Do you find decluttering stressful and overwhelming?
If you’ve read my de-clutter-a-thon posts, you’ve probably figured out that I really don’t like de-cluttering a whole bunch at once.
It’s just too overwhelming for me to de-clutter for more than an hour or so. Especially on the things that are a little more difficult to get rid of. You know, the dress I haven’t worn in over a year but it *might* be the perfect outfit for the next occasion 😉
That’s why I love this simple approach to stress-free de-cluttering of my home. With these easy rules, de-cluttering is a much more manageable process.
Plan and Prepare
First of all, you need a plan. This can be as simple as knowing what you’re going to work on and in what order.
Then, prepare by having boxes or bins ready for trash, recycling, donating, and relocating items.
Positive Mindset
Next up let’s talk mindset real quick. If you go into decluttering with an irritated attitude it’s going to be harder.
Instead, think of the positive outcomes you’re going to experience – cleaner home, more space, and less stress.
One Area at a Time
It doesn’t need to be a big area, either. One drawer, cabinet, shelf, or basket will do. It takes a little more time in the long run, but if you’re not overwhelmed it’s much easier to finish the process.
If I try to do an entire room at once, I get overwhelmed and distracted. Not to mention it takes a lot more time and before long I’m interrupted by someone needing something.
A Few Things at a Time
If the area is a major clutter collector and you know that a ton of things need to be cleaned out, take five minutes and find 5 – 10 things to throw away, donate, or move to their actual home. With just a few items to start with, you might even be inspired to keep going!
For an Hour at a Time
All day de-cluttering is just not really an option for me. If it takes over an hour I pretty much shut down and nothing else gets done. I good way to combat that is to set a timer and see how much you can get done in that amount of time. But then once it goes off you’re done and can move on with your day.
Or Even a Few Minutes at a Time
You don’t need an hour to make progress. As little as 5-10 minutes will help as you tackle just one small area.
Several days of 5-10 minutes will lead to real, tangible results in your home.
Keep it Organized
Before you start de-cluttering do just a little bit of prep work: have a small, dedicated space for donation items, have a trash bag handy, make sure there’s a basket or something nearby to collect items that go in a different part of the house.
Another good idea is to turn on something to pass the time and help you focus. For example, you could turn on some music or a podcast to listen to while you’re cleaning out.
Turn on Music or Audio Book
Turning on music or an audio book is a good way to help you focus and push through your decluttering time. You could also tune into a podcast you enjoy – there are several out there on minimalism and decluttering to inspire you while you’re working.
Make it a Habit
Getting into the habit of de-cluttering a little bit at a time is what will make the biggest impact in the long haul. If you make it a habit to de-clutter for 15 minutes a few times a week, it won’t seem like such a big deal and your home will be kept clutter-free.
When you make these simple steps into habits, it really takes the overwhelm out of de-cluttering your home. Focusing on just a little bit at a time and then being done for the day can keep you from getting burned out and only getting halfway through the house.
This method has worked well for me and I hope you too can use it to become clutter-free!
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I did a decluttering post recently as well & so much feedback! It certainly seems the time of year to organize & clean up our homes 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing!!
Yes, it really does seem like it’s the time of year when everyone is ready to clean out and get organized! I know I am 🙂 Thanks for visiting!
I need to remember to do small steps, I always go overboard and end up overwhelmed. Great tips!
I truly believe taking small steps is the key to big results! Thanks for stopping by 🙂
When I set that timer that you mentioned, I have my kids do it to and compete against me for amount decluttered in the time on the timer. I never last a whole hour, so maybe 15 – 30 minutes here!
Yeah I think the hour would be my absolute max… 15-30 minutes work too, every little bit helps!
I’m totally with you on keeping organized!
Always make sure everything has a destination, because with the cluttered areas of your house, chances are the things without a destination are the things that ended up there to begin with!
A lot of the time “for now” turns into “forever” just a little too quickly;)
Thanks for the great tips!
Yes, I totally agree that when I place something somewhere it doesn’t belong “for now” it always ends up staying there far longer than I intended! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Listening to podcasts really helps me to get decluttering.
Yes, it seems to go by much faster while listening to a podcast! Thanks for stopping by!
Great post. My home is in dire need of some decluttering. We often receive things people pass down to us; like clothes, toys, housewares. It always feels good to get hot spots and eye sores back under control. I will be focusing more on this during Lent. Less clutter = less for me to clean! 🙂
Yes, less clutter definitely means less cleaning! Best of luck on your de-cluttering mission 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
I love this!!! I used to be a pack rat, but now I get alot more joy from decluttering! 🙂 I am going to keep these tips in mind for even more motivation. I used to have a chronic illness and I started praying about getting my house organized. As I got better, I also began tackling one thing at a time. I like it so much better than pulling out too much and wanting to quit in the middle!
I’ve totally been there pulling out too much and ready to quit before it’s done! I decided there had to be a better way 🙂 Glad you stopped by!
Last year I went through a major purge of my home. I got rid of so much stuff and got rid of most of it on Freecycle.org. The only area that’s left is my attic and I’m planning on tackling that this spring before a major yard sale. These were good tips to avoid the overwhelm.
Using Freecycle is a great tip! I’ve never used it, but I’ve heard good things about it before. Thanks for visiting!
Great tips. I definitely feel too overwhelmed to start cleaning sometimes…
Glad you liked the tips! I agree it can be really overwhelming to get started. Thanks for visiting!
Great tips, Laura! I can’t stand clutter, so I can always use more ideas for keeping it at bay. I definitely think going one room at a time makes a huge difference!
So glad you liked the tips! De-cluttering one area/room at a time seems to be a major key in keeping the clutter away. Thanks for stopping by!
I’m blessed to have a husband who loves organization. He’s inspired me to get more organized! My desk still needs help, but the rest of the house is in good shape. Your tips are perfect. They really work!
Glad you like the tips! That’s great you guys can keep each other accountable with organizing 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!
Decluttering daily in our small house with 3 kids is a must. We make sure we do a quick pack away before we all sit down to dinner 🙂 even the bubba helps (she is actually quite good at it!) Thankyou for some extra ideas. oxox
That’s a great idea to have a set time for picking up! That makes a big difference. Thanks for visiting 🙂
Hi Laura,
Really enjoyed your post! I’ll be featuring it at Family Fun Friday this week. 🙂