Decluttering is hard work, but with time, momentum, and a timer, you can improve your home and your health! Get cleaning and Get moving!

We all collect things. It’s just in human nature.

So, occasionally we need to buckle down, declutter, reorganize, and reset the home.

The “spring cleaning,” as some people call it.

When the winter finally fades, and it’s finally warm enough to open the windows. Let the breeze blow through the house—getting rid of stale air and reinvigorating the family for the coming year.

Everyone seems to get the bug.

It’s like New Year’s all over again. Goals and good intentions abound.

It’s time to clean and declutter to start the summer right. Sitting cozy, all wrapped up by the fire melts into the hustle and bustle of preparing the home. Time to move after the stagnation of winter.

While a very romantic thought, the truth is, it’s true!

It’s time to get things decluttered and reorganized! Whether you are moving to a new home, a smaller home, looking for a better organization system, or deciding you just plain have too much stuff: It’s time to get moving!

You could hire a professional home organizer and utilize other home organizing services. But I am all about doing it yourself and saving money. You will thank yourself in the long run and be able to have a mental list of everything you own so you can make smarter purchases in the future.

But why in the world do I care about decluttering?

Well, all that mess and clutter cause real issues.

Did you know that clutter makes you less productive and less satisfied? What about that clutter distracts your mind, and you have more brain fog?

Clutter has been shown to increase women's cortisol (the stress hormone). So, it makes sense that moms and wives are extra stressed when we see the living room is a disaster!

Well, all that mess and clutter cause real issues.

Did you know that clutter makes you less productive and less satisfied? What about that clutter distracts your mind, and you have more brain fog?

Mess and clutter also impact decision-making and have been shown to increase the risk of weight gain. Sleep and memory loss are also linked to clutter.

Do you sometimes have trouble sleeping at night? Well, is there a pile of clutter across from your bed? A big pile of laundry shoved off to the side? I am so guilty of this. I have also had a fair amount of brain fog as my dining table has continued to pile up.

Not to mention the air mattress I still haven’t put away since my sister came to visit, foggy mental states, and increased symptoms of mental illness are associated with clutter in work and living spaces. Do you have a hard time focusing at work? Maybe it’s time to declutter your office space.

(raising hand) Thats me. All of that is me. Is it you too? Let’s work on that!

But, Where do I find the time in daily life to declutter my entire home?

Adding one more item to your to-do list is daunting and disheartening.

Especially when it is such a massive task, sometimes, the initial clean takes the most time at once, and then you can break down time segments from there. Even if you can only give 10-20 minutes a day of going through the clutter, that is okay.

I have found that I mentally make the task so much bigger than it actually is and that I can complete the job a lot faster than I initially planned. Sometimes I can clean, declutter, and organize a room in 1 day.

Think about that.

I anticipate cleaning to take 6 hours and then am surprised when I am done in 1. Then able to go through and declutter in 1 or 2, or 3 hours. (Depending on how slow or motivated I am.)

So, set aside a few extra minutes on a daily basis to go through small spaces and areas of your home at a time. Those few extra minutes add up really fast, especially when you are focused. It will take less time than you are anticipating! Thinking through your day and working on time management while doing this will go a long way in increasing productivity. Meal Planning during this time also would be worthwhile. That will give you more time to focus on decluttering.

Now that we have established WHY decluttering is SO important. Let’s go over some easy ways to begin the decluttering process.

First things first, make a designated place for trash, belongs-somewhere-else, donations, and the out-of-sight-out-of-mind box.

Start with a clean space.

This is where I invite all family members to pitch in! Everyone needs to lend a hand here so we can quickly get the place clean. A good rule of thumb for clutter and cleanliness is “If you can’t find it, you may as well not even have it.”

Do a basic cleaning of the room. Vacuum, dust, and take out the trash. Remove the items that don’t belong in that room. Have a clean space where you can focus solely on the task at hand. Don’t get too involved in the cleaning aspect, though. That’s not the goal right now. We can do a deep clean later when there isn’t as much stuff in the way. Besides, it will feel good to clean a newly decluttered area.

Now that you have a clean slate. You are going to make a bigger mess.

Task one is to put everything away.

This is a good beginning to figuring out where there is too much and where things need to be cut down. As you clean, toss the extras and toss the junk. If an item doesn’t have a space, ask yourself if you need it. Throw it in one of the four boxes. We are trying to whittle down our belongings here, so don’t be nervous to toss something out.

Now for the declutter

But where to start?

Choose an action plan.

There are a few different options depending on what works best for you. Some need small time slots, and others need larger time slots. Pick a plan depending on what works best for you and your schedule. But that’s just it.

Schedule time in.

Don’t let anyone bother you. Tell the kids that if they bother you, they have to clean the toilets or something. Put on their favorite movie. Take them to a friend’s house.

Get yourself a drink and settle in.

Get a good book going, put on your favorite music. Talk to a friend or your mom while decluttering if that helps occupy your time. Maybe invite a friend over and have her help you decide if you need to keep certain things…and then do the same at her place.

Set a timer, put your head down, and declutter!

Service swaps are a fantastic way to get things done and have fun while doing it!

Set a timer, put your head down, and declutter!

Get the momentum and KEEP it going!

After 10 minutes in one spot, move on! It doesn’t have to be completed, but keeping the momentum going is one of the easiest ways to stay motivated.

Start from one area or corner of the room, declutter, and move across the rest of the room. I like to pick the left side of the room and move to the right, like reading a book. It keeps me from wondering where I want to go next, and I can focus on that area. While you are doing this quick declutter, make mental notes of places you need to revisit and go through again.

Okay. Now we have gone through and done a quick declutter of the room. Take a 10-minute break, and breathe.

Go get a snack, and clear your mind.

Then go back to the same room.

Remember those mental notes of areas you need to revisit?

Go back and revisit those areas (boxes, bins, corners, closet shelves) and spend another 10 minutes decluttering and moving through those problem spots again.

You should be done with the decluttering by the time you finish this second round of the room. If not, it’s time to move to another room.

We are trying to keep the energy going.

Don’t get bored with going over the same items again and again. Move on to another room and come back after the first pass. It will change up the speed and get you thinking about what you have. Often I want to keep items the first time, but the more I revisit the same things, I realize I don’t actually need or care about them.

Repeat the process for the next room and the next.

Go through the kitchen. What are you holding onto just because someone gave it to you or because it was a really good deal at the store? Just throw it in a box.

Is there an old hand mixer or juicer you are holding onto that you don’t use? Get rid of it. I remember growing up, there was a juicer that we pulled out once a year to make fresh squeezed orange juice for one breakfast.

Just get rid of it. It is not worth the space it takes up.

Problems I have encountered while decluttering.

(I know a lot of us struggle with these!)

The sentimental items and gifts.

Some of the hardest things to get rid of are sentimental items. Especially when they are made by the kids or loved ones, or they just really mean something to you when you look at them.

If it is paper, scan it, place it in a scrapbook, or hang it up. That’s it. Give it a big kiss and toss it. I used to hang on to thank you notes from friends and others I helped. But, there comes a point where you can write it down and remember it just as much in a scrapbook, on the wall, or scanned in.

If you have a large heirloom piece that takes up space, the first question is, do you want it?

If you don’t, ask another family member if they would like it. Can you repurpose it into a usable or decorative item (if it is small)? If you can’t find a use for it, can’t find a home for it (besides the garage or storage shed), get rid of it. Sell it on the Facebook marketplace or a local Facebook selling group. You can find someone who might appreciate it more than you do.

And IT’S OKAY to let go of items.

Especially when they are influencing your sanity. If a family member wants the thing that bad, give it back to them. If it means that much, they can deal with it. Hitch the trailer up and drag it back to their house. Don’t let someone make you feel bad for creating the space that you want and need. Don’t let anyone influence your sanity like that.

Gifted items are hard to get rid of.

They just are because of their very nature. They were a gift. You are grateful for the thing, but it doesn’t fit anymore.

It’s okay to get rid of it.

If it was a bigger, more expensive, or handmade item. Ask the person if they would like it back.

It is totally acceptable to say, hey, we are in a different place right now, and we are trying to downsize. I absolutely loved the “such and such item” you gave me, but it doesn’t fit what we can have right now. Would you like it, or would you rather me donate or sell it?

It’s essential to respect the person who gave the gift and acknowledge that you truly appreciated the item. It’s also okay to move on.

What if I will need it later:

This is my biggest problem. I collect, and it’s hard to get rid of items because I can ALWAYS think of a scenario where I will need them in the future.

My prime example of this is the insane amount of plastic food storage items I have. It is ridiculous. I have a whole cabinet dedicated to plastic Tupperware, and I have some sitting and collecting just on top of my fridge.

But I keep thinking…What if I need it? I can use it for another project, I am sure.

It is safe to say if you won’t use it in the next six months-year. Do you really need it? Have you had an item like this before and used it consistently? If you have, great. Keep it.

But let’s be honest with ourselves. It’s better to get rid of it. But, in case of those really hard-to-let-go-of items, put them in a box and set them away in the garage. If you don’t use it in the next two weeks (or however long you are taking to declutter your room/home), you are probably okay with getting rid of it.

Alrighty, You’ve gone through your room, the kid’s room, the guest room, the basement, the closets, (take a big breath.)

Whew! You go, girl!

Now it's time to move into the storage areas!

Wait, the storage areas?

Yes! Sometimes that is where we keep the MOST clutter because it’s out of sight, out of mind, and stored away so our brains don’t have to deal with it.

These are the perfect rooms to go through. Most of it we don’t use and don’t think about. It’s prime for being donated. Make this the last thing, though. The rest of your living spaces have a much higher priority.

When you are finished going through all your spaces, celebrate!

You did it!

Go out and make a celebration out of donating and trashing those items you no longer need. Take the family out for ice cream or a hike, or visit somewhere you all love. You just accomplished a gargantuan task!

It takes time and effort to declutter a home. But the end result is peace of mind and well worth the effort in the long run.

I encourage you to make a plan and stick to it. You will feel so much more free and happy with a decluttered space.