Part 3 of the 4 most common clutter culprits
As a professional organizer, I am entrusted to real, raw, behind-the-scenes access to the spaces we try so hard to hide from everyone else.
This is a series of the four common issues I see in my clients’ homes:
Buried surfaces: If you missed part 1 on buried surfaces, find it here
Doom bags/bins: read it here
Overstuffed closets
Paper everywhere
Stay tuned for part 4, coming soon!
Now…let’s dive in to those hidden spaces. Out of the 4 clutter culprits, it’s certainly the one that attracts me the most because it appeals to my (recovering) perfectionist longing for a tidy home…that you can see. (You don’t know what you can’t see!) It’s that faux instant relief of, aaaaaah much better—because the floor and surfaces are clear.
It varies for my clients. Sometimes it’s one space, or a few. Sometimes it’s a whole home with hidden hotspots. A closet that may take 6 hours for one client but two full days for another. We all have unique levels of clutter and different thresholds for how much we can tolerate.
Do you have one or all of these spaces:
A junk drawer on steroids
A basement that’s filled to the brim and lacking order
A closet with five times as many clothes as there is actual space
A home office that has become the family dumping ground, the catchall, the quick—someone’s coming over, throw it all in here and shut the door!
The problem:
Shoved-in items, jam-packed shelves, a rational fear that things will topple when you open the door next time, lack of order or sense as to placement of things, excess, inability to actually use the space functionally.
Why does it happen? Overconsumption, lack of designated homes for items, and being out of touch with what we actually already own (knowing our inventory) are the main reasons. But know what else? The “I’ll deal with this later” mentality. It’s such a dirty trick we play on ourselves.
The remedy:
It’s time to declutter and rehome items. Don’t be afraid to ask for help here—no shame, honestly, we all struggle in one way or another. Family, friends, neighbors, me.
To avoid overwhelm and do a quick paring down to help it feel more manageable, I invite you to take a first pass. Grab a contractor bag, or a cardboard box, and enter…
Work left to right, as if you’re reading a book. Let’s say you’re decluttering your closet (clothes). Begin in the front left, and work your way around. Look at each item hanging—this is NOT the time for overthinking, analyzing, or debating. You are pulling out the obvious items (read: what no longer fits, what you really don’t wear, what you like but the fabric is too itchy, what is overly worn and has wear and tear, anything that has a negative association).
The first pass helps you begin to understand what and how much you have, as well as weeding out anything to help prevent that decision fatigue/burnout that you see in so many memes.
Another way to take a first pass is to make snap decisions as you clear spaces (categorize as you clear!): if you’re emptying your kitchen utensils drawer or a junk drawer, or your makeup container, if it’s a no-brainer that something is trash or broken or expired or never used and you can easily toss or donate it, do so. But don’t let yourself get caught up in the decision making here.
Start small. Pick ONE category: blazers or dress pants. Pull out all of this category—being careful not to miss any. Make a pile on the bed. If it’s a toy room, go with one category at a time: all the craft supplies, all the stuffed animals, etc.
Sometimes it helps to focus on what you want to keep instead of what you want to let go of. What is worthy of you, now? What makes you feel like your best self? What are the questions you’ll ask of/about these belongings?
Do you love it (does it “spark joy”?)?
For clothes: does it fit my today body? Comfortably? And in a way that I feel confident in it? Do I actually wear this, and if not—why? If I choose to keep it, what will help me actually wear it?
Will someone else love, need, and use this much more than I/we do?
Am I keeping it solely out of guilt?
Etc. Find the questions that resonate most for you—personalize this.
Keep going through each category, or aim for one or two per session. Put these on your calendar. Make room for them. Eat a balanced meal beforehand so you have energy.
The piles become (1) trash or recycling; (2) donate; (3) relocate; (4) keep in this space.
Once you complete this initial step, spend time rehoming the items from the RELOCATE bin. If they don’t have a specific home, talk with other housemates or family to collaborate on the best place for it to live. Be sure to communicate with others where you store items to help with carryover.
Take out the TRASH and RECYCLING.
Move the DONATE piles to your car and make a quick trip to your donation place of choice. Don’t let these get buried or stuck in your home or trunk. Just go!
When you come home, you’re faced with items you love. Items you use and want and consciously chose to keep because they’re important to you. So, keep this in mind if you begin to feel stuck or lost—the reframe is empowering. If it’s still too much to manage or it still feels overwhelming, that’s a sign to continue to pare down. Be honest with yourself. Do you want to be decluttering these same piles again and again year after year because you just can’t let go? This is where it helps to have an accountability partner.
Once you see what’s left, you can then consider if you want/need any products to help organize the chosen inventory. Shop from home first if you can, reuse what you have. Think creatively about the best/easiest way for YOU to store and access these items. Remember, it’s what works for you, not what you think you should do. Most important is function and flow. You’re the one who has to use the space each day, you’re the one who has to maintain it. Take the time to ask yourself the tough questions now to be super intentional about setting up your organized spaces.
You’ve just taken inventory in your home. Now you know exactly what you have. So next time you’re out and there’s a sale, you can remind yourself you have three of these at home (and you’ll know where they are). You are on your way to becoming a more conscious consumer. You have what you need. You relish in the freedom you feel from letting go of excess. You won’t let yourself go back because here in your decluttered home you feel so damn good. You save money, time, energy, and do better for the environment. You lessen your mental load and the invisible burden of clutter. Your mental health, your family, your peace of mind, and your future self will thank you.
As Afrominimalist Christine Platt says, “Less is liberating.” My clients echo this every decluttering session. It’s really hard—almost impossible—to make a cluttered home look beautiful and calm and peaceful, and definitely a challenge to maintain order and function.
No excuses, no judgment, just chip away category by category, one drawer at a time, one shelf at a time, one closet at a time. You’ll get stronger and more confident in your decision making skills as you go.
And if you need personalized guidance to knock it out, I’m here, and you’re invited to book a free discovery call.