Are you feeling overwhelmed by all of “the things” in your home and you don’t know how to begin the decluttering process? You know you want to be organized, but you don’t exactly know what steps to take to get organized?
I understand where you’re at right now because I was there not too long ago.
I was getting overwhelmed very quickly when I’d get home from work and I didn’t understand why. I started to really pay attention to how I was feeling and what I was doing when I felt anxious. I realized that all the stuff in my home was causing some serious sensory overload.
I knew I needed to get ahold of all the items we’d been accumulating since we started having kiddos. It’s crazy how much stuff piles into your home over the years.
I went on a decluttering binge in my kids’ rooms over the weekend and it made me think how many moms out there probably feel the same way.
You’re overwhelmed with the thought of even starting the decluttering process and you don’t know where to start. I’m here to help!
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Here are 11 steps to take when clutter begins taking over your home and you don’t know where to start.
1. Start with a Positive Mindset
It’s very easy to become overwhelmed by the thought of decluttering especially if you are not sure where to even start. Here’s an easy first step to take. Get in the right mindset.
We all know a positive mindset can really set you up for success no matter what you’re trying to tackle.
You’ve already made the decision that you need to start decluttering to get your home in order because to be honest, you can’t get organized without first decluttering. If you try, all you’re doing is moving all the things into new places time and time again.
So, make the decision here and now that you are excited for this decluttering journey because it will eventually lead you to an organized home that runs on systems.
You got this!
2. Understand Why You Need to Declutter
There’s clearly a reason you want to start this decluttering journey. You need to harness that reason and reflect on it constantly as a reminder to push you forward.
Always start with why you are taking on a project or new goal. It’s always the first step to achieving anything and decluttering is no different.
Once you truly understand your motivation behind wanting to declutter, you can move forward to the next step which is making some goals!
3. Make Some Goals
The end goal of having an organized home that runs on automated systems is probably too big to think of right now, at the start of your decluttering journey.
We need to take baby steps so that decluttering and organization don’t feel so overwhelming. Now, having a fully systemized home management process is a great BHAG (big hairy audacious goal), but it’s not where you want to start if you are feeling overwhelmed.
Let’s start with building one SMART goal that is realistic for you and your family.
That goal could look something like this:
Dedicate 30 minutes per day for the next 4 weeks to decluttering every room in my home (not including the garage or outdoor sheds) using a checklist that tackles all areas of each room.
Now, take 5 minutes and break here. Seriously! Build out your SMART goal and write it down!
Congrats, you did it!
Here’s a FREE decluttering checklist and cleaning schedule to help get you started with your goal:
4. Write Down Your Goal
Here’s the real secret to goal planning. You are 42% more likely to achieve your goal when you write it down! So let’s do that now!
Find a place you can write your goal down that you see every single day. Remember, this is all new to you and you want to remind yourself constantly that you have a goal to achieve. It’s easy to get motivated by a new goal then forget that you ever set it in the first place.
The more you see the goal, the more you will be able to visualize yourself in your new decluttered home once you’ve achieved the goal.
Make an effort each morning to read your goal and re-dedicate yourself to achieving it.
Heck, you may even want to come up with a treat if you hit your goal to keep you motivated for the next few weeks.
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5. Prioritize the Rooms to Declutter
Prioritizing the rooms you will declutter really helps to break down your longer term goal into more achievable bite-sized chunks that don’t feel as overwhelming.
Make a list of all the rooms you need to declutter. I suggest your first decluttering attempt only tackles the inside of your home and not the garage or outdoor area like sheds, etc.
Those areas can take longer to declutter and can often be done by planning ahead and getting it all done in one day or weekend.
Let’s just focus on writing down each room in the house first. Then pick the number one room you need to tackle!
This could be the room that is most overwhelming to you or it could be the room your family spends the most time in. Whatever the reason, pick the room that if decluttered, it would make you feel happy and motivated.
Put that room at the top of your list and then prioritize each room that’s left until you’ve gotten your list in order.
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6. Dedicate 30-45 Minutes Each Day to Decluttering
Now is the time to plan out your days so you make sure decluttering is part of your daily schedule ahead of time.
Find 30-45 minutes each day that you can dedicate to getting through your decluttering checklist.
Consider what time of the day you are feeling your best and have energy to tackle a project like this. Depending on you, you may have more energy for this at night right before bed. If that’s the case, work this extra time into your daily nighttime routine.
If you work better mid-day, schedule your time then. Whatever works for you is the best option.
Make sure you actually plan this into your day whether you’re using a digital or paper calendar. Family command centers also work great for this sort of thing! It makes the schedule clear to the whole family.
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7. Learn to Declutter, Not Shuffle
When we talk about decluttering, we are talking about purging your home of items that no longer make you happy, serve a purpose or are actually functional.
There needs to be a distinction made between removing items from your home versus moving items around to make your home seem less cluttered.
As you go through items, truly try to think back to the last time you used the item, if you will honestly use it in the future, and if it even actually is functional.
I often find my kiddos or hubby thinking they will use something in the future and they haven’t actually used the thing in over a year. Or, my hubby thinks he can fix something that is no longer working, but hasn’t had time to do it for years.
In those instances, for my mental health, it’s best to get rid of the item and if needed, purchase another in the future. Usually these items are not costly and are just cluttering up the house for no real reason.
PRO TIP ALERT: when decluttering your closet of clothing, flip the hangers around on any item you feel like you may not really need/want so they are the opposite of all the other hangers. After a certain period of time (6 months – 1 year) remove any item with hangers still backwards. This is an easy way to keep track of what you actually don’t wear.
8. Create a System You Can Maintain
A one time decluttering session is great, but you need systems in place that allow you to maintain all your hard work.
Implementing budgets at home will ensure you don’t spend unnecessarily which also means less stuff coming home with you. This prevents the need for more maintenance.
Commit to a weekly or monthly mini declutter session to maintain your space. You can easily re-use the decluttering checklist and go room by room again, but less often and less intense of a process.
Find a recurring time frame that works for you and your family and adjust over time as needed.
PRO TIP: Toy rotation systems!!! This is a great option for small children. Only keep a certain amount of toys in your home and keep the rest out in the garage in bins/laundry baskets. Every 3-4 months, swap out the toys in the house for some outside. Kids feel like they have new toys, it keeps the amount you have to pick up to a minimum and you end up spending less on toys because your kids feel like they’ve gotten new life out of older toys.
9. Implement the Decluttering System
Once you decide on a recurring amount of time you can dedicate to a routine decluttering system, plan that into your calendar each week, month, quarter, etc. Keeping a visual of your plan on your family command center is also a great option as a reminder!
It’s easy to do the first round of decluttering then think it will just somehow magically stay decluttered over the years.
You definitely can decrease the frequency and intensity of the decluttering sessions, but believe it or not you will still find things to purge each time you do it.
The key is remaining consistent over time and being honest with yourself each time you declutter.
10. Get your Family Involved
Having the whole family help with decluttering can really lighten the load for one person. The more help you get, the less overwhelmed you will feel when you start your decluttering journey.
Involving kids early on also teaches them the importance of helping the family, that routines are helpful, and consistency is the key to hitting any goal.
When kids are younger, they are particularly excited to help the family so use that to your advantage. Keep the tasks age appropriate, but even young kids can go through a pile of stuff and pick out their favorites.
You’d be surprised how much help you can get from your kids if you just ask and make it fun! Check out these free chore charts!
11. Repeat the Process
Consistency is key!!! If there is one thing you remember from all of this, it’s that the more you do something, the easier it becomes.
The feeling of being overwhelmed by the decluttering process will slowly lessen over time as you become more familiar with a routine that works for you.
After your first major decluttering cycle, you will begin to reap the benefits of having more time because you are cleaning up less stuff. This should be motivation enough to keep you moving forward.
It’s so awesome to be able to pick up every single night and go to bed with a clean home almost every day because I don’t have to spend hours cleaning up all the things!
Feel Confident Decluttering When You Don’t Know Where to Start
I hope these tips get you started on your decluttering journey and that you see the benefits of having less things in your home. I am by no means a minimalist, but I do feel better mentally when I don’t see clutter everywhere.
There’s just something about having a place for everything and not being overwhelmed by a cluttered home that makes the routines and consistency all worth it!
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