Easy Ways To Stop Being Overwhelmed By Clutter Now!

When your entire home is overrun with stuff, you can feel so overwhelmed by clutter you might actually consider burning your house down just so you can start over.  Of course, if you are less dramatic you might simply dream of moving in hopes of escaping the clutter.

If you’re feeling this way I promise you’re not alone. In fact, the majority of us have too much stuff. So much so that cluttered homes have become “normal”.

Our homes are filled with stuff, just so much stuff. Stuff is out everywhere just because there’s no place to put it. Really is it any wonder we feel so overwhelmed?  Clutter can make you feel as though you’re smothering in the things you once loved.

When this is where you’re at, decluttering your home can feel very overwhelming. This is especially true when you don’t even know where to start.

Perhaps you might even feel like you’re trying really hard to get control of all that clutter and it’s just not working. But here’s the thing, you need to stop. I don’t mean stop decluttering, I mean stop the trying hard part.  Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be so hard.

How To Stop Being Overwhelmed By Your Clutter

The goal here is simplifying, which will, well — make your life simpler. Here’s the good news, you don’t need expensive de-cluttering courses. Nor do you need to own a small store worth of organizing supplies.  You don’t even need unlimited hours of time.

You can get started decluttering even when you feel overwhelmed by clutter. So let’s let go of the struggle and get started.

1. Don’t Start with Stuff That’s Out

One of the things that prevent us from making progress or even getting started with decluttering is the idea that we have to clean the house first. You can start decluttering while your house is a mess! In fact, it’s the best time to start!

The reality is the stuff that’s out cluttering up your floors and surfaces is what’s being used not what you need to get rid of.  Think about it, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to start your decluttering efforts with everything you regularly use.  Am I right?

Leave the mess alone for now.  Instead, open those closet doors and pull out what’s collecting dust. Dig out those items very deep under the beds that you don’t use and don’t need to keep. The back of the drawers and cabinets are filled with items you can and should toss.

By clearing the clutter in these areas you’ll make a place for all the stuff that’s out to live.

When everything has a place to go, it makes cleaning up that mess so much easier and quicker!

2. View Each Area as a Separate Project

When you’re feeling overwhelmed by clutter because you don’t know where to start, ask yourself what is creating the overwhelm. More often than not, it’s just the sheer size of the project.

Look, I totally get it, when your home is overrun with clutter there is so, so much to tackle. As you look around you can’t escape that feeling that clearing it will not only exhaust your physical time, but it will zap your mental energy as well. However, instead of looking at conquering clutter in your house as one big project let’s break it down to one thing at a time one day at a time.

Pick just one area to declutter that’s it!

A hall closet, a single drawer, or a bathroom cabinet.  You can also break it down by room or by items, think all clothing or all toys.  By creating zones or sections it will be so less overwhelming and you’ll know exactly where to start!

3. Commit

I can give you every possible de-cluttering secret hack or tip there ever was, but if you’re not going to do the work it’s not going to help you.  Sorry, but that’s just the hard truth.

Decluttering tips are not magical.  You must be willing to commit to doing the work.

It’s just like if you decide to start eating healthier food, it’s not gonna happen if you don’t do the work of going to the grocery store and stocking up on fruits and veggies instead of chips and ice cream.

You have to make a commitment to do the work or absolutely nothing will change.

If you really want to declutter your home, make an appointment with yourself.  Think about it like it’s a doctor’s appointment.  You’re not going to cancel the doctor’s appointment just because you don’t feel like going or you’re tired or it’s time for your favorite show.

Treat decluttering appointments the same way.

You may not want to hear this, but because I want you to be successful I’m going to tell you anyway, you’re overwhelmed by clutter because you allow things to “come up” and take over your time.

The truth is, the only way you will ever get a handle on your clutter is to prioritize purge times and commit to it!

4. It Isn’t All or Nothing

One of the single biggest roadblocks to getting a handle on your clutter is looking at your entire home as one ginormous project that you have to complete all at once. Really, how can you expect to be anything but overwhelmed by clutter when thinking this way.

I want you to listen to me carefully here; decluttering your home is not all or nothing!

Just like an infant goes through various stages of sleep and you have to adjust accordingly, it’s the same with your house.  In the beginning, your beautiful newborn wakes every 2 hours and you grab sleep whenever you can. Eventually, your baby starts sleeping through the night and you suddenly have hours of uninterrupted sleep yourself.

Similarly when you’re in the infant stages of decluttering you steal occasional hours just trying to keep up with the housework.  But as your decluttering efforts grow, it won’t be long before you feel as if you have uninterrupted hours to declutter because there is so much less to do.

It isn’t all or nothing and it isn’t about perfection. What it is about, is enjoying your home and most importantly the people in your home.

You may not be able to conquer an entire room but you can do something and make it just a little bit better than yesterday.  If you continue little by little eventually you’ll have big results.

Make a dent in your clutter as the moments of life allow without sacrificing the essentials. Even though you may have a long way to go focus on that dent and just keep going.

5. Go For the Quick Win

More often than not, we are overwhelmed by clutter because we don’t know what to do or where to start.

Starting in a place that will give you a quick win, gives you a feeling of accomplishment.  This feeling will dramatically boost your confidence.  As your confidence grows you overcome the overwhelm and move forward.  Really it’s a domino effect, as you knock out one area it motivates you to knock out more and more.

So start your decluttering efforts someplace easily. Try decluttering the medicine cabinet, under the sink, or your kitchen pantry. Just pick a place that has stuff you can easily toss.

Most importantly, remember the best way to defeat overwhelm is to do something!

6. Take Before and After Photos

When you’re overwhelmed by clutter, it can take some time before you begin to see a noticeable difference.  It can be very discouraging when you look around your home and feel like you didn’t make any real progress.

The perfect way to overcome this type of discouragement is with before and after photos.  By snapping a few photos before you begin decluttering you will quickly see all the progress your hard work accomplished.

Looking at the pictures can also be a great motivator to keep going.

7. Join a Clutter Challenge

You can sign up for any number of really great and free decluttering challenges.  In fact, I have a list of 7 can’t miss decluttering challenges that range from one week to 6-week challenges.

You will be guided by specific decluttering assignments as part of the decluttering challenge. Having to think about what you should declutter will be eliminated.

Another great benefit of joining a de-cluttering challenge is you don’t have to feel like you’re doing this alone. With most challenges, you’ll receive regular emails guiding and cheering you through the process.

Not only do these challenges make you feel like you’re not alone, but they also create a level of accountability. Many of them even come with Facebook groups.

Make sure to check out the list of decluttering challenges here.

Decluttering Doesn’t Have to Be Hard

Decluttering your home doesn’t have to be hard.  You can stop being overwhelmed by clutter now!  Just remember it’s okay to start when your house is a mess, so leave the stuff that’s out alone.  Focus on one small area or project at a time, and make a commitment to do the work.  You’re not going for perfection so do what you can when you can.

Keep yourself motivated with those quick wins and don’t forget to snap those before and after photos.  Also, remember you don’t have to go it alone, there are plenty of decluttering challenges to provide lots of support.