4 Easy Ways to Declutter

Throughout your life, stuff (like, lots and lots of stuff) is inevitably bought, gathered, gifted, and collected, taking up space in your home. And let’s be real: a good portion of it is stuff that you probably haven’t given a second thought since the month you got it. With that, your things have likely found a permanent home crammed in the storage cabinet under the stairs or the coat closet you’re too anxious to even open. Sound familiar?

While these things might not be on your mind everyday, the overall mess and clutter probably is. You may think your excess stuff is only taking up physical space in your life, but the reality is that it’s also occupying a chunk of your mental space, creating feelings of anxiety and stress as you navigate your home on a daily basis. That’s why I’m so passionate about being intentional about what I hold onto. Having an idea of your inventory of belongings prevents you from losing time to stressing and searching, in turn creating time to focus on the important moments. And those beautiful memories-in-the-making are what life’s all about, right?

To take control of your home and the looming mess of stuff, you have to start small. It’s the only way you’ll feel motivated to keep going. Don’t forget: small victories lead to big wins over time! It might feel silly to set time aside to clear out one drawer in your kitchen, but once it’s done, you’ll have genuinely accomplished something. And you’ll be able to tangibly see the difference. I promise, these bite-sized wins will propel you forward. To help you get started, here are 4 easy ways you can declutter your home today:

Turn Your Junk Drawer or Drop Zone Into Joy

We all have that one spot in our home where everyday items just seem to collect. You may call it your junk drawer or drop zone. It’s the area where you toss your keys, pens and pencils, Post-its, random bills and mail, earbuds, garage openers, and other random—yet essential—items. I’m all for having a spot like this in your home, but the key is to get it under control. As a spot you frequent on the daily, having easy access to these items is super important. Creating structure here can also prevent those random, unnecessary items from inevitably finding a home here! By adding in modular organizers, you can give each item in your joy drawer (what I like to call it instead of “junk”) a proper home so you know exactly where everything belongs when not in use.

Tackle “The Chair”

You know exactly what I’m referring to, don’t you? The dreaded chair might live in your office, your bedroom, or even your closet. You know, the one that gathers and collects allll the things. In a matter of days, it can become so cluttered that you completely surrender it to chaos. Good news: this is an easy tackle! Take an hour or so to sift through each item on the chair and put it back in its proper home, one by one. Clearing this spot will not only declutter your space, but it’ll also feel like a small weight has been lifted off your shoulders. Once cleared, try to take 5 minutes each night before bed to return any accumulated items on the chair back to their designated home to avoid another build-up.

Clear the Coffee or Dining Table

Oftentimes, our coffee tables and dining tables become the catch-all for the 50 items you have in your hands as you walk through the door (seriously, how do we manage to hold it all in our hands?!) Yours may be cluttered with mail, papers, receipts, sunglasses, computers, books, bags—pretty much anything you walk in the door with. Take a few moments to go through all the items, and decide what you can toss. Once you’ve done that, take the remaining items to their rightful place. Though a small task, decluttering this part of the home will quickly offer you a breath of fresh air. While throwing items on the table can be easy in the moment, taking a few seconds to get items where they belong can make all the difference over time!

Sort Through Your Spice Cabinet/Drawer

Another great, easy place to declutter now is your spice collection. You’d be shocked at how many random, forgotten spices you have tucked away in the back of your cabinet or drawer that are either near empty, never used, or expired. When you have a half hour to spare, go through one jar at a time and do an audit of your collection. Check expiration dates, how much of each spice is left, and ask yourself if you’ve even used that spice in the past year. This way, your collection will be fresh and tailored to your lifestyle instead of a jumbled mess in your kitchen!

Spoiler alert: these easy fixes can actually translate to every other area of the home! Simply taking it one small space at a time is the key to preventing overwhelm.

The process of getting organized is no easy feat. Once you get started, you should seriously take pride in yourself. So many people never get organized because they feel too overwhelmed to start. Think of it as dedicating time to bettering yourself for the future. Plus, you know what they say: a clear space allows for a clear mind! To my core, I believe that it all starts with your surroundings. So, I challenge you to get started with these simple decluttering tasks and see where it leads you to. And…go!

For tips, tricks, product picks, and inspiration for home organization, make sure you grab your copy of Life in Jeneral if you haven’t yet and sign up for the LIJ Book Club! There’s a 70 page workbook with exercises to help you work through your emotional barriers and goals in relation to organizing, and of course, step-by-step guidance to do the work. For even more support and encouragement, follow along with the book club on our Instagram, too!