The First Step To Decluttering That You Keep Missing

Decluttering your home can be hard. In fact, starting the process is half the battle. We become accustomed to our mountains of "stuff," and it can be extremely difficult to part with those items, even if they don't serve a purpose anymore or they're just taking up valuable storage space. If you constantly tell yourself you'll begin the decluttering process but have a failure to launch, that might be because you're missing one crucial step in the process. And that is making a list. 

Making a list is like creating an effective cleaning schedule. It puts a concrete plan into place, giving you something to reference when you begin to lose steam or become at a loss for the next steps. By having a step-by-step plan, you won't be winging the decluttering process, which will make it more difficult to abandon it or put off the job for yet another month. But how do you make this list? The secret to success is getting detailed and making things achievable. Don't just jot down "Declutter bedroom." Below is what to take into consideration when crafting your tidying battle plan.

How do you make a list for something as overwhelming as decluttering your house? You won't be able to declutter your entire abode in one day, let alone one weekend, so the tasks will need to be broken up into stages. For the first stage, think of which areas will give you the most bang for your buck. Which rooms will make you feel more at peace and in control if they're decluttered and organized? For instance, will you be better able to meal plan and cook if your kitchen is pruned back, and will you be able to unwind at the end of each day if your bedroom is neat rather than overrun by stuff? If so, draft your lists for those two rooms first.

Create a plan of what needs to be organized in each room, identifying the worst problem areas. For instance, in your bedroom, it might be the closet, the disorganized dresser, and your messy desk. In the kitchen, it might be the pantry, the serving-ware cabinet, and the island storage. Then plan out the strategy, scheduling which task comes first and assigning a specific start and end time. For example, "clean closet" can be scheduled for three hours, whereas "clean desk" can be scheduled for 30 minutes. This will help you stay on course rather than getting distracted by other chores. 

If you especially hate cleaning or have a particularly difficult time throwing away stuff, then you want your list to be even more specific. Write out every step, and then check it off as you finish it. For example, if you're tackling your bedroom first, write "Bedroom" at the top of the paper and then write numerical steps on what to do and when. Start with cleaning out the closet, but break down that task into smaller subcategories, such as "set up boxes for donation pile," "remove all clothes from closet," "sort into yes, maybe, and no piles," and "donate no pile."

Not only will this take the friction out of having to start the huge task since you can do it pretty mindlessly, but it also helps you pre-plan for any potential hiccups. For example, if it usually takes you a month to donate your clutter since it sits in a pile in the corner of your bedroom, you can have boxes or bags ready before you begin. Or if you know your closet is continually messy because there is no organizational system, you can order bins and dividers and research closet organization ideas before you start.