Today we’re talking about decluttering made simple! We all know how it feels to have a cluttered and messy home. It drains our energy, jumbles our minds, and makes it hard to get things done. Sometimes I feel like those piles of random objects on my dining room table are talking to me. Even if I don’t hear them loudly, it’s a quiet nagging in the back of my mind thinking, “I need to deal with that.” When my house is cluttered it’s hard for me to show up as the person I want to be.
On the other hand, when my space is tidy and clean it’s like a breath of fresh air! My mind is calm, I feel at peace, and I’m able to truly focus or relax in a deeper way. So if we know how nice it is to have a tidy and calm home, then why do things tend to pile up so quickly?
For me, it’s easy to get overwhelmed because decluttering seems so time-consuming! I always fall into the trap of thinking that I need an ENTIRE day to clean out a space. In reality, I can make HUGE progress in just 30 minutes or so. You truly can make decluttering simple.
Feeling overwhelmed? Try micro-decluttering
Over the years I’ve found the power of doing micro-decluttering sessions. Instead of tackling an entire room, I’ll focus on one small area. One drawer. One shelf. One cabinet. Something simple and easy that I can get done in one sitting. Often times it only takes 30 minutes or an hour and the payoff is HUGE! Every time I open that tidy drawer it’s like a little gift staring back at me. I feel accomplished, organized, and proud of myself.
Decluttering Made Simple
- Start small!
- Focus on one drawer, one shelf, or one small area. Start small and do an area you can finish in one sitting. This will give you momentum. No need to Marie Kondo the whole house and go through every item you own. Let’s keep it small and doable.
- Take everything out!
- Remove everything from the area, wipe it down, and then organize. Taking everything out allows your mind to reset and it feels incredible to put things back into a clean space.
- Keep things that bring you joy.
- Honestly! If it’s not meaningful or useful then it’s time to say goodbye.
- Group “like” things together.
- Put all the pencils with their other pencil friends 🙂 The human brain loves to see things categorized and like objects grouped together.
- Find containers for all your groups.
- This doesn’t have to be beautiful (although it can be). It doesn’t have to be all matchy matchy. It could be as simple as a recycled box, a repurposed container, or a plastic bin. I like to “shop my home” first before rushing off to Target and clearing out the organization aisle.
- Be sure to finish!
- This is the step that get’s me EVERY time. My brain likes to finish things to 90%. I sort through everything, get things organized and put back. The drawer looks great, but there are a few random things left that need to be donated or put into other areas of my home. And for some reason, I don’t want to do it!!! I have to fight against that urge and remember that DONE IS FUN!!! Put away those last few items, take your items to donate, and make sure you finish!
Come with me in Decluttering my Dining Room Drawers
With the holidays coming up I decided it was time to organize my dining room drawers. So here’s a peek into my process for decluttering.
Are you ready to clean out a drawer?
Go ahead and TRY IT! Go tackle that junk drawer in your kitchen and see how good it feels. For more decluttering advice and joyful home tips, download the FREE Joyful Room Workbook by clicking the button below.
See you next week! xo, Tessie
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