I recently published a post with six popular decluttering methods. After, I heard from a few of you that you were struggling with knowing where to start decluttering.
Sometimes it’s hard to know where to start with decluttering. This is particularly true because of all the decluttering methods available. Not only is it hard to know where to start, but it’s equally hard to know which decluttering method will be the most useful to you.
We are all different and our homes are (or should be) as unique as we are. Of course, none of us have the time or patience to research or try out all those different decluttering methods.
Well, I’ve got you covered. Today we are going to look at 7 popular decluttering methods for where to start decluttering.
But first, let’s look at some factors to consider to help you determine which one is best for you!
Things to Consider in Deciding Where to Start Decluttering
One thing I’ve learned over the years is that no one way works for everyone. In other words, there is no right way or a right place to start the decluttering process.
The only thing that truly matters is that you use a method that works for you.
So with that in mind, there are certain things you should consider to help you decide where to start decluttering in your home. Then pick the method for starting that is best for you.
Consider your unique personality
Are you the kind of person who loves a challenge? Or do you tend to get lost in various projects and want to keep going until it’s done? If so a method that has you going all in may be what is best for you. For example, the decluttering of your home in a weekend method might be a good option.
Or perhaps you are more of the slow and methodical approach kind of person. If so the thought of decluttering your entire home in a single weekend is probably more than a little overwhelming.
In this case, starting with the most straightforward areas or picking a category to tackle one by one is more your speed.
Also, consider how you like your home to feel. Do you gravitate to more minimal spaces? Or do you gravitate towards cozy? This may impact what you decide to declutter or keep.
The key is thinking through your style and how you work best as you go over the various decluttering methods.
Consider the size of your home
I live in a pretty small home so we just don’t have a lot of space. When you’re decluttering a small space there are definitely some unique challenges that should be thought through.
Having your home in disarray as you go through decluttering is stressful for you and your family. If you have limited space in your home to sort through your various items, you may want to limit your decluttering efforts to one room at a time.
You may also want to consider using decluttering time increments. This helps limit the amount of stuff you are pulling out.
Available time to work on decluttering projects
Another important factor in choosing the decluttering method that will work best for you is how much time you have to devote to decluttering.
For example, if you are a stay-at-home mom you have more time to work on decluttering tasks during the week. Yet, at the same time, if you have little ones with you at home the amount of time you can spend on decluttering tasks may be much shorter than someone who has school-age children.
Whereas someone working full time outside of the home may be limited to weekends to perform their decluttering tasks.
The last thing you want to do is end up with a big decluttering project that you have to abandon halfway through because of time constraints. All that does is create even more stress.
Does your schedule make it easier to work in short increments or maybe you want to tackle an entire room knowing you only have one day in the week to work on decluttering projects?
Taking a few minutes to look at your schedule before you start or determine which decluttering method you will use will save you a few headaches down the road.
7 methods for where to start decluttering
One of the things I hear often is that people struggle with decluttering because they don’t know where to start.
The truth is it really doesn’t matter where you start, what matters is that you start. However, because I know that’s easier said than done, I want to look at various decluttering methods that will help you determine where to start decluttering your home.
Pick the one that resonates the most with you and start there.
Start decluttering the bedroom
When someone asks me where to start decluttering, the bedroom is my most recommended area to start in. This is because there are some real benefits to decluttering your bedroom.
The bedroom is where you start and end your day. Having this room clutter-free means it is stress-free, which is how you want to start and end your days.
Not only that, clutter in your bedroom impacts your sleep. So creating a restful and calming bedroom will help you sleep better.
Finally, as you are working on decluttering the rest of the house, you’ll have a calm and peaceful place to escape to when needed.
Start decluttering the area that creates the most stress
The other area I often recommend for starting your decluttering efforts is to start with the area in your home that is causing you the most stress or just generally bothers you the most.
A big part of reducing the clutter in your home is to reduce the stress and excess in your life. So if you start with the area that is creating the most stress you’ll eliminate a good portion of that stress right off the bat.
Realizing how good it feels to have that space decluttered is one of the best motivators for continuing to declutter other areas of your home.
Start decluttering in time increments
Decluttering in time increments is a popular decluttering method. It is most commonly known as the 20-minute method.
With this method, where you start decluttering is really anywhere because your only concern is with the amount of time you spend.
This method works well if you live in a smaller home or have a limited amount of time to devote to decluttering.
It works well for smaller spaces because you’re not taking everything out and making your entire home feel like a mess while you go through the process.
You are only working in time increments and decluttering what you can within that 20 minutes. Whether it be a drawer, shelf, or category type.
20 minutes of decluttering each day (or even 10 minutes) can add up much quicker than you think. You will get a lot accomplished without feeling overwhelmed with the process.
With this decluttering method, all you need is to set a timer on your phone and start tackling those projects one by one.
Start decluttering by categories
When it comes to trying to determine where to start decluttering going through various categories in your home is a great option.
Essentially, you will pick a category such as books, clothing, dishes, games, etc. and that’s where you will start decluttering. You work through the category you’ve selected and then move on to the next category.
If you tend to get overwhelmed with all the clutter in your home this is a great way to start. Instead of focusing on an entire room or area, you just focus on that one category until it’s complete.
Start decluttering room by room
With the room-by-room method, you’re going to declutter one room at a time, room by room. Once one room is completely decluttered you’ll move on to the next room until you’ve gone through your entire home.
The nice thing about this method is that you see noticeable results in each room. This can be very motivating to keep the momentum going.
Start decluttering from easiest to hardest
This is a very popular method if you’re having trouble starting your decluttering efforts.
Basically, you are going to start with the easiest areas to declutter. This would be someplace like the bathroom medicine cabinet. There are not a lot of emotional decisions that have to be made in clearing out that space.
As you make progress with the easier areas of your home you begin to feel the benefits of decluttering. In turn, these benefits help you make the tougher decisions in the harder areas to declutter.
Start decluttering with a weekend plan
I’ll be honest, this is my least favorite method if you’re struggling with where to start decluttering. However, I know it works for some people.
Essentially, this decluttering method has you creating a plan to declutter your entire home in a weekend. I think it works best if you do not have a lot of clutter. Going through your entire home and pulling everything out at once is tough and a pretty extreme method.
If this method does sound like it would work for you, I strongly encourage you to go in with a plan of attack. The last thing you want to do is run out of time with your entire house in disarray.
With a decluttering plan in place, it will guide you on where to start and where to move throughout your home.
Keep Your Decluttering Momentum Going
No matter what method you choose to help you determine where to start decluttering, it’s important to keep your momentum going if you’re going to finish strong.
Now that you’ve started, here are a few tips to help you keep your momentum.
Don’t try to do too much, instead work within manageable time frames. Do this by adding in decluttering efforts as and where you can. As you go about your day and find an item you want to declutter, do it then and there.
Most importantly, don’t forget to celebrate your progress.
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