Declutter Your Home Now in 6 easy steps!

Sample! Join my newsletter for yours!

I have been asked this question over and over again by my friends and family….how are you so organized? While I would love to brag and receive a trophy for my accomplishments, it is not as hard as you think! That translates into yes, you can do this….no matter how many kiddos you have or how many hours you work. You (yes I am looking at you) can declutter your home like a pro! 

Get your Free Printable Decluttering Checklist by signing up for my newsletter.  Spoiler alert, you will also get access to my library of organizing printables.  Trust me, these will make your life so much easier!

Now, follow the plan below for success! 

Declutter your home Room By Room  

Remember Rome was not built in a day, or so I am told. Twice a year, I go through each and every room and eliminate what my family no longer needs. I do this in January (after the holidays) and in September (after the summer when the kiddos are back in school). Rarely do I ever have days on end to organize. Going room by room makes the organization process much more manageable, and much harder to put off.  To declutter your home, you have to start somewhere!

Still having a hard time?  Read about Organizing Your Kitchen right here.

So, pick a room, any room. That’s the first step. Pat yourself on the back because step 1 is done!

Hands On Every Item! 

You knew this was coming….you have to get rid of items you don’t need or use! When I am going through each room, I get my hands on every item. I also use this as an opportunity to wipe down drawers, dust places that don’t ever get dusted, etc. Having an understanding of all of the items in your home will help you get rid of things you simply don’t need, or things you have duplicates of. It is not easy for some people to declutter, but remember that each and every item takes up some of your time….time to clean, time to use, time to put away, etc. With this in mind, think about the time you will save not searching for something that is under a pile of other somethings that you haven’t used in years! 

So….for step 2. Hands on all of your stuff. Every last item in whichever room you have chosen. Keep thinking about all of the extra space you will have when you donate the Big Foot slippers you haven’t used in years. Well, please just tell me you haven’t used them in years. And no disrespect to Big Foot, of course.

Create Systems to organize and simplify

Creating systems that will work for you and your family is really important and that is step 3. Spend some time thinking about how your family operates. Your home is a reflection of how you live and how you go about your daily tasks. Resist the urge to decorate before you organize. My dog leashes would look so cute hung above the dog feeding station. But guess what, I don’t walk my pups from over there in the kitchen! In evaluating the tasks you perform daily, start to place items where they make the most sense. This will also make it much easier to maintain these systems over the long haul. 

Don’t Be Afraid To Change What Doesn’t Work 

Step number four is always a painful one for me. There was a time early on where I would spend loads of time decluttering my home and organizing, only to find out after a few months a system didn’t work for my family after all. For example, the dreaded photo albums were a thorn in my side. I spent hours putting them in Costco leather bound albums, complete with remarks and anecdotes. But you know what? My family never looked at them! They were bulky and heavy, and they took up so much room that I had to move my first born to the garage so that I could store them! It was painful, but once I accepted that this was not a manageable system, I was able to make the necessary adjustments. I reworked my photos into clear photo storage organizers by year. My family can just take them out and look through them easily, and they actually do! I am also happy to report that my first born is now allowed to reside back in the house with the additional space saved. 

Spend The Most Time In The Areas You Use The Most 

Even though declutter my home twice a year, I know time is limited. So, I don’t spend a ton of time in the upstairs guest room or game room because they are simply not used that much. The kitchen is the heart of our home, so I devote a lot of my time and energy here. Sure, I would like our puzzles and games to be better organized, but I haven’t had time for this. Since we don’t use those rooms a lot, I had to accept that not every room will be perfect as there is just not enough time in the day. This has freed up time so that I could really streamline my kitchen. Since this is our hub, making this room a priority has really made our daily lives a lot smoother. 

Decluttering your home Is A Marathon, Not A Sprint 

To truly be organized, you have to think of it like a living, breathing being. Life and needs are constantly changing, and so must your organizational efforts. But don’t let that scare you! By reassessing your home twice a year, you can adjust what isn’t working and maintain what is working. And once you get in a routine, you will be able to organize, declutter and simplify like a pro!

Don’t be overwhelmed! You can do this! And if you think you don’t have the time, just start to think about how much time you have wasted looking for your favorite pen, or moving your dusty food processor to get to your blender. 

Sign up for my newsletter to receive your FREE DECLUTTERING CHECKLIST and Home Organizing Bundle!

Do you need even more motivation?  There is a link below to my 30 Day Decluttering Challenge.  I hope it can help you get started!

Need even more motivation? The Spruce has an amazing article How to Declutter Your Home, Room by Room

I promise that if you use these strategies, you will begin to feel more confident AND more relaxed in your home. By putting in some work on the front end, you can declutter your home like a pro and reap the rewards for years to come! Happy decluttering!