8 everyday decisions to keep clutter under control
I’m writing this at 6 a.m. in my kitchen, listening for the pitter-patter of toddler feet which will likely come any minute. As I look around to consider what I want to say and how, I see several things out of place—not returned to their homes but also some items that…hmmm, what’s the plan here? Will I keep this? Do I even want this? Where will it live? I can’t put that away until xyz happens.
“Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” – Barbara Hemphill
Even as a professional organizer. Even as a minimalist. Even as a mom who KNOWS IN HER CORE that I function 1000000000% better without clutter (I feel easily overloaded because of my anxiety)—I can still be guilty of NOT making easy/quick/timely decisions that would instantly cut down on my surface clutter .
(Truth time, I did need to pause to put the items away and add one to the donate pile! It was too distracting to avoid because it was in my line of sight.)
This is your home, your family, your rules. That’s pretty empowering, right? So, put on your Courage Pants, boss up, and make decisions with confidence.
ONE Is this worthy of being in my home, of my hard-earned money, of my time/energy to care for > does purchasing this align with my needs, my values, my family’s best interests? > where will it live when it comes home with me > will I be able to use this as an upgrade to something else and therefore I’m bringing one in but letting one go?
Be proactive and don’t passively let clutter happen to you. Pay attention to your purchases. Know your priorities for saving, spending, and accumulating. Hold yourself accountable. It’s not about depriving yourself, it’s about making seemingly unfavorable choices right now (aka resisting impulse buys at the checkout line of Home Goods) to reap huge, way-better rewards soon (a zeroed out credit card debt).
It also feels important here to mention that your dollar can go to big corporations that donate to causes you absolutely don’t believe in, OR you can buy from a small business owner whose mission and purpose inspires you!
TWO I love the expression “a gift to your future self.” And I love to think of tiny acts of care I can do now that provide me with relief later (whether I realize it or not).
before bed, I set the coffee to start brewing at 6 AM
when I buy a new item, I immediately welcome it by taking off the tags, getting it ready for use, and place it in its intended home
packing lunch, snacks, and water for a job so I don’t wind up rushing into Wawa hangry and parched and make adverse choices that will NOT help me reenergize
making a quick checklist of items I need to pack for a non-routine event so I don’t forget
spending a few minutes Sunday morning clearing out any old food from the fridge, taking inventory, meal prepping, and making a grocery list
When you are living life at your best, what big or small things do you do that set you up for success, reduce chaos at home, and serve as gifts to your future self?
THREE Make a definitive plan to combat the “I’ll do that later” or “Let’s deal with that tomorrow” mentality. The next step is, to define later, to create time/space/energy the next day to tackle it, to recognize that we are giving our future selves extra work. Own it, and make a concrete plan. (This is where people tend to trip up.)
It’s perfectly fine if it’s the end of the day and you have zero capacity; this happens to me sometimes after a hard day’s work in a garage in the rain/cold, for example, and I’ll say to my wife, “I promise to do the dishes in the morning.” And then I do—because I know myself and I have the most energy and determination for these tasks first thing to knock them out of the way.
When do YOU have the most energy? Focus? When do you feel the least amount of pain in your body? What’s your sweet spot for addressing unsettled business? Know yourself and do what works for you.
If it’s a family affair, talk it out. And literally schedule it like a dance recital or parent-teacher meeting. “OK, we are wasting too much time every day looking for sports equipment and we keep buying duplicates of items we store in there because you can’t even see what’s on the shelf anymore. I’m scheduling all of us for 2 hours this Saturday morning to tackle. Donuts on me.”
When it comes to decluttering, teamwork truly makes the dream work!
FOUR Know that your time has worth, and you have some control over how you utilize your time. Most of my clients are juggling SO many balls, constantly busy, doing all the things. So when my clients say, “I’ll post this online to sell,” I say, “Do it right now, while I’m here!” because we all know how easy it is to let piles accumulate that we intend to address. When you have the thought, act on it, and I’m here for accountability and to help make sure you get. it. done.
The thing is, if you believe you can make actual money for this, and you think the time, energy, back-and-forth with potential buyers is worth it, make the commitment and do it. Price it to sell. You don’t want to have a store of items collecting dust around your home because you’re trying to get top dollar for your used items. Give yourself limits:
The absolute lowest offer I will accept is…
I’m willing to spend x amount of time each day communicating with potential buyers…
If this has not sold by next Friday, I will donate it to…
If a scammer is attempting to come at me online, I will…(if you’re new to online sales, please do some quick research on signs that someone is trying to scam you; unfortunately, it happens too often)
The signs I will observe in myself for overwhelm (and then will give myself permission to take down the ad) are…
FIVE If it takes only a minute or two, just do it now. Right now.
I’m looking at you junk mail, unopened Amazon packages
Putting the reusable shopping bags back in the car (or in their designated spot)
Instead of putting your coffee mug in the sink, place it right into the dishwasher
Hang your towel back up after a shower
If something is on the stairs, TAKE IT UP. You know it’s intended to go to its home the next time someone heads up. Be that guy!!
When you’re heading to bed, take with you the hat / socks / hoodie that you stripped earlier and put it in the laundry basket or back in your closet; it’s literally on your way
Hang up your coat where it belongs instead of tossing it on the back of a chair
(There are so many of these super-quick tasks that are decisions you can make if you’re mindful of what you’re doing that help prevent overwhelm and don’t allow buildup of clutter to occur)
SIX Take action on incoming papers; it’s an area so many people struggle to stay on top of and can quickly become overwhelmed by the massive piles.
Junk mail. Kids’ work from school or daycare. Neighborhood fliers. Work from home papers. It’s just so common. Helpful tricks to stay on top of the papers:
Know that we don’t NEED so much of the paper that comes our way. Each piece warrants a DECISION; keep this (and if so where?)? Recycle this? Shred this?
Can you opt out/go paperless with any of your bills/ongoing mail? It typically takes a quick log in and a button to click on your account.
Do you have a plan for your kids’ art work? This is a whole separate clutter hotspot for many, many, many families. Display favorites and rotate, involve kids in the decision making, take pictures on your phone, send to other family members in the mail, and so on.
Do you have a recycling bin near your entrance so that you can immediately toss obvious trash? Or does the paper require traveling through multiple rooms/areas of the home to get to the recycling? Can you reduce steps/simplify?
Do you have a shredder, working, plugged in, near an area where paper sorting happens? Or, if you don’t have one, can you start a box of papers to be shredded that you can take to the monthly DSWA event? (Each NCC resident can drop off 2 boxes of documents to be shredded, FREE!)
Delaware Recycling Center: 1101 Lambson Lane, New Castle
1st Saturday of Each Month- 8:30am-2pmNewark Recycling Center: 470 Corporate Blvd, Newark
1st Wednesday of Each Month- 10am-2pm
SEVEN Reclaim your home by mobilizing clutter and items to be moved out (aka returns to store, library, a friend, etc); an item that’s sitting obnoxiously on your passenger seat has a WAY better chance of being dropped off at the donation bin than if it’s hanging on a chair in your bedroom.
“That bag was meant to be donated a month ago,” a client tells me on the home consultation. (I hear this…often!)
I like to recommend having a donation bin in the closet, or in your kids’ space, or by the front door, so the family can know exactly where to put items they no longer want/need. If you’re helping your kid get dressed and a shirt is too small, put it right into the bin. Don’t let it get back in the drawer or hung up.
“Eyesore! You can't ignore it if it is practically hitting you in the face." ~ my client
EIGHT Customize your own daily reset. This is a quick tidy of your home, targeting the high-traffic areas. Every family member helps. Designate jobs. In our home, it looks like my son puts away his trains, Jess tidies up the books and other random toys, and I am folding the blanket, putting the pillows back on the couch, and returning items to the kitchen. Main living area? Reset in minutes.
We also do a reset on the kitchen, “closing the kitchen” involves each person clearing their plate, loading the dishwasher (my toddler loves to get the pod, put it in, close the dishwasher and press start), handwashing any other dishes, and wiping down counters/any obvious mess from floors. Oh, and coffee :)
Other tasks could include putting laundry away, tidying counters that fill up with beauty products during the morning/evening routines, and/or putting away dog toys. Make it personal, make it specific, make it so that each person knows their role.
These small everyday choices can yield long-term results because you’re bringing intention into your day, you’re not putting off easy decisions, and you’re addressing items confidently before they become a problem. You’re getting ahead of the overwhelm.
Need help getting systems in place to streamline your home, your daily routine, your family’s flow? Or need to get UNSTUCK from the overwhelming clutter that is keeping you from moving forward? Take the brave first step and book a FREE call to talk about your home.