Excuses, excuses, excuses. We all have them, and sometimes we can’t seem to hurdle past them. But when it comes to organizing and clearing clutter, every excuse can be overcome with determination and a strategy. Recognizing which excuses are preventing you from enjoying a simpler, clutter-free lifestyle is the first step to conquering them. So here are some of the most common excuses for not getting or staying organized – Which ones do you repeat on a regular basis?

If your schedule is packed all day every day with work, volunteer, and family activities, it’s easy to let your surroundings get as chaotic as your life. But the truth is, by staying organized you’ll actually spend far less time looking for things around the house, tracking down important pieces of mail, and catching up on missed appointments and bill payments. So stop thinking of organizing as a time waster and start thinking of it as an investment that gains interest – The more you put in, the more you get out.

If you have a small house, you might get frustrated by the lack of space and throw your hands up altogether. Maybe you’re waiting until you make more money and can move into a bigger house or apartment. But why not start now? Organizing and de-cluttering will actually create more space you can enjoy on a daily basis. Consider implenting vertical storage options or other creative strategies to reclaim your home.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the sheer amount of things you have or how messy everything has become, you might be tempted to procrastinate. But the best way to get over this feeling is to begin de-cluttering in increments. Breaking a large project into small tasks will make it feel more manageable. And as you slowly chip away, you’ll start to see progress – Which will motivate you to keep going. Also consider writing a to-do list to help you stay on task.

You don’t need fancy storage products to get organized. Simply start by re-purposing what you already have – Baskets, jars, boxes, and chests can all function as alternative containers. Better yet, de-clutter as much as possible and donate it to a local charity. Or sell it online or through a garage sale and earn some cash. Either way, the less stuff you own, the less you’ll have to keep track of – and the less time you’ll spend dealing with missed payments and late fees because you couldn’t find or keep up with your bills, as well as duplicate purchases for things you forgot you had. That means more time, and of course, more money.

Maybe you don’t want to begin organizing until you know you can complete something 100 percent, or until you have a full week off so you can devote all your energy to the task. But life tends to keep moving fast, and getting something 100 percent completed with 100 percent of your energy and zero interruptions often just isn’t realistic. That’s why it helps to view organization as a constant, ongoing process. Instead of spending an entire week on a project, find time to tackle small tasks each day. Make a list of your priorities, focus on what you can do, and stop stressing about all the things you can’t.

If your kids don’t respect your efforts to keep the house clean and clutter-free, set some clear expectations and boundaries. If they’re old enough, give them a 10-15 minute task to complete every day, so they feel like they’re working together with you toward the goal. These tasks will also help them develop good habits and life skills in the long run.

Maybe you have anxieties about wasting money by getting rid of something you’ll need later, or you’re saving something for a craft project. But if you haven’t used the item in a year or longer, you’re better off letting it go and freeing up space. Likewise, if you feel guilty about throwing away something you received as a gift, but it’s been collecting dust bunnies, let it go. A gift is meant to be a blessing, not a burden.