How to declutter your home when you feel completely overwhelmed

This is part 1 of a 3 part series:

How to declutter your home when you feel completely overwhelmed (this page!)
The simple, step-by-step checklist for decluttering every area in your home
Decluttering your home: How to decide what stays and what goes

And don’t forget to grab my free decluttering guide here:

Free decluttering guide

I created a free, 3 page decluttering guide to go along with this series:

Page 1: My decluttering plan (getting started)

Page 2: Step-by-step decluttering (what to do before, during, and after decluttering)

Page 3: Sorting it out (how to decide what stays and what goes)

GET THE GUIDE HERE!

Alright, let’s get to it! How DO you start decluttering when you’re feeling completely overwhelmed?

Getting started

When I asked the members of my Organized Mom Life Facebook group what the hardest part of decluttering and organizing was for them, almost everyone said the same thing: Getting started!

So I’m going to break down how I tackle the very first step in decluttering any space in your home: choosing the right place to get started.

Step 1: Make a list of 3 rooms in your home that need decluttering

That’s it- just 3! You’re not thinking about your entire house right now. We’re just thinking about the top 3 rooms that you would feel so much better about if you could get them clean and organized.

If you downloaded my decluttering guide, just grab the sheet that says My Decluttering Plan, and start listing your 3 rooms on the lefthand side.

Or, just grab any sheet of paper, your phone, or your computer, and write down those 3 rooms.

2. Identify smaller spaces, or “zones” within each room

Now you want to actually walk into each room on your list and look around. Write down 4 small spaces within each room that need to be decluttered.

If you’re really feeling overwhelmed, break it waaaay down. You can write down something like, “Top left dresser drawer” or “closet shelf.”

3. Choose one small space to declutter

Now look at your list. Pick one small space to start in. Tell yourself that you don’t have to think about your entire house, or even the entire room. Yet. You’re just going to declutter that one small area for now.

And guess what?

You’ve just started the decluttering process. That “hardest part” – the figuring out where to start.

Next: Check out my step-by-step decluttering checklist!

Nice job!

Happy organizing!

-Laura