Are you overwhelmed thinking about where to start decluttering your home? If so, there’s no need to stress! Simply choose one of these quick and easy ideas, and you’ll be on the road to clutter-free living in no time.
We all know that the hardest part of any big project is taking the first step, and decluttering your home is no exception.
After all, most people have spent their entire lives accumulating stuff, little by little, year after year.
… Or if you’re anything like me, it was lots and lots, year after year.
As a reformed shopaholic, I know what it’s like to live in a home that’s bursting at the seams. Closets, cupboards, and drawers—every available space filled to the brim with “stuff”.
It’s suffocating, but the thought of letting go can be terrifying. There’s so much to do and you have no idea where to start decluttering.
It’s enough to make you want to crawl back into bed and hide from the world—but don’t give up. Instead, keep reading for tips on how to take your first steps.
Once you do, I promise you’ll be surprised by how easy it is to clear the clutter.
How Do I Start to Declutter My House?
If you’re new to decluttering, the first thing to know is that it’s a two-part process, which involves practical AND emotional decisions.
Both are equally important. You need a decluttering plan that will help you get the job done, but checklists alone won’t get you far.
You also need to work on your mindset. These are the thoughts and beliefs that allowed your home to become cluttered in the first place.
This is where I recommend you begin but don’t worry; it’s not complicated. Simply take five minutes and ask yourself these questions before you start decluttering:
- Why do I want to declutter my home?
- What am I creating space for in my life?
- What matters most to me?
When you’re done, I want you to keep these answers close to your heart. They’re going to help you stay focused on why you’re decluttering, which in turn will help you stay motivated.
They will also help you decide what to keep while decluttering. Whenever you feel overwhelmed or confused, check-in with your answers. Ask yourself, “Does this item take me closer or further away from the life I want most?”
Related Post: 4 Thoughtful Questions to Ask When Decluttering
5 Quick + Easy Ways To Start Decluttering Your Home
Once you’ve done the mindset work, the next step is to decide where to start decluttering in your home. I recommend choosing a small project from the following list.
Don’t overthink it—just choose one and don’t worry about the rest of your house for now. It will only overwhelm you. Instead, stay focused on completing the job at hand.
Then when you’re done, choose another project and repeat the process.
CLEAR A PROBLEM AREA
One of my top decluttering tips is to start with a problem area.
Think about your home. Is there a spot that causes you a lot of stress and frustration?
For example, do you have a table near your front door where everyone dumps keys, mail and other random items? Does this stress you out because you can never find what you need on your way out the door?
If so, then this is an excellent place to start decluttering because it will have an immediate impact on your life.
It’s not a big job but it makes your life easier. Every morning, you’ll be able to find exactly what you need instead of feeling stressed. What better way to start your day?
That positive feeling will motivate you to tackle your next decluttering project, creating momentum. It’s win-win all around.
Of course, this is just one example. You might not have a front table like this, but odds are there’s somewhere in your home that creates a lot of unnecessary stress.
CREATE A CLUTTER-FREE OASIS
Another idea is to use decluttering as a form of self-care.
Is there a spot in your home that’s just for you? A little oasis where you can retreat and recharge? If not, why don’t you create one?
It doesn’t have to be an entire room. Instead, choose to declutter a tiny nook or a corner of your bedroom—somewhere that you’re not enjoying now because there’s too much clutter.
When you’re finished, you’ll feel the satisfaction of a job well done AND you’ll have a beautiful place where you can relax!
Tip: Before you begin decluttering, take a few minutes to picture how you’ll feel in your new space. Keep these feelings in mind while you’re decluttering. It will help you maintain perspective and remind you why you took on this project.
PICK AN EASY WIN
If you find decluttering overwhelming, you might find it easier to choose a space with minimal emotional attachment.
For example, you could declutter:
- Under your kitchen sink
- Your medicine cabinet
- Your sock drawer
- Your kitchen pantry
Choose a place where you’re unlikely to encounter any expensive or sentimental items. This way, you don’t have the added pressure of dealing with emotional baggage.
Instead, you can stay objective and get the job done quickly. This will help build your confidence so you can tackle bigger projects like decluttering your closet.
CREATE VISUAL CALM
Are you a visual person? Does looking at clutter stress you out? If so, you might want to start your decluttering by tackling a large surface.
For example, in my home, this would definitely be the kitchen island. It’s the main focal point of our living area and, when it’s clear, my entire house instantly feels lighter.
If that doesn’t appeal to you, you might want to do your dining room table, your desk, or even just the front of your fridge. Decluttering these simple spaces can create the illusion of a clutter-free home, which will encourage you to keep going.
CHOOSE ONE ITEM YOU REALLY STRUGGLE WITH
This is a different approach that works well for some personalities—but it’s not for everyone.
If you like a challenge, choose to start by decluttering ONE item that you really struggle with. It might be a sentimental item, like a gift from your grandparents, or it could be something really expensive that you regret spending money on.
Pick your item and then don’t worry about the rest of your house. Instead, work on whatever’s holding you back from letting it go.
It’s simple because you only have one thing to declutter, but it’s complicated because you’re dealing with the messy, emotional side of decluttering. It won’t be easy, but when you’re finished, you’ll know that you can handle anything that comes your way.
Tip: If you decide to try this method, I recommend reading, Mindful Decluttering, my free decluttering guide and workbook. There’s an extensive troubleshooting section, which will help you overcome your biggest decluttering challenges. Get instant access by subscribing, using the form below.
More Decluttering Strategies + Resources
Hopefully, you now know where to start decluttering your home. This is a significant first step—but if you’re still feeling overwhelmed, here are more strategies and resources to help you.
If you need the motivation to get started, check out:
- 6 Powerful Benefits of Decluttering Your Home + Life
- 8 Tips That Will Help You Find Motivation to Declutter
- The Most Surprising Way Decluttering Improves Your Life
If you want more tips and ideas, check out:
- 7 Secrets For A Decluttered Home (That Might Surprise You!)
- 20 Simple Things You Can Do To Declutter and Live Minimally
- 23 Decluttering Ideas That Will Create Space In Your Home + Life
And finally, if you want …
- a step-by-step decluttering plan
- video coaching to help you overcome your biggest decluttering challenges
- resources to help you declutter your schedule
… and more tools to empower minimalist living, then check out my signature program, Clear Your Clutter. I’ve worked with women from all over the world, and I’d love to help you create the freedom and ease that you deserve too.
Are you ready to clear the clutter? Comment below and let us know where you plan to start decluttering your home!
Hi, I am struggling with how to recoup some of the vast amount of money I have spent on my beautiful items . I feel I should at least try to sell before donating or tossing but it’s hard people do seem to want things for nothing these days. I’ve tried a couple of tabletop sales & I haven’t asked for much £2-5 for items that cost 10x+ more & they they will offer £1 or 50p it’s insulting & soul destroying.
So I am SO ready to ‘get rid’ but I don’t know what to do .
I have also found that British Charity shops are very choosy & frequently state ‘No donations today’ maybe it’s because everybody is on the decluttering train!
Help please I am becoming very despondent. I just can’t bring myself to take stuff to landfill
Good ideas. My problem is that my house is too small for the number of people & pets that live here so every area that I declutter quickly becomes cluttered. Looking for ways to manage a large extend family & pets in a small house. Unable to move as finances are limited.
I’d love to see an article about how to dispose of the de-cluttered items, specifically around how to get rid of gently used things during COVID-19. Personally, I’m not interested in interacting directly with a charitable organization and a garage sale is out of the question. Should I be cleaning items first before giving away or selling them, and how to I let people know this?
Hi Paula, I agree—this would be a great article! But unfortunately, I don’t think I’m qualified to write it. I live in Australia so I only have firsthand experience with charities here. One of my local charities accepts donations once a month so the items can “quarantine” before the staff handle it, but I’m not sure what is happening in the States. I will see if I can find some resources and if so, I’ll share them on Facebook. But I don’t want to overstep and write an article when I’m not qualified to do so. Thanks for reading!