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Trying to figure out how to declutter your home quickly, efficiently, and completely? Half the battle is just avoiding common decluttering mistakes. In Parts 1 and 2, I went over the following blunders:

1. Trying to declutter everything in your house all at once.
2. Never starting at all because you are so daunted by the work.
3. Scheduling too much or too little time for each decluttering session (or not scheduling at all).
4. Failing to have a plan for what you are going to do with all the rejected items.
5. Not scheduling regular runs to the thrift store.
6. Throwing out usable items instead of donating them.
7. Buying organizing supplies before you have actually finished decluttering the relevant parts of your house.

Now I will review several more.

8. Keeping items you no longer really need.

One of the hardest aspects of decluttering is not the physical work, but the decision-making process. For every item you pick up, you have to decide, “Do I want to keep this or not?”

It can be very hard to figure out if you really want to let go of something, even if you do not use it very often. My general rule of thumb is to ask myself, “If I saw this at a store today, would I still buy it?” If the answer is “no,” it may be time to pass it on to someone who would buy it.

9. Dispensing with items you actually should keep.

One of the most common decluttering tips and tricks I have seen is, “Don’t be sentimental.” You are urged to get rid of things you do not “need” even if you feel an emotional attachment to them.

I actually would say this is a decluttering mistake however—as need is defined in many ways, and being sincerely attached to your possessions is not a bad thing. We live in a world replete with waste and indifference, so if you actually care about the items you own, you should think about holding onto them. The next person may treat them like garbage, and you may regret letting them go.

10. Rushing headlong into obtaining new clutter.

Finally, one of the best tips for keeping your home organized and clean is to avoid accumulating clutter in the first place. Your efforts to declutter will get you nowhere for long if you just end up filling your house or apartment with more junk.

While a lot of clutter is unintentional (unwanted gifts, etc.), we tend to gather most of it on our own through impulse buys and the like. Try and avoid these kinds of purchases going forward in your life. Remind yourself of just how much work it is to declutter, and also consider that any item you feel an impulsive, fleeting desire for is something someone else really, really wants and needs. It makes much more sense for them to have it.

You now are familiar with 10 common decluttering mistakes and you know what you need to do to avoid them. Steering clear of these pitfalls will make it much easier to get your home organized fast!