5 Easy Tips to Help You Transition from a Hoarder to a Minimalist Lifestyle

Are you tired of looking around your house and not knowing even where to begin when it comes to all your stuff? Perhaps over the years, you collected tools, toys, and knick-knacks that are taking up a massive amount of space and you just don’t have the energy to go through it all and decide what to do with it. 

Tip: check out Phillip & Tiffany’s post on why a messy house is actually a compliment to your friends.

Hi everyone, I’m Rebecca.

Go From Hoarder to Minimalist!

Taking up a more minimalist lifestyle instead of being a hoarder could help guide you to start living with less. By adopting a less is more approach, you can begin to shift your mindset and challenge yourself in a way you never thought possible. 

You can finally kick those bad hoarding habits and begin creating more space for yourself and your loved ones, which represents comfort and charm.

 The transition from a hoarder to minimalist is not an easy one, it takes time and patience. Here are 5 easy tips to guide you through this lifestyle change: 

#1 – Find Your WHY 

Have you stopped to consider why you want to create a more minimalist lifestyle for yourself instead of being a hoarder? Finding your why power- meaning the reason or reasons that are encouraging you to take these next steps

For example, maybe you are having trouble keeping your home organized and want to start decluttering and getting rid of things that aren’t useful to you anyone. Or perhaps you want to find a way to give back to the community and would like to sort through your belongings to donate to others. 

Everyone is different and has different reasons for why they want to do something. It’s important to know your why and to build on it from there. It’s a great starting point for the transition you are about to make. 

#2 – Do your Research 

Now that you’ve found your why power, it’s time to start researching how to begin living a minimalist lifestyle instead of hoarding. 

Take some time to read the latest blogs, books, and other materials you may find. You can find some great how-to guides and other resources that will make the transition much easier, and make you feel that you don’t have to go at it alone. 

A minimalist’s journey is not the same for everyone. You will find that people have their own personal stories on why they decided to become more minimalistic. You can possibly find some stories that are relatable to your own and use the information they provide to pave the way and build your own story 

#3 – Start Slow 

Don’t assume that you have to jump into a minimalist lifestyle, right away. It’s a process and one that you have to try and be patient with. You don’t have to go on a decluttering frenzy, throwing away everything in sight. You can start slow and take your time. 

For example, if you choose to start with decluttering your home, try to tackle it room by room instead of all at once. 

Maybe start with your kitchen. For example, identifying the items that are taking up too much space and putting aside your kitchen essentials. 

By going slow, you will not feel so overwhelmed or stressed in the beginning. And you’ll start off your hoarder – to – minimalist lifestyle on the wrong foot. You want this journey to be a pleasant and positive one, that lasts. 

You might find these free decluttering programs to be helpful, or doing these 10 things every night to prepare for tomorrow.

#4 – Set Clear Goals For Yourself 

To ensure a smooth transition, it’s important that you take the time to set goals for your minimalist lifestyle. Goals are like stepping stones, keeping us engaged in our activities and projects. 

The easiest way to set some goals for yourself is to write them down. (This Declutter Worksheet can help!) . 

Writing down your goals allows you to get very specific about your task and how you want to achieve it. You can always go back and review your goals to see how far along you’ve come. And how much further you need to go!

Another great way to set yourself up for success is to tell someone about your goals. By sharing what you want to achieve, naturally makes us feel more accountable to deliver good news about its progress. Having support and encouragement from family and friends will develop a healthy relationship with that goal and inspires us to want to achieve it. 

#5 – Set Some Ground Rules 

Speaking of support, it’s always good to note that even know you are transitioning from a hoarder to a more minimalist lifestyle, everybody that lives with you may not be onboard. 

It’s necessary to communicate the importance of this transition from hoarder to minimalist. Also, tell how appreciative you would be to have the loving support needed to make the process easier!

If you have a family that is used to living one way, setting some guidelines for the future such as “no more leaving dishes in the sink” or “donate your unused toys once a month” will slowly change the habits of the household as a whole. And it will have you working together to create a minimalist lifestyle that works best for the family. 

Time for Some Self-Reflection to go from a Hoarder to a Minimalist

What is the best takeaway from this list of tips that could help you to transition from a hoarder to a minimalist lifestyle?

Do you want to start living more minimally in order to declutter, get organized, or simply- start living with less?

Share your thoughts in the comments below! 

About the Author

Rebecca Crespo is a writer and content creator from New York. You can find her blogging at www.minimalismmadesimple.com where she shares creative guides and tips on minimalist living.

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