Need to clean but aren’t motivated? Learn eight effective methods on how to declutter your home, ranging from simple tidy ups to complete gut and purges! Use the printable list to choose the right one for you, then just start!
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Ever notice how we feel when our homes get a little out of control? Doesn’t much matter whether it’s a cluttered house, a garden full of weeds, or even dishes piled in the sink.
I call this kind of chaos visual unrest. Basically put, what you see is on display like decor. Which will ultimately cause you to see it time and time again. It gets tiring looking at the same undone things, doesn’t it? It’s like living that nagging moment over and over again which makes you feel utterly exhausted without even doing anything yet!
It’s easy to keep putting it off because of the effort or expense involved. However, here’s the thing…
It’s also effort to revisit the chaos every single day. Each one of those problematic scenarios will require some effort at some point. And if left unchecked for too long, that’s where my own mental health suffers. I feel jittery because I can’t find my stuff or it’s just too busy to look at!
Case in point. Over Christmas, my cleaning efforts were dropped because I was too busy. I was left with a worktable that needed decluttering SO bad. Fed up, I removed it all, painted the table, and organized everything back into place by category. I immediately felt lighter, happier, plus I could find my stuff!
And while everyone has a way to clean, I use to be super organized with a list. But I found it too involved, so I took it upon myself to do it by space so I felt instant results which motivated me more. Here’s what I mean:
Get Marie Kondo’s books HERE… they are SO inspiring!
Cleaning in order with the Marie Kondo method
I’ve decluttered and organized using the Marie Kondo method many times. (see my own cleaning series I called From Crap to Clean HERE) Since her books are HUGELY motivating, I recommend reading them! However, I have yet to ever get through her entire list in order suggested due to lack of time. Since the tasks involve topics and not rooms, I never ended up with one full room that would spark joy! So not completing the list always caused me to feel the guilt of failure.
Here’s my way these days…
My own method – space to space using the time I have
These days I tend to choose a space that really needs the storage space reworked, then go for it from 5 minutes to ?, depending on the time I have in that moment. This leads to eventually getting closure on a space well done, plus it looks like a million bucks!
Plus, I have various ways to achieve this. Starting from no motivation, to extreme ready to rumble, I suggest to pick one… any one, and just get going to get plugged in! You wait and see what happens next…
So, wanna win your home back? Pick your adventure below and just get going! Here’s how:
How To Declutter Your Home: 8 Manageable Ways With Printable List!
1. Print out the guide at the bottom of the post, then stick it on your fridge.
2. Choose one option from the list every day.
Helpful supplies you may need:
3 ring binder and clipboard if you are making a journal and planner
Your favorite cleaning machines: I love my cordless dyson the most!
Rags (lots of them)
Water bucket – Sudsy soap and water in a bucket on the go
Fav cleaning products: I’ve really been enjoying Mrs. Meyers cleaning supplies lately! They smell so good!
Donation box (any box will do)
Storage solutions such as a basket, bins, dresser drawers, etc.
Any Marie Kondo book: I suggest The life-changing magic of tidying up
1. Start with a customized DIY journal and planner
Groan… I know. Planners. How boring. But if you’ve found planners aren’t your thing, this one is different. Because YOU are making YOURS!
Read how to make your own printable journal HERE
When I start my day, I can land all over the map, not really getting anything done. That’s when I remind myself to SIT DOWN AND FILL OUT MY JOURNAL.
My DIY journal consists of a list of questions I ask myself, geared to inspire me towards my goals. Then I answer them in a notebook, which creates my to-do list for the day.
This really works, because you are asking the RIGHT questions for YOU. And of course, how to declutter your home can be a large part of this! Plan some time to gitter done!
Shop for a journal here if preferred!
Learn how to set up your own 3 ring binder day planner HERE
Once I’ve completed my answers, I transfer my daily goals into my DIY day planner, which is no more than a 3 ring binder filled with paper, with all the days of the week in front of me. (using left and right pages works better)
This is better than a calendar because there’s more space to write, make lists, plus refer to it at a later date, which I frequently do!
View rustic side table with log storage makeover HERE
2. Zero motivation? Start small.
Let’s start from the very beginning. You flat out don’t want to clean anything up.
I get it. It’s overwhelming and there are those times when you absolutely need to do nothing for a spell. But left for too long, you’ll feel unsettled.
Here’s how to declutter your home even if you don’t want to or only have a minute to spare.
- No matter how I feel, I get off the sofa and clean something super easy.
- Then do ‘just one more’ drawer or table top if you can swing it.
It can be as simple as one junk drawer with too much stuff, or clearing a table top of trinkets. However, choose something that’s been bugging you for awhile so you can immediately feel grateful with the outcome.
What you’re basically doing is plugging yourself in… and once that takes effect, it’s hard to stop. And that’s a good thing!
3. Quick tidy up to remove visual clutter.
Don’t have time for a full day of cleaning? Try removing just the visual clutter at some point every day.
I focus on cleaning off any horizontal surfaces, removing nests in corners, etc. Basically put, misplaced objects all return to their rightful places which creates less chaos to look at.
Then a quick dust or wipe down and you’re good to go for now.
While this method of how to declutter your home isn’t the full picture yet, at least your possessions are put away so you can find them, and the emotion you WILL feel is an overall calm mindset.
Try a stair basket HERE to help organize two different floors.
4. Plan a fix-it day just for easy, small tasks
This section doesn’t really effect HOW to declutter your home, but it will improve it immensely!
Designate one full day to take care of super simple fix-it tasks.
About a year ago, I painted my bifold doors but didn’t replace the handles because I felt they were ugly, so I’d just replace them. That didn’t happen. So for a year I’d kneel on the floor in order to wedge the door open!
During one of these simple fix-it days, I scrounged through my stash, found two raw wood door knobs, attached them to the white bifold doors and LOVED the look!
Two days ago, I fought my unaligned kitchen drawers bang against each other for the last time! I brought up a YouTube video, then followed their advice. Within the hour, my drawers slid closed, smooth as silk.
Two simple fixes that caused so much agony instantly gone!
Find out which are my fav must-have DIY tools HERE to make fixing easier!
5. Deem certain tasks for certain days
Ever notice how you suddenly have no clean laundry? Or you’ve run out of pantry items? Or your home is in complete chaos?
What I do now is delegate certain tasks to certain days so I don’t even worry about those things anymore!
- Thursday I clean out the fridge and mow the lawn because Friday is garbage pickup.
- Friday I do all the laundry.
- Saturday I clean the house.
Pick up a fresh new calendar HERE to start your planning!
6. Double your efforts: do 2 things at once
Before starting any given task, I think, what else can I get going so I can accomplish two things at once?
Since Friday is laundry day, the first thing I do is load up the laundry room washer and dryer so they can work while I do other things. The same goes for the dishwasher.
Any machine that can do work gets going first. Then I carry on with my work day or hobbies. It really helps speed things up.
Make this super handy laundry hanger to dry your clothes HERE
7. GO FULL TILT: Gut, clean, arrange and purge
Out of control spaces are mentally exhausting! If that clutter could talk, it would say, “Look at me again! And again… and again! When are you gonna deal with this so you can forget about it?!”
So if you’re more than fed up with a space and ready to devote some serious time to the task, this is the ultimate choice! Your home will feel brand new again!
- Pick a space.
- Allow at least a full day. Or start anyway with the time you have.
- Gut a room or space as best as you can.
- Clean all areas including walls, windows, brush ceilings, wash floors, etc.
- Push the big main stuff back.
- Add a few other accessories you need.
- Then finally, add in very little back of what you want.
- Pile the rest and label under store, gift, sell or throw out, then follow through.
This is by far my favorite way on how to declutter your home, and it’s how I’ve achieved most of my most outstanding DIYs including:
A single car garage that functions as a fully workable workshop plus space to park
I wanted to park in my single car garage. But it was too messy. So I made a plan to park, then rearrange all my workshop spaces to be fully set up so all I had to do was pull out my truck to work.
While this took me 3 months, this is by far my most successful space makeover to date because it’s still working!
From a clutter filled space to light and airy creative office with organized shelving
This is actually a creative space, but the clutter left me feeling anything but! Plus the room was half done. So I gutted the space, ripped up the rest of the carpet, painted the floor and it’s now totally inspiring to work in!
Other inspiring full room or space makeovers:
Reorganizing a paint shop studio
Dramatic bathroom closet makeover with open storage
Easy closet makeovers using an easy price efficient kit.
Pick up some new house cleaning organizers to help you arrange!
8. Can’t afford changes? Use what you have.
So what if you have grand plans you can’t afford? Trust me, I live that every single day. That’s when I just use what I have. Or find affordable ways to get the job done. Cleaning doesn’t ‘have’ to cost you anything.
- Changing a room? Shop your own home.
- Want to organize and need bins? Raid your recycles or gather up boxes. You can upgrade later.
- Watch Facebook marketplace for items at a discount.
- Pick up unique storage items from thrift stores.
- Swap free stuff with a local facebook group community.
- Make my own shelving storage from scrap wood, like THESE. There’s a DIY shelf for every space!
Want more stylized drawers? Shop for new drawer organizers HERE
In summary
If you picture all the bags of stuff you carry home, it’s my bet you don’t carry that many bags out each time! So it’s inevitable that your home will need your undivided attention to get it back on track.
Once I start to feel stressed, that’s when I try and take some kind of action.
And the results are instant. There’s no greater satisfaction than to get a kitchen island back, or to finally sit down at the end of a long day to a calm and beautiful space you get to enjoy rather than staring at clutter or drywall patches! It’s like having a brand new home again without having to move!
It doesn’t really matter which method you use. It’s just important you do it! Any way that works for you. So print out the list at the bottom of the post, then choose one each day!
How to declutter a home can be done your way. So without a good excuse to not clean, which method and living spaces will you tackle first?
Other how to declutter your home tips:
Deep Cleaning Tips for room to room – with printable list
34+ ways to build DIY shelves for ANY given space!
How to clean white Ikea sofa covers and keep them white!
Learn how I cleaned pet hair from puzzles!
Follow along with my entire cleaning series following the Marie Kondo method
Visit ALL my cleaning tips posts HERE
How to declutter your home with 8 different methods
Instructions:
1. a) Make a DIY journal
- Create a list of questions to help motivate you in a direction, and attach it to a clipboard. Each morning, answer each question in a notebook to help you stay on task. Transfer your tasks to your DIY day planner. (below)
b) Make a DIY day planner
- Fill a 3 ring binder with paper, open it up to paper on the left and right, then list every day of the week at one glance. Enter your journal tasks to stay on track.
2. Zero motivation? Do small tasks.
- Clean up one junk drawer or one table surface. If you feel inclined, push yourself to do one more.
3. Clean all visual clutter from view.
- Clean off any horizontal surface, nests in corners, etc. until your home 'looks' tidy.
4. Plan a fix-it day.
- Walk room to room, and tackle small easy fixes, such as replacing light bulbs, screw on switch plates, replacing door knobs, paint touch-ups, etc.
5. Deem certain tasks for certain days.
- Deem a laundry day, cleaning house day, cleaning out fridge day, etc. so these tasks get done on auto pilot.
6. Double your efforts: 2 things at once
- Before you start your day, start a machine first, such as your washer, dryer, dishwasher, etc.
7. FULL TILT: Gut, clean, arrange and purge
- Choose a space that really needs it. Clear out what you can, clean it, then place back just the needed things. Remove all the rest to donate, sell or throw out. Allow lots of time to stop and start for this level of cleaning.
8. Can't afford changes? Use what you have.
- Shop the house or marketplace for needed furniture, storage bins, etc. You can always upgrade after the work is done if desired. Plus, you'll have far less to store!
Notes
Oh dear, oh dear, decluttering is my worst nightmare. I do like your idea of starting small. That could work. Can you write a tutorial on how to find stuff after the declutter? That’s probably my biggest problem. As soon as I pack something away, I can’t remember where it went and end wasting so much time looking for it again. I’ve become really good at convincing my hubby to put things away for me. That way, I know, he’ll know exactly where he put them 😀