When you're working on your minimizing journey, the best thing you can do is build your momentum. Here are three mistakes you're probably making that are slowing you down.

Trying to recoup money by selling items

This one is hard and I also got stuck on this one for the longest time! But let's get really honest right now.

Answer these questions for me: When you decide to sell something, how long does it take you to actually list it in Marketplace? Weeks? Months? Do you like handling multiple messages coming into your inbox and trying to negotiate a price? Do you like taking time out of your schedule to meet a stranger in a parking lot somewhere (because it has to be public enough that they won't murder you there right)? How much money did you actually recoup? Did you do it just to make yourself feel like you spending your money wasn't a total waste? Which, by the way, it wasn't a waste because you learned a lesson - that item wasn't something that you needed and you probably don't need to spend money on it again in the future.

I'll admit, there are some high ticket items worth selling. The problem is that most people put things into a "sell pile" and it takes months to actually get around to selling anything. If it's not going to make you more that $50, was it worth the time and effort you put into it to make that money. That’s a question for you to answer. Is this item worth the time and attention I would need to sell it?

SOLUTION: Donate items. You can also join local Facebook pages like "Buy Nothing (insert your city here)" or "Pay for Nothing (enter your city here)." Put up pictures with a caption letting people know it will be outside your house if someone would like to come pick it up. Then someone who wants and needs that item can haul it away from your home. Donating things is like karma - the more you give, things you need will come back to you.

Not changing your mindset with the PRIORITIZE step

In my 4-step process, before you get to the MINIMIZE step, you do the PRIORITIZE step. This step includes answering questions to get VERY clear on what you are trying to accomplish and why. If you're not clear on what you want to accomplish, you'll spin in circles and flip flop about every item.

SOLUTION: Answer some of these questions FIRST before starting your project: What works for me in this space? What do I wish was different? If this space served me the way I wanted it to, it would… What items do I need to store in this space and how can I make them accessible when I need them? How can this space support my bigger goals and values?

Not having a plan

If you want to minimize quickly and stop wasting time, you need clear steps to follow. This could be a checklist that you follow or a set amount of time that you want to dedicate to a specific area. It doesn't matter if it’s a set area or a set amount of time, but whatever you choose, be consistent.

SOLUTION: If you want to take the guess work out of what you're going to do and for how long, my MINIMIZING MAP (get it here) is a great resource that can help you stay focused and have a plan.

Stack as many little wins as you can, do a little at a time, have a plan, be consistent, and really decide if selling items is worth your time. I can't wait to see how your momentum grow when you practice a few of these easy tips! Happy minimizing!