I never thought I would be decluttering, because I didn’t feel like I had too much stuff. I wouldn’t admit it to myself, but having to much stuff made it feel impossible to keep my home clean.
How Did I Get Here?
My family moved across the United States in the summer of 2024.
We moved 4 states away, which meant that we had to hired a semi truck and movers, because we were not going to do it alone, with our new infant son.
After we moved, we started unpacking the massive amount of things that we had. I couldn’t believe that we still had so much even after we had gotten rid of most of our furniture.
We unpacked and unpacked and I realized that even though our new apartment was bigger it still felt packed. I was confused. How did people keep their home baby-friendly, clean, and not packed?
How it Began. . .
I stumbled across a video from Minimalist Home on Youtube. She was talking about how you can get rid of things that you aren’t using, to create space for the life that you want to live.
I was interested! Creating a home I wanted to be in sounded amazing!
I did not start right away. It was the beginning of the holiday season and I had a baby that I was trying to keep safe.
Even though I couldn’t start, I was able to watch educational videos. Cas from Clutterbug and The Minimal Mom were two other creators I found that helped me a lot!
I started watching their videos one after another. I began thinking about how to take the lessons they teach and apply them to create a home I cherished.
Using what I was learning led me to start decluttering my mother in laws house. Over the week and a half I was there we helped her declutter almost her entire first floor.
I was AMAZED at how much easier it was to clean her home and I was ready to try it out on my home too!
Finally, we made it through the holidays and I was home ready to attack it like an animal that needed to be tamed.
I wanted to start where it would make the biggest difference. I started with the kitchen counters.
The counters constantly gathered clutter and it was an repeated argument between my husband and me. I figured that if I could make the counters better than maybe we would argue less! Win, win.
I spent any extra time I could find working on decluttering. Guess what. . . It worked!
How to Begin Decluttering?
Step 1 – Make a Plan
List out all the areas in your home and circle the ones that are the most important to you.
Rewrite the list in order of most important to least important. I left the most intimidating room for last too.
Now take that first room and break up the small pieces you have the time and energy to tackle in one sitting.
Step 2 – Gather Supplies
TRASH BAG, BAG, AND 2 BOXES PICTURE
To start gather a trash bag, a box for donate things, a bag for extras, and a sentimental box.
The trash bag is for trash. The donate box is for items to donate. The extra’s bag is for things that don’t belong in that space. The sentimental box is for ANY item that has feelings attached to it.
Step 3 – Set an Alarm and a Minimum Time
Set an alarm for the same time everyday when you are going to make an effort to declutter.
Stop waiting for the perfect long chunk of time to start decluttering, and just get started!
Figure out how much time you can dedicate every day. I really like working in 15 minute chunks.
Maybe you can only do 5 minutes, maybe 20. You decide, but this is going to be a promise to yourself to work on it everyday!
Step 4 – Accountability Buddy
Decide who you can text a picture to of your progress each day.
It should be someone that will celebrate with you the smallest progress and will check in if they haven’t heard from you.
Step 5 – Take Before Pictures and Let’s Get Started!
Take before pictures of each space because it can feel like you are making no progress because your brain adjusts to the new space quickly.
Taking before and after pictures helps you prove to yourself that you are making a difference each day and helps you show yourself and others that you are succeeding in your goal!
You are creating a home where you feel more confident EVERYDAY!
How to Start Decluttering when Overwhelmed?
When your whole house feels overwhelming it can be hard to begin!
The best thing to do is to set a timer and focus on one SMALL area. Like one shelf or one box. Take before and just begin. You will make the space better no matter what!
How to Declutter when I don’t have Enough Time?
You have 5 minutes! I know you do. Get up early, do it while heating dinner, do it during an add on Youtube!
Set a timer and get it done!
I recommend signing up for the 30 Day Decluttering Challenge from Clutterbug. I have done it more than once now and it is amazing to have someone there talking to me while I work!
How do I Declutter with Children?
My one year old loves when I declutter, because he gets to play with the boxes of stuff on the floor. I just have to make sure that all the stuff on the floor stays in the donate boxes and doesn’t move back into my home.
If you don’t want the donations played with, move the box into a closet or the car so it is ready to be donated!
How can I Declutter other Adult’s Items?
If they are living with you, don’t get rid of their things without them. You would be mad if they got rid of things without talking to you.
You can make a pile to ask them about later. My husband often will look at a pile I make of possible donations and he lets it go too.
You can ask them to put it somewhere else that is out of the way.
You may be surprised how they are willing to let things go once they see the benefits of your decluttering!
How can I Declutter Kids Items?
I just get rid of my one years old things right now because he doesn’t care.
As he gets older I will use treasure boxes and time will tell bins to help him organize and declutter.
What is a Time Will Tell Bin?
The Minimal Mom talks a lot about Time will tell bins.
Time will tell bins are really just a holding spot where you test out if you will miss the item. You pick a bin and write a deadline on it of one to six months.
Fill up the bin with items you want to test to see if you will miss them. Put it some where out of the way, but accessible.
If you need something out of it, you can go grab it and add it back to your home, but otherwise leave everything in it until the date.
At the deadline you know that you have not missed anything in the box and can safely donate the contents.
I am testing out these small storage containers in the time will tell bin. I think that I don’t use them, but I want to check!
This works with kids toys really well! They can ask for one toy specifically and you can go grab that one toy for them. You will be surprised how much they are willing to let go of!
What is a Treasure Bin?
This is bin full of special things to your child. They can put anything special to them in the treasure bin, but it has to fit in the bin.
Every time it gets too full you will go through the bin with them and get rid of items that are not so special anymore to make room for the future special treasures.
List of Resources I Used to Begin
Minimalist Home on Youtube
Clutterbug on Youtube
30 Day Decluttering Challenge from Clutterbug
Minimal Mom on Youtube
Dana K White on Youtube
Have you Tried Decluttering? How did/is it going?
Share your stories in the comments below!
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Great post full of practical tips! I love the process of decluttering and making a move to a new home is a good catalyst to kick off the journey!
I wish I had done more decluttering before we moved! I am grateful for moving though, because it gives you the chance to live without your stuff, so you have a better idea what you use.
Thanks for commenting!