Key Points
- Not every decluttering project needs to start with physical work. Start by writing a clear list of tasks.
- Break big projects into small tasks. Focus on one room or tidy misplaced items—small wins ease overwhelm and boost motivation.
- Set a timer, use a clutter box, or invite a friend to make organizing feel more manageable.
Clutter can easily sneak up on you. One day, your home is feeling breezy and organized, and the next, it’s a pile of mail, random items, and way too many mismatched socks. But don’t worry, you don’t have to conquer it all in one day.
Professional organizers have tricks up their sleeves to help break down the overwhelm and make the whole process feel a lot more manageable. Here are several simple methods to get you started without the stress.
Write Down the Spaces That Need Cleaning
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According to Jessica Litman, professional organizer and founder of The Organized Mama, one of the best ways to start a decluttering project isn’t gabbing sorting bins—it’s reaching for a pen.
Litman writes down all the areas that need attention by starting from the front door and making her way around the house. As you go, get specific in the areas you write down. Instead of jotting down vague areas like kitchen counters, break it into bite-sized tasks—kitchen island, counter to the left of the stove, and so on.
“By breaking up the tasks, you’ll be motivated to accomplish just one of those tasks,” Litman says. “Which can then snowball into completing more projects than you have listed!”
According to Litman, writing down your cleaning tasks serves a powerful purpose. For one, it gives you the satisfaction of crossing them off—small wins that can help build momentum. Just as important, it reinforces your intention to tackle the mess, which can be surprisingly motivating once it’s on paper.
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Corral the Clutter in a Catch-All Box
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Need a quick reset? Try the “clutter box” method. If your mess is mostly made up of paper piles, random items, or day-to-day debris, this trick from professional organizers might be just what you need.
Grab a medium-size box and do a quick sweep of any surfaces that feel chaotic—think unopened mail, old magazines, scattered toys, or stray receipts. Don’t worry about sorting or making decisions just yet. The goal here is to reduce visual clutter and create some instant calm.
Once the surfaces are clear, pause and enjoy the open space you’ve created. If it feels easier to breathe, that’s by design. Now, here’s the clever part: Set the box aside for 48 hours. If no one in your home asks about anything in it, you’ll likely feel confident donating or tossing the contents—no second-guessing required.
Choose One Room to Tackle
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Feeling up for a bigger project? Start with just one room. On days when she’s ready to take on more, Litman commits to fully tidying a single space. But there’s one key rule: don’t leave the room until it’s done.
“To avoid getting sidetracked, I place anything that doesn’t belong just outside the door,” she explains. “That way, I’m not wandering off to return things and losing focus in another room.”
So, where should you start? For Litman, it’s always the bedroom.
“If I do the room method, I will always start with the bedroom,” she says. Why? “Because it’s the one space that needs to feel calm in order to support good sleep,” she says.
A clean bedroom, she adds, doesn’t just look good—it helps you recharge for your next organizing task more effectively.
Gather Inspiration
Melissa James, founder of Our Happy Hive, likes to gather inspiration before diving into a decluttering project, as it’s often just the spark she needs to get started.
For example, when a friend struggled to start a bookshelf refresh, she encouraged them to collect photos of styled bookshelves they admired.
“We browsed stores and texted each other random items that were inspiring,” James says. “Ideas started to flow.”
Whether it’s scrolling Pinterest or dog-earring a few dream spaces in magazines, curating a visual reference can help you create a clear vision—and make the task ahead feel a little more compelling.
Look for Items That Already Have a Place
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One of the biggest roadblocks to getting organized? Decision fatigue. Sorting through clutter often means making dozens of small choices about where things go—and that mental load can be downright paralyzing.
To ease the overwhelm, Litman recommends starting with what you already know.
“If you’re staring at a mess on your kitchen counter, scan for the obvious out-of-place items—maybe it’s kids’ shoes, car keys, or some batteries,” she says. “Remove anything that doesn’t belong and return it to its designated home.”
By clearing out the visual noise, what’s left is a more manageable space filled only with items that belong—making the next steps feel far less daunting.
Set a Timer for Quick Tidying
If you suspect that a touch of gamification might help jumpstart your tidying routine, try turning clean-up time into a mini challenge. Set a timer for 10 or 15 minutes and see how much you can accomplish before the buzzer goes off.
Since a short burst won’t tackle an entire room, zero in on one quick-win task—like clearing off the kitchen counters, sorting the mail, or folding that lingering pile of laundry. The goal isn’t perfection; it’s progress.