The Last 10%: Why the End of Decluttering Feels So Hard

Yesterday I spent the day switching out my desk and decluttering my office — and it reminded me of the most frustrating part of decluttering: the end.

Not the beginning.
Not the middle.
The finish line.

Because the beginning gives you momentum.
The middle gives you visible progress.
But the end?
That’s when you’re left staring at the random, awkward, “I-don’t-even-know-where-this-goes” items you pushed aside while tackling the easy parts.

It’s the last 10% of a project — and it takes 90% of the energy.

No wonder we want to toss everything into a box and call it done.

But here’s the thing:
When you finish — truly finish — a space, everything changes.

You get clarity.
You get calm.
You get a room that actually functions instead of nagging you.

So here’s my encouragement today:
Push through if you can.
Make the tiny decisions.
Finish strong — even if it’s just one stubborn item at a time.

You’ll feel accomplished, lighter, and genuinely proud of yourself.
And your space?
It will absolutely thank you.