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Decluttering can feel like standing at the bottom of Mount Everest with flip-flops on. But guess what? You don’t have to do it all at once. Let’s break it down so it’s totally doable—without losing your mind.

Hold off on buying new bins & baskets

Yes, is it fun to buy cute new bins and baskets and think that will fix everything, absolutely. But it doesn’t work like that. First, cut down on the clutter and then see what’s left and reward yourself with cute new bins and baskets. This way you can be sure that you are buying the right sizes, and you can figure out what needs a drawer, basket or bin with a lid.

Start Small

No, you don’t need to overhaul your entire house in a weekend. Start with one tiny area: a drawer, a single shelf, or that corner of your desk that’s a black hole for paperclips and receipts. Trust me, starting small builds momentum.

Got 15 minutes? Set a timer and go to town on one little spot. When the timer buzzes, celebrate! If you’re on a roll, keep going. If not, no worries—progress is progress.

Break It Down

Big projects are overwhelming, so chunk them into bite-sized pieces. Instead of saying, “I’m decluttering the whole garage today,” try, “I’ll sort the tools.” Boom. Much less scary, right?

We have a small exercise space in the garage and when I am in between exercises I pick 5 things to put back where they belong. By the end of my workout I have usually put all the random tools back, or broken down boxes to be recycled etc. By the end of the week it can be back on track.

Decide What Stays and What Goes

There are several popular ways to tackle clutter but I haven’t found them to be as useful:

Marie Kondo’s Spark Joy Method: Hold each item and ask, “Does this spark joy?”
I am all about fewer better things, but “sparking joy” makes it seem like everything should be perfect. I focus on knowing what “enough” is. Does this sweater “spark joy”? No but its in great shape, its black and goes with everything and I can keep it out of the landfill. I suppose I could go on a mission to find a sweater that sparks joy, but that seems like a waste of my time.
Functional Value: Ask, “Do I actually use this?” or “Does this fit my life right now?” If not, it’s gotta go.
If it falls into a common category of something you would like to use but don’t have time put it aside and promise yourself you will make time for it in X days/weeks/months. If you can’t figure out how to prioritize it then yes, maybe it should go.
Apply the One-Year Rule: If you haven’t used or worn an item in the past year, it’s time to let it go. Exceptions include seasonal items or sentimental keepsakes. Be honest with yourself about whether the item adds value to your life or just takes up space.
Honestly, who the hell wants to wait a year to tackle clutter, this seems like major procrastination and probably how we all end up with so much clutter in the first place.

Give everything a place

Once you have decluttered its time to reward yourself with whatever bins, baskets and drawers you would like. If everything has a defined home it makes it SO much easier to clean up and put away. In my house clutter happens when things don’t have homes, that’s how piles end up getting moved from room to room. Get some inspo at my favorite places, The Container Store, Food52, and JOANN Fabric.

Mix and match these methods to find what works for you. And don’t forget to be kind to yourself.

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