Decluttering Your Home Is an Enormous Task

It’s easy to feel intimidated and overwhelmed by the enormity of the task. So how do you get started or get restarted?

Try These 9 Quick and Easy Strategies to Start or Continue Your Decluttering Journey:

1.  Start small.

It’s been proven that by starting small with just one shelf or one drawer at a time, you will see results. You will feel differently about the space, and even though it might seem like a small win, you will be motivated to create another small win and then the next.

2.  Create a clutter-free zone and stick to it.

When there is one area of your home that is highly visible and constantly filled with clutter, it impacts the way you feel, think, and act. Think about when your kitchen table, kitchen countertop, or your desktop is filled with clutter. How does that make you feel?

Conversely, when that area is declared a clutter-free zone and is consistently organized, your experience is completely different. Try it! You’ll see what I mean. Then create a second and third clutter-free area in your home.

3.  Use the power of your imagination.

Imagine one room of your home that is neat, organized, and clutter-free. It could be your home office. Imagine working there. How much more efficient and productive would you be?

  • It could be your master bedroom. Imagine that it is clutter-free, peaceful, serene, and your sanctuary at the end of each day. Imagine how much easier it would be to get a good night’s sleep, waking up fully rested.
  • It could be any room in your home. Visualize the way you want it to be, then declutter anything that doesn’t belong there. Try it! You’ll be amazed at what a difference it will make in your productivity, peace of mind, and overall well-being.

4.  Load up your car with donated items.

As soon as you declutter one area of your home, load up your car and immediately drive to the donation site or consignment shop. Don’t let those bags and boxes sit in your garage where you might be tempted to pull a few things out. You’ll be amazed at how you feel once you have dropped off those bags and boxes. Acknowledge that sense of freedom; it will motivate you to declutter more.

5.  Find a “home” for everything.

Start with just five or ten items in your home. Ask, does it belong here? If not, where does it belong?

  • It could be your vacuum. Does it belong in your family room or in your utility closet with other cleaning items?
  • It could be toiletries. Do they belong on your bathroom counter, cluttering it up, or in a drawer or medicine cabinet where you can easily find them?
  • It could be extra sheets and towels. Do they belong in your laundry room or in your linen closet where they can easily be found?

When you take the time to designate a specific area for items in your home, it will be easier to locate them when you need them, and it will help declutter other areas where they do not belong.

6.  Circle back on the things that are hard to let go of.

If you get stuck with certain items, such as family photos, your mom’s china, or other sentimental items, stop what you’re doing and move on to another area. Circle back to them at another time.

We all get stuck or stopped sometimes during the decluttering process. Decluttering your possessions is a highly emotional journey. Acknowledge your emotions. Accept the fact that at the moment, it’s too hard for you to deal with. Move on to an easier area that is not nearly as emotional, then at a later date, circle back. You might have a fresh perspective that allows you to let go of those items that were previously difficult to part with.

7.  Use the power of percentages.

If you are downsizing from a 4,000-square-foot home to a 2,000-square-foot home, you are downsizing by 50%. Use the same principle to declutter your home.

For example, if you want to declutter by 50%, look at one bookcase and focus on the top shelf only. If you were to declutter that shelf by 50%:

  • Which half of the items would you keep and use?
  • Which half of the items would you let go of?

Sometimes the magic of numbers helps you gain clarity about how much stuff you want to declutter. It helps to use logic instead of emotion.

8.  Schedule a time to declutter.

Just like a doctor’s appointment or a business meeting, schedule it. Put it on your calendar and commit to decluttering on that day at that specific time.

  • An alternative approach is to schedule a time each day, for example, 15 minutes in the morning and 15 minutes in the evening. Make sure it’s on your calendar.
  • Another approach to scheduling is to schedule a weekend two or three months in advance to declutter.

Whatever works for you, your schedule, and your lifestyle, consistently scheduling time to declutter will help you start to see progress.

Sign Up to get your FREE Home Decluttering Checklist!

9.  Use a checklist!

If you follow my YouTube videos and blogs, you know that I am a fan of checklists! There is power in using a checklist because it keeps you moving forward. There is gratification in checking things off that list because you know you’ve made progress.

Check out my website where you can access our checklists and workbooks that are intended to get you started and help you stay motivated.

The most important thing:

Just get started!

Just keep moving!

Decluttering doesn’t have to be overwhelming. Start small, create clutter-free zones, and be consistent. Use a minimalist home checklist—please check it out for helpful tips and guidance. Schedule tasks, use your imagination, and tackle clutter bit by bit. Don’t be afraid to get started in your journey to a simple life. Happy decluttering!

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