Start with the bathroom or entryway for quick wins and motivation, or the room you use most (like a home office or living room) for immediate impact, or pick the most annoying/overwhelming space if you need a big win, but always begin with a small, defined area to avoid burnout, working systematically (e.g., perimeter first) to see progress. The key is choosing a spot that offers easy decisions and visible results to build momentum.
Start with laundry room and bathrooms. Buy undercabinet storage and nice matching bins. Once you clear out the expired items you are good here.
The 5-5-5 Rule for decluttering, popularized by Steph of The Secret Slob and Apartment Therapy, is a quick, low-pressure method that involves setting a 25-minute timer, picking five different zones in your home, and spending just five minutes tidying or decluttering each zone before moving to the next, making it ideal for tackling daily messes without feeling overwhelmed.
Don't declutter by room, declutter by category. Begin with clothes, then move on to books, papers, miscellaneous items, and sentimental items. Your bathroom might be the only room where there's no overlap into the rest of those rooms, so it might be a category on its own.
The 10-10 decluttering method is pretty simple — choose an area, set a timer for 10 minutes and get rid of 10 items in that space. "If you notice other items you don't need, remove them as well, but make sure to stick to the 10-minute timeframe," says professional organizer Tonia Tomlin of Sorted Out.
Mistake #1: Not Having a Plan
Having a plan is essential because it helps you stay focused and prevents you from getting sidetracked. Before you start decluttering, create a checklist of areas you want to tackle and set specific goals for each space.
Here are 5 clever tips to help you declutter and bring order back to your living space: 1️⃣ Embrace the "One In, One Out" Rule: For every new item you bring into your home, let go of one you no longer need. This simple rule will keep your possessions in check and prevent unnecessary buildup.
The 50% rule for clutter is a straightforward decluttering method that challenges you to reduce the number of items in any space (drawer, closet, room) by half, aiming to keep spaces only 50% full for easier management, better organization, and a less overwhelming environment, often by removing duplicates, unused items, or things you no longer love, creating breathing room and simplifying decision-making.
Spring Cleaning; How to be ruthless at decluttering.
The chaos method is an organizing strategy popularized by Kim Jones of Lock & Key Home. It embraces total immersion in the decluttering process. You empty every box, container, bag, drawer, and cupboard in a room or space. Ideally, it's about creating a temporary state of chaos to gain full clarity on what you own.
What order should I clean my bedroom in? Start top-to-bottom: ceiling fans and lights first, then walls and windows, furniture surfaces, and finally floors last. This prevents re-cleaning as dust falls from higher surfaces onto areas you've already cleaned.
Of course, the time it takes to declutter can vary for so many different reasons. It's hard to say there's a rule of thumb, but one view is that it can take 1 to 1.5 days per room (or 8 to 12 hours per room). Obviously, closets and bathrooms might require only a few hours, whereas a garage could take 2 to 3 days.
Be clear about the sentimental items that should have a place in your home. You only have so much space to store them all. "Family photos, heirlooms, and keepsakes are often decluttered because they feel like clutter, when the real challenge is deciding how to honor the memory," says Hines.
Most people probably think the hardest thing to declutter is sentimental clutter. While it's true that presents its own challenges, I actually think the hardest thing to declutter is aspirational clutter. This type of clutter is tied to your actual identity!
The rule, coined by David Allen, productivity guru and author of Getting Things Done, basically says that anything that can be done in 2 minutes or less should be done right then and there. This has countless applications to housework — especially to decluttering.
The idea is straightforward: each day, focus on completing one big task, three medium tasks, and five small tasks. By narrowing your focus, this rule helps you prioritise what truly matters, without feeling overwhelmed by an endless to-do list.
The 20-minute cleaning rule (often the 20/10 method) is a time-management strategy where you clean intensely for 20 minutes, then take a 10-minute break, repeating as needed to tackle chores without burnout, making cleaning manageable and preventing mess from piling up through daily, focused bursts of effort. It's perfect for busy people or those who find cleaning overwhelming, turning a big task into a series of small, achievable goals.
The 5 Most Common Clutter Personalities
The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.