Declutter First, Then Declutter Again.

There is so much amazing content available surrounding the topic of decluttering. Decluttering your space can have immediate and undeniable benefits to you and your family. While it may feel daunting at first, here are some simple to follow strategies to help you declutter your home, and get your life back in order.

I don’t claim to be a decluttering expert, although, I have decluttered a time or ten in the past few years. I think decluttering is a natural process as children grow up and we become less interested in material belongings and more interested in living a life that is chaos free… or chaos-less. Our decluttering journey began several years ago when Marie Kondo wrote The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. We went feet first into the deep end and got rid of so much. It was truly life-changing. In fact, you can read about the Ten Life Lessons We’ve Learned Since Decluttering. Since then we have continued to go through the process of decluttering, and we’ve learned the absolute secret behind making it all work: Declutter, then declutter again.

Declutter At Your Own Pace

There is a lot of information out there about the right way to declutter a space. Start with your clothes, save clothes for last. Start with the closets, don’t do the closets first. Clean out the big things, clean out the small things. It all depends on where you are in your journey and finding the process that works for you. There are checklists and apps in abundance that can help guide you, but the best process is the one that works for you.

When In Doubt, Start Small

It’s usually a good rule of thumb to start with the easy wins. It motivates and compels you to keep going. It’s like that old saying, “How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time.” It’s the same with decluttering. Everyone is different. I can tackle a whole room in one day and experience the biggest dopamine rush. You may feel overwhelmed just thinking of that. Maybe a better option for you would be to start small; maybe determine to tackle one drawer, one closet, or one corner. Maybe that even seems overwhelming to you.

Another option is to set a timer and work until the timer sounds. You are completely in control; you set the designated allotted time. You decide how long you want to work, and when you’ll be done. It may be an hour, it may be fifteen minutes. The point is to start and allow yourself to experience how good it feels to have accomplished the task.

Catch and Release

Decluttering is a lot like those fishermen and women who practice catch and release technique. They fish for the pure enjoyment of it. Decluttering can be like that too. The idea is to ‘catch’ the things that are no longer serving you or your family, are taking up valuable space, or have simply outlived their usefulness. Then, you ‘release’ them back into the wild – or to the charity shop, the recycle bin, or the discard pile.

There is a known phenomenon that happens with people who practice regular decluttering sessions. They find that decluttering, and getting things OUT of their spaces, brings as much if not MORE joy than purchasing, or bringing new things INTO their spaces. I’ve personally found that to be true.

Declutter, then Declutter Again.

The one sure way to keep clutter at bay once you have decluttered your space, is to practice regular intervals of decluttering. Declutter, then declutter again. Think of it like the tasks of laundry or washing dinner dishes. These tasks must be completed regularly, or they get quickly out of hand. Staying on top of decluttering keeps chaos at bay, as well.

The method that works well for us is a simple one, and one I think anyone can successfully adopt. Each week I dedicate fifteen to twenty minutes on Friday afternoon, or Saturday morning, to assess and declutter one tiny area of my home. It’s amazing how things get untidy so quickly. Likewise, it’s also amazing how quickly you can set things in order again.

Last weekend my bathroom closet was in total disarray. I had multiple opened bottles of the same product, makeup was in the bin with hair products, towels had come unfolded, washcloths were unstacked. Even though this may not seem like a huge deal, our closet is only 16 inches wide by 11 inches deep. Any disorder equates to a huge mess in that tiny space.

I set a timer and within less than 15 minutes, the closet was organized and duplicate products were decanted and decluttered. While this may not be a big deal for some, it helps my husband and I both get ready in the morning with less stress and in less time. Decluttering your space saves you time and effort as well.

Make a Schedule or Keep a List

My last word of advice is to make a schedule of areas you consider ‘high traffic’ – and give them a once over or quick check on a regular basis. If you notice your entry way gets cluttered with shoes and backpacks, or coats and hats, give it a once-a-week check. Maybe you have little helpers in your kitchen who don’t always put things back exactly where they belong. Give that area a quick glance every other day or so.

If you’re busy and can’t quite manage to do these things on a schedule, keeping a decluttering list is also helpful. When you see an area that needs attention, jot it down on a running list. When you have a few spare minutes, tackle as much of that space as you can in the time you have. Every little bit helps! One percent better is still an improvement.

The Proof is is the Pudding

We have recently downsized our belongings and our living quarters. When we first moved, everything was neat and tidy; everything had a place. Over time, we brought in one or two little extras, or didn’t take time to put things away right away, or hurriedly and randomly laid things down. After a couple of times not being able to find something, we learned that decluttering our space on a regular basis was the proven process. When you make decluttering your areas a part of your day or week, it keeps the mounds from building, and the resetting time to a minimal.

With a little effort and a long-term goal, you too can regain control of your space. The best part is, it doesn’t have to take a lot of time or energy. You can do this in small moments, and can tackle small areas. Over time, you will quickly find your home evolving into an organized and chaos, clutter free zone.

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