3 Approaches to Decluttering Your Home

If you want to declutter your home but the thought of “where do I even begin?” has you stuck in paralysis, you’ve gotta come up with a plan.

Most times when we feel overwhelmed it’s because we’re not clear on what to do, or because we have no idea how to get started. That’s why you’re here, right?No worries, sis…I got you!

Grab this free decluttering jump-start checklist, and let’s overcome the overwhelm by simply getting started!

There are a few different ways you can approach this important task:

• Organic Approach: declutter as you encounter pain points
• Systematic Approach: declutter one room/space at a time
• Blended Approach :a blend of the two

What is an Organic Approach to Decluttering Your Home?

When you take an organic approach to decluttering your home, you begin to declutter when your clutter “pain points” become so evident that they’re hard to ignore or avoid. These pain points tend to stand out when you notice the need for any of the following:

• less clutter
• more organization
• more space
• a better system
• less clutter

This can happen at any time or any place in your home, and this in not a systematic approach to decluttering. It’s organic because you may declutter under the sink in your bathrooms one day, your desk drawer another day, and maybe next week you tackle the out of control toy situation in your pre-schooler’s room.

My Experience With Decluttering Organically

I started this year on a mission to declutter my entire home, and it seems that I’ve stumbled into an organic approach. If you’re working toward decluttering your entire house, then you know it’s a lofty goal.

Good news, though: according to Pinterest tons of other moms have nailed it, so I’m pretty confident that if they can do it, we can too!

What’s been working well for me is focusing on mini projects as I see the need arise. Here’s what I’ve decluttered so far with this approach:

• my desk drawer
• books
• under bathroom vanity
• bathroom closet
• pajama drawer
• mugs in the kitchen
• plates/bowls/glasses
• clothes I’m no longer wearing
• shoes
• my son’s extra hangers
• a drawer in my son’s dresser
• my son’s toys

Doesn’t it seem like there’s no particular rhyme or reason to the way I’ve been decluttering? While it seems that way at first glance, the reason is this:

When I see that something’s out of order, not functioning well, causing me to avoid what should be a routine, everyday task, it’s a clear sign that I need to create a system (which in my house often involves decluttering first).

While an organic approach is the path that I’ve taken to begin my decluttering journey, I’m pretty certain that it won’t end that way because now I’m ready to start taking advantage of some of the benefits of a more systematic approach to decluttering my home.

Benefits of Organic Decluttering:

• Minimizes clutter “pain points” in the home
• Effects are impactful right away
• Can see decluttering progress in different parts of the home
• Reduces stress in the decluttering process
• Works well for Type-B/free spirited people

Drawbacks of Organic Decluttering:

• Can take longer to declutter
• Hard to plan
• Not a systematic approach
• Doesn’t work well for Type-A/planners

What’s a Systematic Approach to Decluttering Your Home?

When you tackle the task of decluttering in an orderly, methodical fashion, you’re taking a systematic approach to clearing the clutter. Here’s what it might look like in real life:

Decluttering by rooms or zones

Choosing to declutter this way can help you to stay focused with your goal. When you use this method you know exactly what you need to be working on in the present, as well as what your next task will be when you finish what you’re currently decluttering.

For example, you may start in the kitchen, and only complete decluttering projects in the kitchen (mugs, utensils, junk drawer, gadgets, etc.) before you move on to another room or zone in the house.

setting deadlines

When you know which rooms or zones you will be working on, you can set realistic goals and deadlines for yourself.

If you know that you want to have your home decluttered before the fall and winter holidays, or before your in-laws come for a weekend visit this summer, then a systematic approach may be best for you.

There’s no decluttering handbook with rules demanding that you set deadlines, if you take a systematic approach to decluttering your house. And while, it’s not necessary, a systematic approach to lends itself to creating deadlines. For some of us, having a deadline helps guide us through the process, and is the motivation we need to keep the momentum going.

For others, having a deadline only adds to the sense of overwhelm that can come with the Goliath of decluttering your entire house. If this is you, remember that you don’t have to set a deadline, and if you do…there’s no pressure.

using a Decluttering Checklist

Having a decluttering checklist is really like having a cheat sheet. If you feel like you have no idea where to begin, you can just reference your checklist, go in order, and experience sweet victory each time you cross off another item on your list.

Another perk to using checklists is that they allow you to see your progress. Sometimes it may seem like you haven’t accomplished very much, but when you look back at your checklist you can see everything that you’ve already done.

What’s a Blended Approach to Decluttering your home?

A blended approach is a hybrid of the systematic and organic approaches. I thought it was important to include this approach because everyone’s decluttering process is going to look a little differently.

Maybe, like me, you started off with an organic approach, but you’re ready to kick it up a notch. You want to set a deadline and start focusing on one room at a time. That’s perfectly fine!

Or maybe you started off systematically, and because life has happened to you in a really big way, you’re feeling super stressed and want to slow things down a bit. Again, it’s totally ok to switch up the way you go about this.

Final thoughts on Different Approaches to decluttering your home

Remember that there’s not a one-size-fits all approach when it comes to decluttering your home. It’s important that you choose the approach that is going to work best for you and your family.

I’d love to hear from you! Leave me a comment down below, and let me know which approach best suits you?

I’ll leave you with this: regardless of how you start; just start!