Family decluttering tips: How to get your family onboard with decluttering the home

You are here because trying to get your family onboard with decluttering can feel a bit overwhelming.

Especially when you have little ones running around the house, who would rather keep every toy they have ever owned.

Here are some tips to help you get your family onboard with decluttering your home. So you can put away the clutter and start living a more simplistic-minimalist lifestyle!

Family decluttering tips:

You don’t have to live in an uncluttered home alone!

You can easily convince your family and friends to join you in clearing clutter from your home. But, it will take a bit of planning.

The first step is understanding the benefits of having a clean house—these go beyond the obvious “it looks nicer.”

For example:

Did you know that clutter contributes to stress levels ?

Or that a cluttered house is one reason why people put off entertaining guests?

I know you don’t want to continue living this way!

Here are some tips for getting your family and friends onboard with clearing out clutter…So, everyone can enjoy living in a calming- uncluttered space!

1.Be the example!

The best way to set an example for your family is to be the example.

Do I need to say it louder for the people in the back?

If you want your family to have a minimalist and decluttered home- then you need to start decluttering and making forward motion.

Don’t have time for decluttering? Then write it down and make it a priority in your schedule.

Still don’t know where to start, find some inspiration searching through this blog, or heading to Pinterest or YouTube.

Your family will learn from your actions as well as from your words.

If they see you declutter and organize areas of the home (no matter how small the areas are), they’ll be more likely to do the same when they’re on their own.

So, be the light and example in your home, mama!

2. Explain why clutter is so stressful.

It’s important to emphasize the negative effects of clutter.

Clutter can cause health problems, depression, relationship problems, financial problems, job problems and educational issues.

Clutter can also lead to physical ailments like: back pain or carpal tunnel syndrome. Especially, If you’re always crouching on the floor picking up your child’s toys.

Explain to your spouse that a messy home can affect their ability to get things done at work.

3. Plan a celebration or event once goal is met.

Setting a reward in the beginning before the actual decluttering process begins (with your family) will really motivate them! At least, for me it would!

Setting a decluttering goal and celebrating when it’s met is a great way to motivate your family toward a more minimalist lifestyle.

Celebrating your progress will motivate you to keep going and set new goals, while also helping others see the benefits of decluttering.

Don’t get discouraged if your first goal isn’t met as quickly as you would like. Sometimes, it takes longer than expected to achieve certain goals, because they are more challenging or require more work than anticipated.

If this happens, don’t give up! Instead of setting another unrealistic goal (like “I want my entire home decluttered in three days!”), scale back on what needs done until the right amount can be accomplished within a reasonable time frame.

Also be sure not to set too many goals at once!

Working on one thing at once will help ensure success in becoming clutter-free

4. Get the kids on board by giving them a say

When it comes to getting the kids on board, one of the best things you can do is let them have a say in what stays and what goes.

Set up a system where they can make their own decisions. It will be helpful for both parent(s) and child(ren).

It’ll teach them how to make choices and learn how to think critically about issues.

You might hear some complaining or whining when they’re making their decisions—this is normal!

But remember that this isn’t just an exercise in organizing; it’s also teaching your children valuable life skills. If nothing else, this will give them practice saying no!

5. Make a game out of decluttering.

You can also make a game out of decluttering.

For example:

You could set up a competition to see who can find the most things to donate.

Make it an even bigger game by setting up categories for different types of items and prizes for each category.

You could even have a prize for whoever makes the most money from selling their items. Think of places like Ebay, Facebook Marketplace, or even a garage sale!

6. Start with an easy room to set the tone.

Start with an easy room to set the tone.

Before you begin your first big decluttering project, start with a room/area that doesn’t have a lot of stuff in it.

For example:

Your linen closet, pantry, or under the sink (in the kitchen or bathroom).

This will make it easier to get into a habit and it will help you get rid of items that are no longer needed or wanted.

Set a timer for 15 minutes and challenging yourself to empty out as much as possible in time.

Turn it into a game by setting goals like “empty out the entire contents of this shelf in 15 minutes.”

7. Keep the donation pile in the open

When you’re ready to donate, the donation pile is absolutely not something you should hide from your family.

In fact, keeping it in an easily accessible place is a great way to encourage everyone in the household to contribute items as well.

The donation pile is another area of your home that will decluttering.

And by keeping it visible, you’ll be able to see what still needs to go or has already been donated.

8. Reward the family

Plan to reward the whole family once you’re done with the process.
This can be a trip to a new hotel.
A Dinner at a restaurant they’ve never eaten at before.
It could even be something simple like going to go see their favorite movie in theaters together as a family.
Hosting an all-night game night where everyone plays board games until it’s time for bed.

Whether this reward is big or small, make sure that everyone feels included and happy with what they receive.

You want them to be excited about being able to spend more time together during your decluttering process!

You can get your family onboard with decluttering if you use strategies like these ones.

After that initial shock, people often come around to the idea of decluttering. The main reason is because it makes sense. Of course you can get more done if you have less stuff to do it with!

In order to make your home more organized and help your family feel calmer and happier, here are some strategies for getting everyone onboard with the process:

Explain what decluttering is—and why it’s important.
This may seem obvious, but parents can sometimes forget that children might not understand exactly what they’re doing when they start tossing things aside.
It’s important that they know how decluttering can help them achieve long-term goals like being more productive or having a cleaner house (as opposed to just thinking their parents are acting weird).
You’ll also want them on board so they don’t feel like their belongings are being taken away from them without warning or reason.
kids need consistency even when there’s change happening at home!