Projects are fun.
The idea/planning/collecting-of-stuff stage of a project is fun. The finishing stage is fun.
But today I’m talking about the middle stage. It’s fun, too, but it can make decluttering difficult.
It’s the stage when you’ve gathered the stuff and started, but you’re not done.
And then life happens.
And the unfinished project needs a place to be until it’s done.
Those of us who struggle with clutter love projects. We have great ideas and amazing intentions. We make big plans to do cool things, but then when those plans get interrupted, we sometimes get paralyzed by the stuff that’s now clutter because it doesn’t technically have a home.
But isn’t really clutter because it does technically have purpose.
Like, it won’t be clutter anymore once I finish the project.
When I get the urge to declutter, these undone projects are paralysis points. Where do I put them? How can I possibly make the house look any better at all when the dining room table is covered in supplies for making a wreath or painting a frame?
Here’s how:
Give myself permission to finish the project and call it decluttering.
The mental hangup happens when I think of the project as fun and decluttering as not fun.
It feels like I can’t finish the project because I don’t deserve to have fun inside the house I should be decluttering.
And the paralysis happens when I deny myself the fun of finishing the project and ALSO don’t declutter because decluttering won’t make that much of a difference because the unfinished projects make the house look cluttered.
Finish the project.
Get over the hangups. Enjoy finishing the project. And then, when the space is clear of pieces and parts and half-done stuff, it will be . . . decluttered.
It might not be totally decluttered, but it will be better than it was before.
And once the big, paralyzing, I-really-shouldn’t-waste-time-doing-projects project and all its accompanying projectphenalia are gone, I feel less overwhelmed and can work through the other (actual) clutter that appeared while the project pieces were sitting there.
I talked about this in a recent podcast about what “counts” as decluttering, and how worrying about what “counts” as decluttering is a bad path for people like us to walk.
Here’s a lovely note from a listener who shared how much progress she’s been able to make since she decided to let finishing projects count as decluttering.
Dear Dana,
I stumbled upon your podcasts by googling “cleaning podcast” last summer. I was hoping to find some magical tip that would make cleaning cleverly easy. Of course, as you know, I did not, but what I did find was some entertaining inspiration to keep going and lots of helpful tips and advice.
I wanted to share the latest “aha” moment that has breathed new energy into my decluttering.
I recently listened to your “What Counts as Decluttering?” podcast and was so encouraged to think about the idea that finishing unfinished projects counts as decluttering. As you mentioned in the podcast, these projects don’t feel like they “count” because they are fun (or were fun when I started them.) They are crafty and I like crafty, but it feels oh-so-irresponsible of me to be doing crafty things when I have piles of paper on my desk and plenty of other more “responsible” projects to work on.
I had recently been thinking about how I needed to finish some things I’ve started and had already cleared a few things out of my guest bedroom that way, but it was cool to put words to what I was feeling about spending precious time on these things.
So far I have knocked out a few small things like going ahead and putting up the big “kitchen” sign I bought for above the kitchen cabinets and replacing the broken decorative lights with the new ones I bought rather than letting them sit in our bedroom indefinitely.
On a larger scale, I am plodding through a big painting project I bought the supplies for probably two years ago, and my husband just finished mounting all of his old license plates on distressed boards to put up in the garage like he always wanted to, rather than keeping them in the box where they have been for years.
These things are “fun” (though I’m so ready for the painting project to be done), but they are also decluttering because all the supplies are put away when they are finished, the trash is gone, and there’s more space in the places where they were being stored.
Plus, our home looks so much nicer with these decorative things in their “homes” and it’s even prompting my husband to declutter more in his garage space so the clutter doesn’t detract from his wall art.
I have listened to all your podcasts from start til almost finished (I’m somewhere in early 2020) and have both of your books plus the e-book on 14 Days to Opening the Front Door to Guests. I particularly find helpful the tips for decluttering without making a bigger mess and words like “slob vision” and “TPAD” which help me be more patient with myself and my family. The visibility rule has also been very helpful.
I tell my friends about you whenever I get a chance. I think at least one of my friends is watching your YouTube videos now!All that to say, once again, thanks for putting your practical ideas out there in a humorous way to keep us inspired and keeping on.
Trina
ha! I’ve been doing this very thing these past two weeks.
I had some cosmetic door knobs I wanted on my craft room door. I bought the handles probably two years ago. I also had two drawer pulls I wanted installed on a free-standing cupboard where I keep my rolls of ribbons.
My 17 yr old son put them on for me last week, and now there’s a wee bit more emptiness in my ‘project’ tub- the tub I placed all the ‘to do still’s’ on my craft room floor.
Now I have some curtain pulls that came from my mom’s house that I would like installed…working on that next.
I also have some fabric I would like to cut up in prep for making a braided rug.
I do have a pile of photos that I am supposed to be scanning and putting away. I stopped mid-project a couple months ago, I guess. For some reason, I’m dreading doing it, so that’s probably a good sign that I’d better just do it! The procrastinating is sometimes more painful than the project!
Thanks for the article! Makes sense!
Thanks for this perspective and for “permission” (I’ll take it!) to do the undone fun things that are taking up space, things I dreamed of doing when I was done with everything else. Yeah right. It sounds so obvious when you say it, but I didn’t think of it myself. So fun to enjoy the finished things, and yes, their clutter is gone. Now to tackle recovering Grandma’s hand-made footstool (with the cloth I’ve had for several years).
Great post! My ‘project’ right now is major home renovations with 9 people living inside the house. Messy…. but it’s one project I am determined to finish! Then we can do the rest. If the construction industry goes into lockdown I think I will turn to major clothes decluttering for every member of our family – and make getting as much out of the house as possible my project.
YES! One of the parts of “finishing a project” that I’m really bad at is dealing with the scraps from a quilt. I get the quilt bound and then take all the scraps and throw them in my sewing corner. If I would just take the extra fifteen minutes to cut them down and sort them, it would make a huge difference. That’s actually been one of my decluttering projects during this shelter-at-home time. Sort my scraps!
Help with an office out of control. House fire caused major setbacks. I am in a new house, but bills, making new files, finishing my office decor, filing of all the bills, receipts, handbooks, warranties to fill out and send, insurance for the house, yard….. I am drowning, please, some advice. I am the chief procrastinator. so very tired and raised 6 children in the old house and lost everything. My mind needs order.
I wrote your quote “Give myself permission to finish the project and call it decluttering.” in my planner (and gave you credit).
I needed to hear this! Thank you!! <3
I’ve been off work for about a week now, and just in the last couple of days, realized the truth in this, giving myself permission to finish a few craft projects. It breaks up the other decluttering, and now I have 3 new bird feeders and a cute sign for my deck. Glad to hear you agree with me!
Great note, and I agree time your tube videos are gold. I selfishly wonder if being stuck at home with the kids will give you the chance to film some more? Any willing volunteer camera operators?! Stay safe, and wash your hands xx
I was scrolling through Pinterest earlier today (avoiding doing anything of importance) and came across this article. It’s like I was meant to see it. I have had severe cleaning and clutter paralysis since this lockdown crap started. I also haven’t been crafting at all either and I’m a big crafter with LOTS of unfinished projects around. I’m one of those who thinks I can’t possibly craft unless my house is in order because I haven’t done anything to deserve it.
BUT, it was like this article was written especially to me. Thank you for giving me permission to give myself permission to finish the projects I’ve started and to START the projects I have planned and purchased the supplies for. There are dozens, all taking up space that needs cleared.
Thank you for “coming clean” so the rest of us don’t feel alone in our struggles.
Truly,
Cindy
I have learned that while I need to keep together the supplies to finish a project (because if I had to regather *everything* it would never happen), I need more that any tools involved get returned to their home location when I move away from working on a project. Otherwise, my tools end up scattered all over the place and when I need one in a hurry it’s a major hassle to go find it AND once I’ve snatched things from an ongoing project it becomes “undoable” in my mind unless I’ve made the mental separation between supplies and tools.
I love having a big zucchini taking up space on the counter because it means that I can count baking as decluttering!
Wow! Thank you for this. I always feel i don’t deserve the time to work on projects when my house needs cleaning! This is another wow moment for me! Permission to finish them up and clean up that project!