Decluttering When You Are Overwhelmed (Simple Tips That Actually Work)

Feeling overwhelmed by clutter and not knowing where to start is probably the most common decluttering struggle I hear. If you’ve ever stood in the middle of a messy room and thought — I can’t do this — you’re not alone. I feel that way sometimes too. The mountain of mess seems impossible to climb and frankly, exhausting to even look at.

But decluttering when you are overwhelmed doesn’t have to mean tackling everything at once. It just means starting somewhere — anywhere. The benefits of a less cluttered home are real and worth it: less stress, more time, more peace. And no matter how overwhelming it feels right now, it’s absolutely within reach.

The good news is conquering clutter can be done — and you don’t have to be a Marie Kondo or Martha Stewart type to get there. Here are 16 doable tips to help you finally start.

16 Tips for Decluttering When You Are Overwhelmed

The key to decluttering when everything feels like too much is to stop thinking big and start thinking small. Here are 16 tips to help you do exactly that.

1. Know your why

When you first decide to declutter, ask yourself why…is it to make more room?  To lower your anxiety?  To have less things to manage?  Consider your motivation for decluttering.  Get started by zeroing in on your why, in the first place.  This mindset is key for accomplishing goals and will get you started on the right path.

2. Start with trash

If you are struggling with step one, simply start throwing away trash. You can take this first step with just a trash bag.  Go room-to-room with a bag and toss items that are completely useless (see 10 Items You Can Toss Immediately further in post).

Make quick decisions and don’t overthink it. If you look at something and consider tossing it straight away, it probably means you should!

3. Block time on your calendar

For big decluttering projects (a full room or closet) schedule time when you are motivated and ready to take it on.  Block a small, chunk of time on a Saturday morning fueled by coffee or when you feel most productive (which may be late night for some – go with your peak energy). 

When to schedule your declutter session

• A Saturday with limited or no commitments
• A weeknight when your children are sleeping (for small projects such as a drawer or shelf)
• A weekday morning at home when family members are out of the house
• A day off work with a renewed energy

Blocked time holds you accountable.  Other plans may come up, but you’ve already dedicated to doing this for yourself and your family.

4. Have a plan

Spontaneity may work in some situations, but having a roadmap will give you a step-by-step strategy to decluttering so you don’t feel so overwhelmed from the start. My free 30 Day Declutter Challenge is an easy-to-follow plan.  It maps out small, manageable tasks for a simple daily declutter.  This guides you through progress you will be proud of!

5. Think small, not big

Start small, tiny.  Overcome feeling overwhelmed to declutter by starting with one micro-sized area.  For example, one pile of mail, one drawer of your dresser, one area under your bathroom sink.  Starting with micro tasks make the big picture much more manageable.

6. Set a timer

Start decluttering when you are overwhelmed by only allowing yourself a small amount of time to work. Give yourself 15 minutes to clean out one small area (i.e., one book shelf, your nightstand drawer, your Tupperware).  You’ll be surprised by how much you can accomplish when you set aside a focused amount of time. Don’t stop the task until the timer goes off. If you are making progress and feeling good (which likely you will), reset the timer for another round.

7. Don’t organize at the same time

Decluttering and organizing are two separate things.  Do not attempt to organize while you declutter.  To be specific, decluttering is the process of removing excess items from a space that you no longer need.  Organizing is the containment of what is left over.  Trying to do both these actions at once just creates confusion. Remove what you don’t need first; organization comes after decluttering, not at the same time.

8. Make it a pleasant experience

While decluttering, do something you enjoy at the same time such as listening to music or a podcast.  Have the scent of your favorite candle burning. Create a productive environment. 

Often when I see a sink of dirty dishes, a cluttered kitchen pantry and piles of laundry in my kids’ rooms, I pop in ear buds and listen to a favorite podcast to keep me entertained while doing these mundane chores. Make decluttering a pleasant experience to occupy your other senses so you can diminish some of the overwhelmed feelings.

9. Find support

Don’t go it alone!  Find support by way of a friend, family member or even a Facebook Group devoted to decluttering (there are many out there).  Utilize this blog as a form of inspiration and practical advice for your decluttering journey.  

I am very familiar with the emotion of feeling overwhelmed.  That is a big reason why this simplifying life blog even exists.  Finding a person or people who can relate to how you feel and cheer you on, can be incredibly transformative.

10. Acknowledge your progress 

No matter how small, acknowledge your progress with decluttering.  You cleaned out one junk drawer?  Amazing!  Your can actually see your family room coffee table now? That’s awesome!  Be proud of your accomplishments because you know how hard it can be. 

Post “after” photos in your Facebook support group or text them to your friend.  Or just sit and admire your newly decluttered space with a smile and pat on the back.  Relish in your progress so you will want to achieve that feeling again and again.

11. Stop overbuying (avoid Costco!)

To stop feeling overwhelmed by clutter, stop bringing clutter in.  Avoid big box retailers like Costco and Target that are designed to make you overspend.  You think you are getting a deal, but even a deal or sale still takes your money and pushes more things into your home. 

12. Recognize it doesn’t happen overnight

It took a long time for the clutter to accumulate – it will won’t go away in a day. Acknowledge that major decluttering takes time. If you are tackling a whole house declutter or dealing with a bigger issue alongside this process, accept that it will take time. Keep in mind that slow and steady wins the race.

13. Know where items will go

What do you intend to do with items you remove?  Donate, trash or recycle?  Have a follow-up plan in mind about where these things will end up.  You won’t feel as overwhelmed to start decluttering if you know what happens afterwards. This sense of control will help you finish the plan.

What to do with your decluttered items

• Goodwill or Salvation Army drop-off
• Homeless or women’s shelter
• Community church
• Books to your local library or school
• A neighborhood-wide garage sale
• Post gently used (yet worthwhile) items for free on Facebook or Next Door

14. Donate, don’t sell

Selling used items can be a job in and of itself, creating more stress and work.  While re-selling is admirable and can help offset the original cost of something, it may be more trouble than it’s worth. 

I have sold many gently used items but have found donating or gifting is much easier and more efficient.  The hassle of negotiating a price, setting up a time for potential sellers to see it, etc can be time consuming. Consider ways (as listed above) to get rid of your stuff immediately, not drag out the process. You’ll likely feel less overwhelmed with decluttering if you accept you don’t need to sell the items but can simply give them away.

15. Look at decluttering as self-care

Decluttering is a form of self-care.  Yes…it really is!  You want to lower your anxiety and feel more in control.  Decluttering the unusable items in your home can help accomplish that.  Surrounding yourself with useful and joyful objects is absolutely a form of self-care. 

16. Visualize how you want your home to look / feel

When you feel overwhelmed about decluttering, start by visualizing how you want your space to look without all the clutter and focus on your why.  How will your space look when you are done with this worthwhile project? Your home is meant to be a haven.  A sanctuary.  Envision how you see that and the comfortable, secure feeling it will bring you.

10 Things You Can Declutter Right Now

Need a quick win to get started? These are items you can pull from your home today — no overthinking required.

• Take out containers
• Take out chopsticks, plastic utensils, containers you’ll never use
• Tiny toys your kids got as birthday party favors
• Dried out pens and markers
• Junk mail
• Catalogs and magazines you won’t read (be honest!)
• Expired food from fridge and pantry
• Empty shampoo bottles
• Bad artwork from your toddler (you will not miss this)
• Expired coupons

A Few of My Favorite Organizing Tools

Once you’ve decluttered, a few simple tools go a long way toward keeping things in order.

• Woven Storage Bins – these bins can be used for containing just about anything you don’t need/want to see (i.e., small toys, charging cords, mail/loose papers)
• Clear Storage Bins – stackable, easy-to-see clear plastic bins ideal for the fridge, pantry and bathroom
• 3-Tier Rolling Cart – versatile for any room, ideal for kid supplies, crafts, bathroom or cleaning items
• Drawer Organizers – a simple way to keep drawers tidy after you’ve cleared the clutter

You’re Closer Than You Think

Decluttering when you are overwhelmed is hard — but you already know that. What you also know is that the benefits are worth it and that something needs to change. The fact that you’re here reading this is not a small thing. That’s action. And action creates more action.

You are well on your way to a tidy, clutter-free, inviting home. I just know it.