When there’s visible clutter in the home, figuring out where to start can feel like a project in itself. You see piles on the counters, things on the floor, overflowing closets and drawers that barely close, and it’s tempting to bounce from one problem area to another without actually finishing anything.
Instead of looking at the entire house as one enormous job, give yourself a clear place to start and work from there. You don’t need to clean and organize everything at once; the goal is to make enough progress in one area that the next area feels a little less overwhelming.
Start with what you can see
When the entire house feels messy, don’t begin by emptying a packed closet or digging through storage bins. Start with visible clutter on the floor, counters, tables and other surfaces so you can quickly see the difference you’re making.
Pick one small area and finish it
Choose a manageable space such as one countertop, bathroom cabinet, nightstand or kitchen drawer rather than declaring that you’re going to “declutter the kitchen.” Completely finishing one small area gives you a clear win and keeps you from creating five half-finished projects around the house.
Set a timer instead of waiting for a free afternoon
Give yourself 15 or 20 minutes and work on one area until the timer goes off. You may decide to keep going, but even if you stop, you’ve still made progress without giving up an entire day.
Deal with the obvious stuff first
Don’t start your first decluttering session by debating sentimental items or things you’re unsure about. Grab the obvious trash, recycling, broken items, expired products and things you already know you don’t want so you can clear space without making difficult decisions.
Bring bags for trash, recycling and donations
Before you start, grab separate bags or boxes for anything you’re throwing away, recycling or donating. Having somewhere to put each item immediately keeps you from creating new piles you’ll have to sort later.
Related: Planning to Declutter? These 13 Items Probably Aren’t Donation-Worthy
Have a basket for things that belong somewhere else
You’ll find things that need to stay but have somehow ended up in the wrong room. Put them in one basket while you work instead of walking around the house putting away each individual item and getting distracted along the way.
Ask yourself a few simple questions
When you’re stuck on an item, ask whether you use it, need it, like it and realistically have room to keep it. If the answer is repeatedly no, keeping it just because you already own it won’t help you get the house under control.
Don’t create a giant “maybe” pile
Putting every difficult decision aside can leave you with another mountain of stuff to deal with when you’re finished. It’s fine to have a small number of undecided items, but try to decide the first time you handle most things.
Don’t organize before you declutter
New bins, baskets and organizers won’t solve the problem if you’re trying to fit too much stuff into the space. Get rid of what you don’t need first, then organize what’s left once you know exactly how much you’re keeping.
Work on your own belongings first
If you share your home with other people, don’t let their stuff prevent you from making progress with your own. Start with the things you can decide on, and involve your partner or family when it’s time to tackle shared belongings.
Give everyone a manageable job
If the entire family contributes to the mess, everyone can help with age-appropriate tasks such as picking up toys, sorting clothes or putting belongings back where they belong. Give each person a specific area or task rather than simply telling everyone to “clean up,” which can feel just as overwhelming.
Get donations out of the house
A hallway filled with donation bags is technically less cluttered than it was yesterday, but the stuff is still sitting in your house. Put donations in your car, schedule a pickup or choose a day to drop them off so your decluttering decisions actually result in more space.
Build decluttering into things you’re already doing
You don’t always need a dedicated decluttering session to make progress. Pull out clothes you no longer wear while putting away laundry, check for expired products while cleaning the bathroom or clear one kitchen drawer while waiting for dinner.
Related: The One Decluttering Task Too Many Families Put Off
Put things away when you’re finished with them
Decluttering won’t make much difference if everyday items immediately begin piling up again. Give frequently used belongings an easy-to-reach home and get into the habit of returning them when you’re finished.
Give yourself a realistic deadline
A deadline can keep a whole-house decluttering project from becoming something you work on occasionally for the next two years. Break the house into manageable areas and give yourself a reasonable timeframe to finish each one, rather than trying to accomplish everything in a weekend.
