clutter
project may not only
seem overwhelming, but
also take a lot of courage.
We all have our ostrich
moments, when we put
our heads in the sand and
hope it’ll all go away!
Then a friend comes
around, a pipe starts
leaking or your chaotic
paperwork lands you with a fine, and you get a short
sharp shock. Whatever it is, something makes you
look at things differently. All of a sudden you realise
the piles of stuff are bigger and you’re in even deeper
than you thought. Not a nice feeling.
Don’t know where to start?
95% of my clients tell me they’re stuck because they feel
overwhelmed. They DO want to sort it, CAN sort it, but just
don’t know where to start.
I believe clutter is mainly a psychological block, showing itself in
the form of all that stuff sitting in your front/back/spare room,
bedroom or garage. The greatest barriers to your desire to sort
it out are your own thoughts, beliefs and delusions. Because we
all know you don’t need a degree to clear a room!
My mum always told me to tidy my room (I’m sure most mums do),
as it was a reflection of my mind. She had a point. Your outer
world is a reflection of your inner world. Is that hard to hear?
Helen Sanderson,
Director of Calm from Clutter
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

3. Action Is Always Better
You want to be free from the nag sitting on your shoulder
saying: ‘Sort this out! You’re shameful and no good for
letting things get like this!’
Not only that, on a practical day-to-day level, life’s probably
getting tougher. You keep losing things, your muddled
paperwork might make you behind on your tax return and
you may not be setting your kids the best example you’d
like. You generally feel tired, drained and unwell, wondering
‘Why am I living my precious life like this?’ This has to stop.
The good news is you don’t need years of therapy to sort
out your inner world and piles of clutter; you just need to
start clearing it – NOW! I guarantee having a tidy home
lifts a great weight off your shoulders and gives you a shining
smiling presence.
It’s Okay To Need A Hand
Which I’m guessing is why you’ve ended up checking out
Calm From Clutter. Whether you just have a backlog of
paperwork to sort out or a few rooms to de-clutter, we can
work on it with you and help restore your peace of mind.
However if you’d like to make a start yourself, I thought it
would be helpful to share a list of mistakes to avoid. These
will help give you the best chance of succeeding and getting
the job done.
Good luck!
Helen
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

4. Don’t persuade yourself the
problem really isn’t that bad
Denial is the first major mistake people make when they want
to sort out their clutter. To be frank, if you’re still in denial
nothing will get done. The first step is awareness – that
things are out of hand, you’re not happy and you need to do
something about it.
I’ve worked with hundreds of people, many of whom have
come to me head in hands, and they only get results when they
accept it’s gone too far and want to change. Things only start
to change at that point.
“The greatest need of our time
is to clean out the enormous
mass of mental and emotional
rubbish that clutter our minds.” -
Thomas Merton
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

5. 2Don’t start without a clear
goal and timescale in mind
This is a bit like setting off on a journey without a map.
Having no idea where you’re going or when you need to get
there will lead to problems. Of course there’s a time and a place
for following your personal flow and allowing the moment to
move you. But there’s very little chance it’ll move you to
de-clutter your home!
Not setting goals and time limits means things can drag on and
on and then assume a life of their own – rather like that pile of
clutter that’s become such a formidable presence in your life.
“What we call the beginning is often the end. And to
make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where
we start from.” -T.S. Eliot
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

6. 3Don’t think you have
to do it all at once
Big mistake no 3. All-or-nothing thinking is often the main thing
keeping you stuck in a rut.
You may want to clear a mountain in a short period of time, but
beware of underestimating how time-consuming the job will be.
This can lead to fatigue and depression, set you up for failure and
feed your inner procrastinator – all of which is damaging to your
self‑esteem. So pace yourself.
“By perseverance the snail
reached the ark.”
Charles H. Spurgeon
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

7. 4Don’t underestimate the
power of procrastination!
Often people start with the best of intentions then get
distracted. This is particularly true when doing something you
don’t like, or find challenging and emotionally overwhelming.
It’s a common habit – we all do it.
And let’s not forget the allure of social media, texting friends
or even mundane things like putting on a wash or baking that
cake. Try to be mindful or your specially allocated time will be
quickly eaten away.
No-one has ever lost weight without risking temptation, or got
to the gym without making a focused and committed decision
to do so. The same applies here!
“I don’t wait for moods. You accomplish nothing
if you do that. Your mind must know it has to
get down to business.”
Pearl S. Buck
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

8. 5Don’t start too big
Once you have the enthusiasm to get going, you may feel you can
tackle the whole room. So you begin with the desk, then move
to the stuff on the floor, then start on the drawers once you
realise you need space to put things in.
Before you know it, your two hours are up and you haven’t
achieved much. And if you feel disheartened by your lack of
progress, this can feed into the limiting belief that there’s no
point, you just can’t do it. So the cycle goes on.
“Do the difficult things while they are easy and do
the great things while they are small. A journey
of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.”
Lao Tzu
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

9. 6Don’t forget all your things
need somewhere to live
You may have read this before but it really is true! How can you
clear up if you don’t know where things are going to go? Clothes
go in a cupboard, but where do you put parking vouchers, light
bulbs, keys, sunglasses and all the other necessities of daily life?
That’s when you get into the habit of NOT putting things away.
It sounds tough, but not planning where to put things is another
way of unconsciously setting yourself up for failure – and one
of the reasons you got here in the first place.
“Out of clutter find simplicity.”
Albert Einstein
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

10. 7Don’t think you have to throw
away or keep everything
This belief can be the stumbling block preventing you from
starting a de-clutter project or seeking the help you need from
a friend or a coach like me.
Of course you don’t have to get rid of every single thing. Think
of it as weeding your garden. It’s about distinguishing the weeds
from the good plants which flower and give you joy. Every flower
needs space and light and doesn’t thrive in a crowded bed.
On the other hand, trying to keep everything is also a way of
defeating your own objectives. You need to be realistic about
the need for change.
“It all depends on whether you have things,
or they have you.”
Robert A. Cook
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013 7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

11. Don’t give up and resign yourself! It’s easy to get into catastrophic
thinking, feeling that it’s no good or simply not seeing the woods
for the trees. Just keep an eye on your clutter cycle and what
comes up when you’re trying to make a big change in your life
(see the process map opposite).
I hope you find this booklet helpful and wish you the best with
your de-cluttering project. If you’re considering working with a
de-cluttering coach, it might help you to know that some people
use us not just for support and guidance, but because our presence
makes them accountable to someone other than themselves. And
sometimes that accountability is the difference between really
making the changes you want and running out of steam half way.
So if you’d like more advice please just get in touch. We share lots
of handy tips and inspiration online so why not follow us on Twitter
@CalmFromClutter, like us on Facebook at Ministry Of Calm or
sign up for our seasonal newsletter at www.calmfromclutter.com
Helen Sanderson the Calm From Clutter Team
A Final Word
Contemplation
Dread
Motivation
Action
Boredom
Completion
Excitement
Euphoria
Determination
Sense of relief
Determination
Persistence
Self-doubt
or doubt
in other
Giving up
Tiredness
Waning
Start
Met needs:
Peace
Harmony
Wellbeing
making your home a haven
Tiredness
Waning
otivation
A
Excit
Euph
Dete
ion
Self-do
or doub
in other
p
Sta
n
Dread
Mot
etioon
Sens
oubt
bt
T
Start
needs:
ony
eing
making your home a haven
The de-clutter process cycle map ©
7 biggest mistakes people make when de-cluttering © Calm from Clutter 2013

12. Find out more at www.calmfromclutter.com or call
Helen on 07989 230244 for a free 15 minute chat about your
project. You can also email info@calmfromclutter.com
@calmfromclutter
www.facebook.com/MinistryOfCalm
Calm from Clutter is part of the Ministry of Calm, to read
more about our philosophy of calm visit our website at
www.ministryofcalm.com