Strategies for Streamlining Your Space When You're Feeling Overrun
Are you feeling swamped by the thought of decluttering your home? With so much stuff, you don't know where to start? Check out these helpful tips to conquer the chaos with the Ultimate Guide to Declutter When Overwhelmed.**
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Conquering the dread of decluttering - some people thrive on organizing and tidying their homes, while others find it daunting. But, regardless of which camp you fall into, here are some tips to help you tackle the task.
You may find motivation in the idea of a simplified lifestyle, but find it difficult to carve out the time to get started. If that's the case, you're not alone!
With the popularity of the KonMari Method, more people are eager to streamline their homes [1]. However, the backbone of Marie Kondo's approach is an all-encompassing, time-consuming effort that can be hard to fit into busy schedules.
That's why it's essential to take on decluttering projects in smaller chunks. While a good decluttering challenge might sound appealing, there will be times when it's just not feasible to dedicate every day to decluttering. You may have young children or school-age children to shuttle between activities, or a full-time job demanding your attention when you get home [2].
So, where does that leave you when you're too swamped to dedicate a large block of time to decluttering? It's time to start small.
The aim is to work smarter, not harder. Instead of attempting to rip through everything at once, simply look for small, manageable ways to begin. Whether it's cleaning out your utensil drawer during dinner prep, pulling expired items from your pantry while putting away groceries, or tackling one dresser drawer as you fold laundry, every little bit counts [2].
You don't even have to commit to doing it every day. The key is to discover what works best for you.
Still feel overwhelmed? Take a look at these strategies:
Strategies to Help You Declutter
Plan Ahead
Tackle your decluttering efforts by creating a plan. Spend a few minutes walking from room to room, noting the areas that need your attention. You might find it helpful to list potential hot spots, such as cabinets, pantries, the fridge, freezer, drawers, medicine cabinets, under the sink, and toy bins [3].
After you've identified the priority areas, write down your plan on a sticky note or in your planner so you can easily refer to it every day.
Select Your Starting Point
Choose a time that works for you to start decluttering. Are there opportunities throughout your day to tackle small tasks? Perhaps while making supper, adding a few tasks to your regular cleaning routine, or taking a few minutes during your nighttime wind-down to work on something small?
Get Organized
Ready to dive in? Grab a few large bins and stash them in an out-of-sight spot, like an office or spare bedroom. As you work through each area, determine whether you'll keep the item, donate/sell, or discard it. Keep a basket for donating and selling items, and promptly throw away items that aren't good enough to donate [3].
Small steps every day can help ease the burden of decluttering and guide you toward your goal of a more organized, simplified home. And, remember, every small victory adds up!
[1] KonMari Method[2] The Simplifiers (2020)[3] Clean and Simple (2017)[4] The Productive Woman (2019)[5] The Simple Home (2020)
- To make decluttering your home less overwhelming, consider adopting a lifestyle that prioritizes a simplified and organized environment, focusing on home-improvement projects such as decluttering one room at a time or decluttering smaller areas within your home like utter drawers or toy bins.
- To make home-improvement tasks such as decluttering more manageable, focus on implementing strategies like setting aside specific times each day for decluttering, planning ahead by identifying priority areas, and breaking the process down into smaller chunks, making it easier to accomplish with a busy home-and-garden schedule.
