24 | Progress Over Pinterest: How To Overcome Perfectionism and Declutter Your Home With Confidence

Feb 16

We’ve all been there—wanting to start organizing but feeling stuck because we want to do it perfectly. We put it off, waiting for the “right” time, the perfect containers, or a big weekend to tackle everything at once. But the truth is, progress beats perfection every single time.

If you’ve been struggling to declutter because you don’t know where to start—or you’re waiting for everything to align just right—this post will help you break through perfectionism and finally make progress in your home.

My Own Struggle with Perfectionism in Organizing

I recently went through this exact struggle—not at home, but in my classroom.

I have a curriculum that I love teaching, and over the years, I’ve built out additional activities, scaffolding tools, and resources to support my students. But my system for organizing these materials? It was a mess. I had bins, baskets, and binder clips everywhere, and every time I went to grab something, I had to dig through piles.

It was frustrating and a massive waste of time.

And yet, even though I knew I needed to reorganize, I put it off. Why? Because I didn’t want to start until I was sure I was doing it “right.” I didn’t want to get halfway through, realize there was a better way, and have to start over.

Sound familiar?

We do this all the time in our homes. We avoid starting because we fear doing it wrong. But waiting didn’t make my situation better—it just made me waste time every single day.

Finally, I asked the best elementary school secretary in the world to come to my classroom. I explained what I was thinking, hoping she had a better idea. But instead, she validated my plan and told me it made sense.

That little moment of confirmation gave me the push I needed to move forward.

And that’s exactly what I want to give you today—the confidence to stop waiting and start taking action.

How Perfectionism Holds You Back in Organizing

The Perfectionism Trap

Perfectionism convinces us we can’t start until conditions are ideal. We say things like:

I’ll declutter when I have a full weekend to do it all at once.
I can’t organize this space until I buy matching containers.
I don’t want to start just to mess it up and have to do it again.

But here’s the truth: There is no perfect time, and waiting only keeps you stuck.

The Real Goal: Function Over Perfection

Instead of chasing a Pinterest-perfect home, shift your focus to functionality.

Can you find what you need when you need it?
Do you know what you own and where it’s stored?
Does your home make daily life easier instead of more stressful?

That’s the goal—not perfection, but simplicity and clarity.

How to Declutter with Confidence

1. Identify What Matters Most to You

Before you start decluttering, take a moment to define what’s important to you. Ask yourself:

What do I want this space to do for me and my family?
How do I want to feel when I walk into this room?
What do I actually use and need in this space?

When you have clear guidelines for what stays and what goes, decluttering becomes easier and faster.

2. Stop Overthinking Your Decluttering Decisions

One of the biggest struggles in decluttering is decision fatigue—getting stuck in overthinking. You might ask yourself:

Should I keep this just in case?
What if I need this someday?
Does this belong here, or should I store it somewhere else?

Instead of second-guessing, use simple, clear questions to guide your decisions.

For example, in The Decide Guide: A Room-by-Room Resource to Declutter with Confidence, I share over 150 decluttering questions that help you evaluate your belongings with clarity.

Here are a few examples:

Does this item add comfort, function, or beauty to this space?
If I didn’t already own this, would I buy it today?
Am I keeping this out of guilt, or does it truly serve me and my family?

These questions make it easier to sort through your things and let go of what doesn’t serve your home.

3. Give Yourself Permission to Start Small

You don’t have to declutter your entire home in a day.

Start with one drawer, one shelf, or one small category.
Set a timer for 15 minutes and make quick decisions.
Focus on progress, not completion.

Small, consistent action is how real change happens.

You Don’t Have to Do It Alone

Just like I needed support from my school secretary to feel confident moving forward, sometimes we all need a little extra guidance and validation to get started.

That’s exactly why I created The Decide Guide: A Room-by-Room Resource to Declutter with Confidence.

This free resource breaks your home into 23 spaces and provides targeted questions to help you make decisions without second-guessing.

Instead of wasting time wondering if you should keep something, The Decide Guide helps you clarify what truly matters—so you can make progress without the pressure of perfection.