How To Start Decluttering When Overwhelmed

How to start decluttering when overwhelmed! If you're sick of the mess and clutter at home but don't know where to begin, our expert decluttering tips will help.

Clutter is something that can just sneak up on you gradually over time and it's really easy to slide into living in a disorganised, cluttered house and barely notice until you feel overwhelmed!

We've got easy, achievable decluttering techniques and strategies for tackling the clutter at home and helping sort your life out, that work even when you feel totally overwhelmed and don't know where to start. 

How To Start Decluttering When Overwhelmed

Decluttering When Overwhelmed - First Up - Be Kind

I think it's essential to be kind to yourself! Sure clutter and mess happen but it's not the end of the world and it's certainly something that can be put right easily. 

Anything can be accomplished if you really want it. Even if it takes baby steps and time.

Some people enjoy living in cluttered houses, it suits them and their lifestyle and that's great, you should only declutter if you actually want to. 

However, if you're the type of person who hates clutter and wants to sort it out and live life with less then that's great too.

But be kind to yourself, it probably took a good while for your house to get cluttered up and disorganised, so relax and take your time getting it cleaned up. Decluttering can actually be a process and journey you can enjoy.

Take a before and after photo - that way you can check up on progress and feel great about what you've achieved so far! 

Decluttering When Overwhelmed - Just Start, But Slowly

Psych yourself up, put aside an hour of your time and JUST START, but... start small, ease into it.

It's best if you can take your time, really invest yourself in the project. Grab a pad and pen and walk around every room in your house and make a list of every single little thing you'd like to declutter, clean up or get sorted.

And even if that's all you do today, that's a huge step towards decluttering. 

Sit down with a coffee and look through your list - highlighting all the areas which really drive you mad and then prioritise those areas to clean up first. 

Decluttering When Overwhelmed Using The Four Box System

This is one of the most simple decluttering techniques to try. If this is the method you're going with, get your self four boxes and make a start!

When carrying out a BIG declutter it's a great idea to grab yourself four boxes and whenever one gets full, deal with it.

You can make this process as fast or slow as you like, even just dedicating 1-2 hours a week to decluttering, you'll finish eventually.

Decluttering Box One - items to keep but store away

• Things you want to keep but don't need to have in your day to day life.

• These are things that can be stored away in the back of the cupboard, loft, under the stairs, attic or cellar. Items that have value to you, but that you don't need free and easy access to on a day to day basis.

Decluttering Box Two - items to sell or donate to charity

• These are items you no longer want, but they're too good to just throw away.

• You may want to sell them or donate them to charity. Whichever suits you.

Decluttering Box Three - rubbish for recycling

• Fill this box with recyclable rubbish.

Wondering what you can declutter in a weekend - get our list of five here and clear up your space! 

Decluttering Box Four - rubbish for trashing

• This is your tip box, when this is filled take it to the tip, throw it in the bin, get rid! This is rubbish that can't be recycled, sold or donated to charity.

Get More How To Clean Tips Here

How To Start Decluttering When Overwhelmed - Easily And Slowly

If you're really struggling to get motivated - try out our 30-day declutter challenge.

A super simple way to ease into decluttering, tackling just one are of your home a day for 30 days.

How To Declutter - Room By Room

When it comes to decluttering when overwhelmed, it's important to take baby steps and be kind to yourself. Even taking a break and coming back to things is fine.

Once you've worked your way through our 30-day declutter challenge - then make a start on everything that's left.

Work through the house room by room, tackling each area in turn.

Declutter in a way that suits your lifestyle and timescales. Maybe it means tackling everything in just 1 week or perhaps dedicating just 15 minutes a day to getting a little done at a time.

Work in a way that makes you happy, and that you feel you'll be able to keep up with.

How to get motivated to do the housework - for those times when you really need a kick start!

How To Organise And Find A Home For The Things You're Keeping

When you've decided what you're actually keeping then find a home in your house for it - dedicate a space where you know it can fit, look good and be easy to get when you want it. That way it's easy to find and easy to tidy up. 

This may mean doing a room-reset. Where you get out everything in that room, sort it into like kinds and place it back in cupboards in the best possible way for how you use the room.

Organising is going to be a personal thing, people use their homes differently, have different belongings and storage options. You need to put things where they make sense to you and your life.

How To Keep On Top Of Clutter

Once you've decluttered and got your house to how you like it, then it's a good idea to try to keep on top of things.

Work out a housework routine that suits you - we've lots of tips on creating an easy housework routine here. Be sure to tailor the routines to suit your lifestyle and where possible getting everyone in the household to help out, is always the best option.

Need a quick re-set you might like our how to declutter instantly in less than 1 hour!

Decluttering When Overwhelmed - The Life Changing Benefits Of Decluttering

Decluttering and living with less has a really positive impact on my lifestyle from gaining a sense of what's important, to enjoying the additional space and having a sense of wellbeing and happiness.

Find out more about the life changing benefits of decluttering here. It can actually boost your mental health.

Get more home and garden tips here