Have you been feeling a bit overwhelmed by the STUFF in your life? With a family of 7, I know it’s hard for me to keep up with all the things we accumulate on a regular basis. Personally, life gets a little crazy for me whenever I feel like our house is bursting at the seams with STUFF. So, what do I typically do when this happens? I start getting rid of it! Yep! It drives my husband crazy, but once I start getting to the point of digging through things that we no longer use, unable to find what I really want, then I know it’s time. Because I know how overwhelming this process can be, I’ll share with you my best decluttering tips.

Before we go on, be sure to grab the Declutter Planning Worksheets I use – which are a part of my Balanced Mom Toolbox – to help organize your purge!

Who should declutter?

Everyone in the house! It’s helpful to get the kids and your hubby on board. This way, you’ll get a little help. Have everyone set aside things that they no longer use or like. If they want to get rid of it and you can’t find a use for it, then it has no place in your house. Decluttering can be a family affair.

What should you declutter?

I recommend clearing your house of anything that no longer serves a purpose to you. If you have multiples of things that aren’t necessary, get rid of the excess. If it’s old, torn, no longer useful to you, expired, no longer fits, or you simply no longer love it – don’t hold on to it. I love the Marie Kondo idea of only keeping things that “spark joy” for you.

Where should you declutter?

Every portion of your house deserves to be clutter-free. Don’t skip over any spot, even if it’s an area you don’t use often. Pay attention to every part of every room.

When should you declutter?

Ideally, we should all try to declutter on a regular basis. If you make a daily habit of getting rid of things that you no longer use, it makes things a little easier. But, with so much going on in our lives, it’s not always possible. Especially when we also have to consider everyone else’s belongings on top of our own. If you’re like me and just can’t declutter on a regular basis, I recommend planning a big declutter at least once a year – maybe even twice.

If I’m proactive about it, I plan to declutter at times that I know we’ll be having more “stuff” coming into the house. For our home, that’s usually the summertime (before the new school year starts) and just before Christmas. With 5 kids, we get new clothes, shoes, and school supplies coming in over the summertime. And, with Christmas comes more clothes, toys, and other giftS. So we have to be intentional about getting rid of the old things before the new things come in.

For your house, I recommend finding the time of the year that’s the least busy. This way, you can actually commit to it. Also, figure out the times that you tend to accumulate the most stuff, and try to purge before then.

Why should you declutter?

Decluttering definitely has its benefits for me, and for our household:

1. Decluttering forces you to get rid of extra stuff, and less stuff means there’s less to clean and put away
2. With less stuff and less to clean, you have more time for other, more meaningful things.
3. I don’t know about you, but cleaning can be stressful to me. So if there’s less to clean, there’s also less stress!
4. And if there’s less stress in your life, you’ll end up being a happier wife and mommy!
5. By decluttering your closet, you should end up left with just the clothes you love. This should make it easier to get dressed in the morning. It also leaves you feeling good in every outfit you put on
6. When you’re dressed in something you love, you end up being more confident and productive (this has been proven!)
7. If there’s anyone with a dust allergy in your family, they can benefit big-time. Decluttering leaves you with less stuff to collect dust, and thus less allergy symptoms.
8. In general, less stuff = lighter house = lighter mood for everyone

How do you declutter?

I have a methodical way of clearing our house of excess junk. I don’t just go crazy and start throwing things away (though, to my husband, that’s what it looks like!). I’ve come up with a decluttering planning worksheet that I’ve used over the past few years. It helps me to stay focused, not get overwhelmed, and to actually get it all done.

(Remember, you can get your decluttering planning worksheets in the Balanced Mom Toolbox.)

Before I start the decluttering process, I do some planning. I walk around to each room of the house and write down each area to be decluttered. I also write down the amount of time I predict it’ll take me to declutter each area. For example, in my bathroom that would include the medicine cabinet (15 minutes), counter top (15 minutes), cabinet drawers (30 minutes), and the cabinet under the sink (30 minutes).

When I’m done writing down each of the areas for one room, and the amount of time needed, I add up the total amount of time it’ll take me to declutter that room. After that’s all done, I add up the totals for each room. This gives me the total amount of time it’ll take me to declutter my entire house. When you look at this total number, it may seem impossible and overwhelming. But, then I take that number and divide it by the number of hours I’m able to dedicate to decluttering per day. This tells me how many days I’ll need to set aside time for decluttering. Breaking it all down and having a plan makes it more realistic to accomplish. That’s probably the best advice I can give as a part of my best decluttering tips.

Do what works for you

It would be awesome if you could set aside an entire weekend to get this done. But, if not, try to get it all done within a few days. Don’t feel bad if you can’t, though. On the flip side, don’t feel like you have to put it off for the “right” time (that may never come)! If you’re starting to feel overwhelmed by the clutter in your closet, the area under your bathroom sink, or a random drawer, then declutter it! You don’t have to do the whole house at one time – this is just what tends to work the best for me. Personally, there’s just something freeing about having your entire house clutter-free all at the same time! The benefits of decluttering are huge. So, use my best decluttering tips, and get it done!

Do you have anything to add to my best decluttering tips? I’d love to hear form you! Just leave a comment below!

To get my Decluttering Planning Worksheets to use for your next big declutter, grab my Balanced Mom Toolbox. Along with digital copies of my declutter planner, you’ll also receive tons of helpful printables, checklists, and guides to help you organize your life and balance your many roles. Grab yours today!

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