There are a million sources out there for decluttering. I have tried 3 or so in the past, and I don’t fit in to the template of any of them. I honestly don’t think anyone does. Everyone’s houses and priorities are different.

Where do I start decluttering my home?

Like I said, there is no right answer here. You just have to pick somewhere to start. However, I find it extremely helpful to walk your house with a trash bag first. Get rid of all the junk. At the same time, you can be establish a location for your donation piles (more on this below). Once the actual mess is gone, it will be far easier to start the actual decluttering.

If you’re looking for an actual location to answer this question, I would recommend start decluttering an area that you spend a lot of time in daily or that you see all the time. For example, I spend a lot of time in our playrooms, so decluttering the playroom would be a logical place to start. Or if you love to have a clean and tidy bedside table to greet you when you wake up, start there.

Here’s how I tackle the process:

Step One - Walk Your House

Walk through your home and make a list of every area in your house that holds stuff - coat closet, the entry table in the foyer, cabinets, closets, shelves, bookcases. Divide each item into categories by the room in which they are located. Your list will look something like my list below.

Step Two - Set a Realistic Timeline

Most decluttering challenges aim to do a big task daily- as in a whole room in one day. That’s just not happening here. I am hoping to check off one of my items each day. If I can get a room done in a day, great! If I only get the upper cabinets in the kitchen done, that’s fine too! Essentially, embrace your own timeline. Just be honest with yourself. If you set unrealistic expectations, you’ll just end up feeling bad when the deadline hits and you’ve barely started.

Step Three - Don’t Fear the Mess

I just started decluttering, but the mess is worse than when I started! Sound familiar?

For example, I had a boatload of stuff in our hall closet that truly belonged in the office. So when I was going through the hall closet, I just piled all that stuff in the office - where it belongs. Once I am able to tackle the office, the mess will get sorted out. You’ve got to get dirty before you can get clean.

Step Four - Know Your Trash/Recycle Days

Don’t plan to empty your fridge and pantry (or anything that can mold really) when you know that you have five days before trash day. You don’t want that garbage stinking up the garage.

Step Five - Donate/Sell as You Go

I have a corner of my bedroom where donations go. Once that pile has enough for each donation location, it goes in the trunk of the car, and we drop off as soon as possible. Also, research local shelters and charitable organizations that need what you have to offer. For example, I donated all my maternity clothes to a local women’s shelter. Or old pillows and blankets can go to animal shelters.

Similarly, I have another pile of items that are in good enough shape that I think I may be able to make a few bucks. I will slowly add those to Poshmark, Facebook Marketplace, etc. For some reason, I really hate this task so doing just a few items here and there makes it easier for me.

Boom! You just decluttered your house and maybe made some money out of it!