{"id":21267,"date":"2026-03-27T07:09:31","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T14:09:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/?p=21267"},"modified":"2026-04-14T22:34:24","modified_gmt":"2026-04-15T05:34:24","slug":"decluttering-when-overwhelmed","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.storagecafe.com\/blog\/decluttering-when-overwhelmed\/","title":{"rendered":"Feeling Overwhelmed By Clutter? How To Start Decluttering In 10 Easy Steps"},"content":{"rendered":"

At some point, clutter can start to feel like an outside force taking over our home, leaving us wondering how we got here and what to do next. If that resonates with you, know you\u2019re not alone: Clutter is taking over the nation\u2019s homes right now<\/a>, and a recent study shows that 44% of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter<\/a>. The good news is that decluttering gets easier the moment you start, and it comes with mental health benefits galore<\/a>, beyond the obvious practical upsides. Here\u2019s our plan on how to start decluttering when overwhelmed<\/strong>, based on the advice of mental health and home organization experts. This way, you can keep what matters, let go of what doesn\u2019t, and find another place for what you only need now and then.<\/p>\n

<\/span>1. Chuck out any guilt or shame<\/span><\/h2>\n

Decluttering can trigger that old \u201cclean your room\u201d feeling, and your inner child might immediately want to resist. If you give that part of you a bit of understanding instead of criticism, it becomes much easier to find the willpower to put the place in order.<\/p>\n

\u201cOne of the most powerful mindset shifts is viewing decluttering as an act of kindness to your future self<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> explains Michelle Rosen, certified professional organizer and founder of Hop To It Organizers<\/a>. \u201cInstead of focusing on what you\u2019re losing, focus on what you\u2019re gaining: space, calm, time, and mental clarity.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

After all, it\u2019s often mental clutter that keeps us from setting our home in order. \u201cI<\/strong> consider cluttered environments to be an external symptom of internal cognitive overload<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> says licensed clinical psychologist Dr. Cassidy Blair of Blair Wellness<\/a>. \u201cOnce you recognize the mess as a physical drain on your performance and not just a chore, the internal resistance is often reduced in just a few minutes.\u201d <\/em>That rings true for many of us: When life throws too many things at us, that\u2019s when we start realizing how many things we don\u2019t need.<\/p>\n

<\/span>2. Consider the costs of holding on<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now, with kindness, give yourself a reality check: All the stuff you hold on to takes up costly living space that you\u2019re paying extra money for.<\/strong> \u201cI ceased to consider the sentimental aspect and began to figure out the dollar worth of the square footage which was going to waste due to junk,\u201d<\/em>\u00a0says Doug Van Soest, owner of Storology Storage<\/a>. \u201cThis change compels you to consider the fact that holding on to an old chair in reality is costing you fifty dollars a month in the lost value of the home. As soon as you put a piece of real money in the mess, your aversion to relinquishing it will be overcome nearly at once.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

If you do manage to get over this emotional hurdle, you may realize that you\u2019re paying for way more space than you actually use, and may even consider downsizing to a smaller place. In a cozier home, you would be paying the appropriate amount for the space you truly need. And depending on where you are, you may be surprised to find out how much you can save by downsizing homes<\/a>.<\/p>\n

<\/span>3. Get in the mood to declutter<\/span><\/h2>\n

So, ask yourself: What usually helps you face hard tasks?<\/strong> Is it a few minutes of yoga, a favorite album in the background, a cup of coffee, or a scented candle? Whatever it is, use it as a small ritual to mark the start of a decluttering session and to sustain you while you work. Then make a quick list of what you\u2019ll get out of all this<\/strong>: A nicer place to live in, the satisfaction of donating items and knowing you\u2019re making someone else happy, and, if you have items to sell, the extra cash as one more motivator.<\/p>\n

Also, just remember that you don\u2019t need to tidy up the whole place in one go. \u201cI\u2019ve found it works best when people stop saying \u2018I have to do it all\u2019 and start thinking \u2018I\u2019ll just start with this one small area<\/strong>,\u2019\u201d<\/em> explains mental health expert Aja Chavez of Mission Prep Healthcare<\/a>. \u201cIt completely knocks out that overwhelmed feeling.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>4. Find a declutter buddy (even if they just sit there)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Getting in the mood is one thing; keeping up the momentum is another. This is the perfect moment for some quality time with a close one. No, not to declutter the home in your place: Just their presence will be enough.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the psychology behind it. \u201cMy system is called body doubling, which helps to maintain your momentum, and operates on the principle of anchoring itself to a different person,\u201d<\/em> explains Kaila Hattis, licensed therapist at Pacific Coast Therapy<\/a>. \u201cThis occurs when the emotional brain replaces the logical brain, as you are sitting in the room and having a friend sit beside you as you organize your things<\/strong>. I usually explain to my clients that having a silent partner is sufficient to create enough social pressure so that you are not distracted by thinking of the door and getting out.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>5. Go for small tasks and small areas<\/span><\/h2>\n

Let\u2019s say you\u2019re well into the process. The socks are in the basket, the books are in one stash.<\/p>\n

But then you feel the results are not nearly impressive enough and that overwhelming feeling circles back. Worry not: That feeling is so normal that there is a guardrail experts point to for this very moment.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe messy middle<\/strong> is where motivation falls because progress looks almost impossible before it appears better<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> says Dr. Maya Reynolds of ChoicePoint<\/a>. \u201cFrom a psychological perspective, this feels like a failure. Breaking the process into micro-tasks and goals<\/strong>, like targeting one drawer, one shelf, or one compartment, helps the brain perceive completion as possible.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

So, pick one clearly defined space: a single drawer, one shelf, the top of a dresser, or just the left half of your kitchen counter. Work only in that area until you\u2019re done<\/strong>, so you don\u2019t create a bigger mess somewhere else. When that small space is finished, you get a hit of accomplishment that makes the next small area easier to tackle.<\/p>\n

<\/span>6. Eliminate the trash<\/span><\/h2>\n

When you\u2019re overwhelmed, the most minor act of cleaning is a powerful gateway into decluttering. \u201cTo keep going when it gets hard, I use the \u2018trash first\u2019 rule<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> says home design expert Joanne Loftus of Archival Designs<\/a>. \u201cWalk into a room and just look for actual garbage. Wrappers, broken things, old papers. It creates easy wins. It eliminates visual noise, without emotional decision-making<\/strong>.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

\"To<\/p>\n

If you like, you can also do a quick pass for \u201ceasy\u201d items right after trash: Things that obviously belong somewhere else in the house<\/strong>. Return those to their rightful spots without overthinking it. By this point, you\u2019ve already lightened the load before you ever touch the sentimental or tricky stuff.<\/p>\n

<\/span>7. Group stuff by whichever category works<\/span><\/h2>\n

Next, it\u2019s time for a good, old-fashioned decluttering rule-of-thumb. \u201cWe advise clients to mark completed areas and prepare three boxes in advance: \u2018Keep,\u2019 \u2018donate,\u2019 and \u2018recycle\u2019<\/strong>,\u201d explains Michelle Rosen. \u201cThis eliminates unnecessary pauses for reflection.\u201d<\/em> If other labels or categories better fit your stuff, go with those.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s science behind this method. \u201cI\u2019ve observed that most people get stuck in the messy middle because they are suffering from decision fatigue<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> notes Dr. Cassidy Blair. \u201cWe recommend grouping items into broad categories before making a final decision about keeping or tossing them to save your mental stamina.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>8. Learn to let go and play the tough juror<\/span><\/h2>\n

All our stuff has varying degrees of sentimental value, and there\u2019s no need to downplay that. Some experts are actually wary not to undersell the importance of sentimental items. \u201cI suggest holding onto jewelry, heirlooms and photographs,\u201d <\/em>says professional organizer Barbara Brock<\/a>. \u201cWhen looking into one\u2019s ancestral records, keeping photographs (as well as papers) is a big part of tracing one\u2019s roots and preserving your heritage.\u201d<\/em> As an emotional guardrail, she also advises readers to \u201ctake a photo of all sentimental things,\u201d<\/em> then \u201cask relatives or friends if they would like something.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

In due time, you might find that you get more into decluttering the more decisive you are with your belongings.<\/p>\n

\u201cTo begin with, accept the fact that your shelf is a physical limit<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> advises expert Joanne Loftus. \u201cIf you have twenty books but there is only space on the shelf for ten, you will have to choose your ten favorite books. You don\u2019t choose which ones to get rid of. You pick the winners. The losers need to move out because the container is full.\u201d<\/em> This way, you\u2019re affirming what really matters instead of focusing on what you\u2019re losing.<\/p>\n

When you\u2019re stuck on a specific item, go with your gut. \u201cWould I choose this again today, given who I am and how I live now?<\/strong>\u201d<\/em> is the one question Michelle Rosen leans on. \u201cThis question shifts people out of past guilt and future fear and into the present. If the answer is no, it\u2019s a strong signal that the item is no longer serving their current life.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>9. Assign designated places for your belongings (and let the others know)<\/span><\/h2>\n

Now that your home is in order, how do you keep it that way? \u201cDesignate a place\/zone for a category and tell everyone the household where that place is<\/strong>,\u201d<\/em> advises Barbara Brock. \u201cTell everyone in the household where things live (not where they are). \u00a0It’s easier to keep tidy (and organized) if everyone knows where to put things back.\u00a0\u00a0Organization is about two things: assigning a place for everything and identifying to everyone where that place is. It\u2019s one thing for a person to organize, but it\u2019s another for the other people in a household to know where things live. If a person wants to clean up, then they know where to put it.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>10. Make a weekly plan of short, regular decluttering sessions<\/span><\/h2>\n

Consistency matters just as much as intensity. To keep momentum and prevent backsliding, simple habits go a long way. \u201cI recommend daily 10-minute resets<\/strong>, a weekly donation bin, and a simple \u2019one-in, one-out\u2019 rule,\u201d<\/em> says Michelle Rosen. \u201cBuilding these habits while decluttering prevents backsliding and burnout.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n

<\/span>Self storage as a back\u2011up plan: When it works<\/span><\/h2>\n

Some items fall into a tricky middle category: They\u2019re not essential for daily life, but they\u2019re too valuable (emotionally or financially) to donate or toss. For those, give yourself a practical back\u2011up plan.<\/p>\n

Start by putting them in one designated place for later reflection: A box, a closet shelf, or a corner of a room. The key is to keep this as a clearly defined zone, so you won\u2019t end up with another clutter menace taking over the place.<\/p>\n

If you realize that many of these \u201cnot now, but not never\u201d items are still important to you, you might want to put them in a self storage unit<\/a> and use a storage unit size calculator<\/a> for an idea of how much space you\u2019d need. Once you do turn your attention to storage, it can be a genuine relief.<\/p>\n

Self storage works especially well for things that don\u2019t fit comfortably into your home\u2019s everyday containers: Seasonal gear like ski equipment and holiday decorations, furniture you\u2019ll want again after a renovation, or family heirlooms that deserve better than being shoved behind the winter coats.<\/p>\n

<\/span>How to start decluttering when overwhelmed? Trust yourself<\/span><\/h2>\n

Whoever you are, trust us: You\u2019ve got this. Accepting that you should declutter is half the battle.<\/p>\n

Start with the trash, then put away the easy things that already have a place they should be. Afterward, tackle one small, clearly defined space, and make sure each container gets only as much stuff as it can handle. Should some of your things need a temporary home that isn\u2019t your living room floor, let them have one.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

At some point, clutter can start to feel like an outside force taking over our home, leaving us wondering how we got here and what to do next. If that resonates with you, know you\u2019re not alone: Clutter is taking over the nation\u2019s homes right now, and a recent study shows that 44% of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter. The good news is that decluttering gets easier the moment you start, and it comes with mental health benefits galore, beyond the obvious practical upsides. Here\u2019s our plan on how to start decluttering when overwhelmed, based on the advice of mental health and home organization experts. This way, you can keep what matters, let go of what doesn\u2019t, and find another place for what you only need now and then.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3586,"featured_media":21269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21267","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-organizing-tips","category-smart-living"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nOverwhelmed By Clutter? How To Start Decluttering In 10 Steps<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Feeling too overwhelmed to start decluttering? First, show yourself some kindness. 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Here, too, you can focus on just one spot. \u201cThe most effective mindset shift for getting started is replacing the goal of \u2018cleaning perfectly\u2019 with \u2018cleaning one small space in 15 minutes<\/strong>,\u2019\u201d<\/em> says Khrystyna Boiko of Wow Now Cleaning<\/a>. \u201cWe see that clients are more willing to start when they tackle, for example, a single drawer in the kitchen rather than an entire room.\u201d<\/em><\/p>\n