Okay, but my house is overwhelming NOW…we’re on step 4 and haven’t even started cleaning yet! I know, friend, I know. But trust me on this one. As someone who has (many times!!) started the decluttering and cleaning process in an anxiety-fueled rage, you will burn out. About the time of the “it gets worse before it gets better” stage. Which makes the whole thing worse. I wish you could spend a week in my house with me so you can see what it’s really like: piles of half-done projects that make even bigger messes and lead to more anxiety which leads to more exhaustion and it’s just a whole slippery slope of terrible. Don’t be like me. Be better.
Take the time to prepare your home and yourself for this. It will truly make a difference in how likely you are to succeed in the long term. And if I’m wrong, I will buy you a bottle of wine and ask you to write this instead.
The process:
Find an area in your home to stage large bins/boxes/trash bags. As you go through a space, you will have lots to sort into trash or donate or long-term storage. Having these boxes just floating around does not help – have a designated staging area (ideally near a door) and once you fill up a box or it’s been a week, which ever comes first, out it goes. Like out, out. Even if that means you need to make a Starbucks run to the donation center at the drop of a hat.
Shop your home and gather your containers. If you’re one of the amazing people who have those perfectly portioned storage things for everything, then bravo! For those who do not (me!), look around your home – almost anything can be used as a container and as much as I love all the dedicated storage bins (my favorites are in the links!), they get pricey and you might find a way to sort/display/organize your things in way that suits you better. Your collection of antique crockery now holds kids art supplies, the leftover mason jars from that one party are perfect for plastic tableware, etc. I’m a big believer that things are meant to be used, not just looked at, so incorporate things you already have in your storage solutions. This is hard to do if it’s scattered throughout cabinets or in boxes. So lay it all out and as you organize and realize you need a thing to hold a thing, the answer might just be in your home already. And if it’s not, now you really know it’s a shopping opportunity, instead of adding additional clutter.
Gather your cleaning supplies. Either: a) dedicate a cleaning caddy with all of your go-tos in an easily portable way or b) have multiple sets staged in key areas of the home. I’m Team Option B, for the record – I have identical bins in the kitchen, laundry room, and primary bathroom with my supplies and that works for me and my home. But it’s not about what works for me, it’s about what works for you. The point is to make sure you have what you will need ahead of time and make it convenient to reach for. The products I keep in mine can be found here.
Smarter, not harder (smart home integration)
Set your schedule and your mood. Maybe it’s just me but I thrive on a schedule. I do not thrive in “I’ll get to it.” But if I know that every day from 915 to 10pm, I will knock out house organization and cleaning then I am extra motivated during that time to get as much done as I can before the timer runs out. I also know that I have a dedicated time for cleaning that I will get to so I don’t need to stress about it all day thinking “I need to get to cleaning that up soon”. I use an Alexa routine to remind me of this: I include a 45 minute timer, notification that it’s time to start, and a playlist. I’m big on classical music but whatever your thing is, pick that. A favorite audio book? Podcast? Playlist? Dedicate whatever it is as your cleaning time audio and only listen to it during your scheduled time. For me, it’s like a little treat and gives me one more thing to look forward to in my cleaning time.
Your turn:
What is your audio thing? Are you a soothing music person? Podcast?
Set your schedule – what times of day are you able to dedicate to cleaning? Is it 10 minutes? Is it an hour? Try to pick the same length of time and same time of day every day.
How do you want your home to feel when you’re done? Calming? Clean? Welcoming? Warm? What do you want it to look like? Pick one word (and maybe a Pinterest board if you’re feeling motivated) to inspire you. Keep this image (verbal or visual) in your mind as you go and know that you’re working towards a lifestyle, not just wiping down countertops.
DESIDERATA 
Leave a comment