Learn how to declutter your home, where to start and why it’s good for your mental health- especially this time of year.
Find the Declutter With Me YouTube playlist at the bottom of this page.
I was shocked.
I started out to write a post about decluttering before the holidays. You know, before you host company, and your schedule fills up. And your kids get 1,000 toys from the grandparents that you have to find room for.
So I’m doing some keyword research to decide exactly what angle I should take with it. What are people searching for? What are people needing help with?
I’m shocked to find that the questions people are looking to answer are less about method and more about mental health.
We already feel the stress of what should be the most wonderful time of the year.
We don’t need the mental load of clutter stealing more of our holiday joy. Everyone wants a merry Christmas and a happy new year. So let’s talk about how to declutter and more importantly, why.
Why Declutter Your Home
You might feel like you already have enough to think about and decluttering is last on your list. Or maybe you’re thinking you’ve tried the decluttering thing and it doesn’t work. You might even feel that you have no idea what to declutter because everyone wants to keep everything!
Been there. Been all those places. But honestly, that’s usually when you need to declutter the most.
Did you know that there is a proven link between clutter and anxiety? I’m no expert on the subject so I won’t try to explain all the complexities of it but think of it this way:
Everything you own is demanding something of you. Even if you got it for free.
Clutter Requires Care
Your things demand your attention, time and energy. Even if you’re just moving a stack of things from here to there, you’re spending all three of those resources on that stack. And how many times did you have to do that this week?
It doesn’t seem like a cute trinket or that sweater on sale requires care, until you have to dust underneath the trinket, or pick it up off the floor where your toddler was playing with it again. Or until you go to your closet and see the sweater you haven’t worn and feel a pang of guilt as you reach for you favorite hoodie.
It’s not just that looking around a cluttered room is so not aesthetic. It’s that everywhere you look there is a tangible to-do list yelling at you.
Put me away! Wear me! Clean me! Use me!
It’s visually over-stimulating and exhausting.
You Can’t Use Lost Things
So you bought the sweater and the trinket. Now you have a jumble of shirts in your drawer and can’t find the one you wanted for family photos, and the coffee table looks crowded and awkward and you can’t actually sit your coffee on it!
It’s time to cook dinner and you could’ve sworn you bought a box of orzo but you can’t find it in the pantry.
You meant to mail Christmas cards out to family but you’re not sure where that box ended up.
Where did you stash those last two packages that were delivered?
The popcorn’s ready and everyone wants to watch The Grinch but no one can find the remote.
Owning an item that you can’t find is the same as not owning that item.
What’s worse is if it goes on long enough you end up replacing it, you’ve paid for it twice and the problem hasn’t actually been solved.
By the way, I’m speaking from experience here, if that isn’t obvious.
The point I’m trying to make is that you might be tempted to hold on to everything “in case I need it”, but a lot of the time, you can’t find the thing right when you need it, and the cost of holding onto it far outweighs the benefit.
Questions To Ask To Declutter Your Home
1. Do I have other things like this that serve the same purpose?
Sometimes we hold onto items even though we have multiples because this one has that function and that one does this other thing. And that can be totally valid. But stop and ask yourself, Does one of these suit the purpose enough to let the others go? Then remember that we’re not just giving things away, we’re also gaining peace of mind. We’re trading up and trust me it’s worth it.
2. Can I replace this item relatively easily?
When asking yourself this question, think not only about availability (I can grab this on Amazon) but also cost (I can get it on Amazon for $10). There will be sentimental items that you’ll want to stash somewhere while you make up your mind, as well as those pricier or harder to find items, but for the pony beads that you’ve been meaning to use in a craft with your kids, let them go to someone who will use them now and you can always grab another package if you find you really want them.
3. Do I really want to keep this or do I feel obligated?
There are times when something you own isn’t benefitting you and your family at all and yet you feel the need to hang on to it. First nail down why. Is it the cost? Was it a gift? Did you insist you needed it and now feel silly admitting it wasn’t what you expected? (We’ve all been there!) For the first question, remember that owning something actually costs you something. Whatever room that item is taking up, whatever energy and time it takes to care for that item, and the mental toll it’s taking demanding your attention and potentially causing you guilt. When you realize you’re continually losing resources on that already costly yet unwanted item, you’ll feel a lot freer to let it go, and potentially earn some of that money back by selling it!
As to the second, remember that the person who gave you the gift clearly cares about you. They would want you to feel peaceful and comfortable in your own home and if clutter is preventing that, then it’s time to let some things go! It’s also helpful to keep in mind that gifts serve a purpose. Sometimes it’s just the thought that counts. It was so nice of them to think of you, but that doesn’t mean you have to hold on to that gift forever.
And thirdly, if you feel silly admitting you were wrong about an item, just laugh it off. We’ve all been *hashtag* influenced before. (By the way, remember infomercials?? I consider that being #influenced before it’s time XD)
Where To Start With Decluttering
This is all great, but where do I even start??
When I was doing the keyword research I mentioned, in addition to mental health, a phrase that kept cropping up was where to start. People clearly want a good starting point to kick off this decluttering thing.
Another popular search was “declutter with me”. If you’re familiar there is a whole category of YouTube videos where people can watch and do things “with me”. “Get Ready With Me” is such a popular category it’s been shortened to GRWM and everyone immediately knows what that is.
“Clean With Me”, “Organize With Me”, and, you guessed it, “Declutter With Me” are all popular video categories on the platform.
So let me suggest you find one of those videos! Sometimes all we need to break us out of analysis paralysis is a little inspiration. I find the best form of this to be watching another person already doing it. I used to utilize this same method for fitness inspiration. Weird as it sounds, there’s something about watching another person do lunges and push-ups that makes you want to do lunges and push-ups (P.S. did you know that as you watch an action being done, your brain is automatically priming the muscles involved with that action? Look it up, it’s fascinating!)
click here to watch on YouTube
Once you’re inspired, ask yourself where you want to start. What would make the most impact on you and family’s mental health?
If that seems overwhelming, ask yourself where an easier place to start would be.
Some ideas for a job with a clear end point (i.e., not an entire room that would take all day and bleed over into other projects) would be:
- A medicine cabinet
- The laundry area
- One closet
- The pantry
- Your fridge!
- Bathroom drawers or vanity
- Kitchen island
- Coffee bar
- Mud room
Once you’ve completed one space, you usually feel motivated to start the next and get on a roll.
Tips For Decluttering Your Home
I think by now you’ve caught the vision. Now let’s get a little more practical.
1. Grab a laundry basket
One of my favorite ways to quickly clear a lot things from a messy room is to get a basket or box and throw in everything that doesn’t belong in that room. That way, you can stay focused on the task at hand instead of going back and forth between several rooms. Once you have misplaced things cleared from the space you’re working on, you can quickly put those things where they belong, or snag anything you know you don’t want to keep. Put those things in your designated donation box and you’re done with that space!
2. Have a perpetual donation box
Speaking of that donation box, try having a particular place for a donation box that you can always keep there. It’s like having a trash can or laundry hamper but for give-away items. I like having a spot in the landing at the top of our staircase. It’s a small, walled-off area that could be a tiny bedroom (and will be again eventually) but for now is half walk-in closet, half storage room. But it could be anywhere out of the way where you could collect things as you decide they need to go. Then pile your trunk full and take them to Salvation Army or wherever the next time you’re going that way. This will not only help you declutter right away, but will help keep your home tidy in the future as well.
3. Get your kids on board, or out of the house!
Some parents love having their kids involved in the decluttering process. It’s a great opportunity to learn a life skill, as well as teach children about being generous towards others who might appreciate the things you’re giving away more than you currently do. Others, like myself, prefer to be a bit more discreet about the process. I have one tenderhearted girl who loves the thought of giving toys and clothes to children in need, but she tends to struggle with feelings of shame and anxiety as it is. And if she feels conflicted about giving something away, it will just eat at it her for days. And then my other two categorize EVERYTHING as “special” and can’t seem to let anything go. Knowingly, that is! My goal is never to “trick” my children and get rid of things they’ll truly miss. But I take advantage of times they aren’t at home to throw away broken things and donate or store toys that are never played with. You know your family (and what will or won’t traumatize them!) best.
4. Remind yourself how great it will be.
When it gets hard, or boring, or you’re agonizing over decisions, remember how good it will feel to have a tidy home MOST of the time. Like, you’ll be able to clean each room in a matter of minutes. Your kids could have every toy they own out and still be able to pick it all up in 10 minutes or less. That’s really possible! It is a sacrifice and might not feel great in the moment, but remind yourself how stressful it is to walk into a room that’s been totally wrecked by toddlers, or look at your kitchen counter crowded with gadgets, appliances, mail, receipts, keys and food that won’t fit in the pantry. Then think of how peaceful it will be to not have that daily struggle.
Decluttering once won’t fix your house forever. You will have to revisit your spaces time and again over the years, but the goal is to get your space working for you, and in future be more careful about what you allow into your home in the first place. Then each time you revisit that space it will be that much easier.
Where Will You Begin?
Which of these tips did you find helpful? Any of these that you already do? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!
If you have any other decluttering tips, especially that pertain to this time of year, let me and others know!
Your assignment for today: Pick ONE tip/action step and start in the next 4 hours!
I think you might also find these posts interesting…
Pin It For Later
Don’t wait until the New Year to commit to clearing your space. Have a peaceful and joyful Christmas and calm state of mind this year.
Happy Holidays š
-Tara
Looking for more homemaking inspiration? Check out these posts!
Leave a Reply