Decluttering Your Home: Where Do I Even Start?!

The Mount Everest of Mess: Facing the Clutter Beast

Okay, so, I’m staring at my spare bedroom right now. Seriously, it’s less a bedroom and more a… storage facility for all the things I’ve apparently deemed “too important to throw away, but not important enough to actually use.” You know the feeling? It’s like Mount Everest, but instead of snow, it’s covered in old Christmas decorations, clothes I haven’t worn in five years (but *might* fit into again someday!), and a collection of mugs I’m pretty sure I’ve owned since college. Ugh, what a mess!

The thought of actually tackling this… *beast*… fills me with dread. Where do you even begin? I’ve watched those Marie Kondo videos, sure, but sparking joy when surrounded by a mountain of forgotten receipts and broken picture frames? Yeah, not so much. And honestly, the pressure of having to be grateful for every single item before tossing it? It’s just too much emotional labor. I mean, no offense to Marie Kondo, but sometimes a thing is just a thing that needs to go in the trash.

Funny thing is, I’m not even a hoarder! I just… accumulate. Little things here and there. Free tote bags from conferences. Souvenirs I bought on a whim. “Just in case” items that never actually get used. It all adds up, doesn’t it? I think part of the problem is that I’m sentimental. Everything has a story, or at least, a potential story. That concert t-shirt? I wore that the night I met my best friend. That chipped teacup? My grandma gave it to me. But, come on, it’s chipped. I’m never going to use it. It’s just sitting there, gathering dust and taking up space.

My KonMari Moment Gone Wrong (So Wrong!)

I actually tried the whole KonMari method once. One Saturday morning, I was determined. I pulled everything out of my closet, piled it on my bed, and prepared to “spark joy.” The results? Let’s just say it wasn’t pretty. After three hours of agonizing over whether my old high school jeans “sparked joy” (they definitely didn’t fit!), I ended up putting almost everything back in the closet. I was exhausted, overwhelmed, and surrounded by even more clutter than before. A complete disaster. The bed was covered, it was probably bedtime, and all the things that didn’t spark joy were now piled on the floor. Was I the only one confused by this?

I realized then that maybe, just maybe, the whole “spark joy” thing wasn’t for me. I needed a more… practical approach. Something less emotionally charged and more… logical. I’m not saying it’s a bad method, it just didn’t work for me. And that’s okay, right? We don’t all have to be perfect minimalists living in pristine, white-walled apartments. Some of us are just… realistically messy.

So, I started researching other methods. Turns out, there are a million different approaches to decluttering. Some people swear by the “one in, one out” rule. Others recommend tackling one small area at a time. I even read about someone who hires a professional organizer to come in and completely overhaul their entire house. That sounds amazing, but also… expensive. Maybe someday.

Baby Steps: A More Realistic Approach to a Tidy Home

What I’ve decided to do, and this is where maybe you can relate, is to start small. Really small. I’m talking one drawer, one shelf, one corner of a room at a time. No more trying to conquer Mount Everest in a single weekend. Instead, I’m aiming for a series of small, manageable victories. So, today, it’s the junk drawer in my kitchen. You know, the one filled with rubber bands, paperclips, pens that don’t work, and random screws that probably belong to something important. That’s my Everest for today.

The goal is to be ruthless. If I haven’t used it in the last six months, it’s gone. If it’s broken, it’s gone. No more “maybe someday” items. This drawer is going to be a haven of organized efficiency. Or, at the very least, less of a chaotic mess. I think the key is to lower my expectations. I’m not aiming for perfection, just progress. Baby steps.

Another thing I’m trying to do is be more mindful about what I bring into my house in the first place. Do I really need another free tote bag? Probably not. Do I really need to buy that cute little trinket on vacation? Maybe not. It’s about being more intentional about my purchases and avoiding impulse buys. Easier said than done, I know. But I’m trying.

A Little Help From My Friends (And Apps!)

I actually started using this app called “TidyUp” – clever name, huh? It basically helps you track what you own and when you last used it. The idea is that seeing a visual representation of all the stuff you’re not using will motivate you to get rid of it. It’s kind of like a digital version of the KonMari method, but less emotional. Plus, it has a built-in donation tracker, so you can easily keep track of what you’ve donated for tax purposes. I haven’t been using it long, but so far, I’m liking it.

And honestly, just talking about this with my friends has helped a lot. Knowing that I’m not the only one struggling with clutter makes the whole process feel less daunting. We even have a little decluttering support group going on. We share tips, offer encouragement, and hold each other accountable. It’s surprisingly effective. Plus, it’s a good excuse to get together and drink wine.

So, yeah, that’s where I’m at. Still staring at that spare bedroom, but feeling a little more motivated, and a little less overwhelmed. It’s a long process, I know, but I’m committed to making progress, one drawer, one shelf, one corner at a time. Who even knows what’s next? Maybe I’ll finally be able to turn that spare bedroom into an actual bedroom. Or maybe I’ll just end up with a slightly less cluttered storage facility. Either way, it’s a start. If you’re as curious as I was, you might want to dig into minimalism. Maybe it’s the right path for you.