Did you know that the average person spends about 2.5 days each year looking for misplaced items? From lost keys to missing socks, clutter steals not only your space but your time. It’s no surprise that standing in the middle of it all, unsure of where to begin, can feel overwhelming.

However, you don’t have to tackle everything at once. You just need one clear action, one small step, to begin unraveling the chaos. You can create a home that feels calm, welcoming, and refreshingly organized–it’s time to get started.

Table of Contents

Start With a New Perspective

Before you begin, you need to shift your perspective. Instead of seeing clutter as a massive project to complete, think of it as a series of tiny decisions. You do one thing and then do the next.

Each item you pick up is an opportunity to choose something better for yourself. By focusing on one decision at a time, you take pressure off yourself and make the process less intimidating.

Start With a Simple Checklist

Sometimes, the hardest part of decluttering is knowing where to start. A simple checklist can give you a clear path and help you stay focused.

Start by breaking the process into bite-sized tasks:

Kitchen: Countertops, spices, first cabinet, second cabinet, pantry, fridge, junk drawer
Bedroom: Nightstands, dresser, closet, under the bed, jewelry box
Bathroom: Countertops, medicine cabinet, drawers, under the sink, shower/tub
Living Room: Coffee table, bookshelf, couch, media center, decor
Home Office: Desk, file cabinet, supplies drawer, cables and chargers, bookshelf
Entryway: Coat rack, shoe area, key and mail station, closet
Garage/Storage: Tools, seasonal decor, sports equipment, shelves, boxes

Start With a Space You Use Every Day

If you’re not ready to look at all the areas you need to work through, the best place to start is in a small space you use every day. You’re the most familiar with this area and probably already know what you want to see.

It might be your kitchen counter, bathroom sink, or the chair that’s become a stand-in closet. These high-traffic areas give you a quick win because you’ll immediately feel the impact of your effort.

Start With Easy Decisions

If you’re overwhelmed, start with the easiest decisions first. Look around for the items that are obvious no-brainers, like trash, broken items, expired products, or things you know you no longer need or use.

There is no need to overthink or get stuck on sentimental items right away. These quick wins help you build momentum and confidence. Every decision you make clears a little more space and makes the next step easier.

Start With an Area That Annoys You the Most

A simple way to get started is by focusing on the area that annoys you the most. This could be the overflowing junk drawer, the pile of mail on your counter, or the cluttered corner of your living room.

When you start with a space that’s been bothering you, you’ll feel an immediate sense of relief and accomplishment once it’s cleared. Tackling these high-frustration zones can be motivating and set the tone for decluttering other areas.

Start With a Category That Will Significantly Impact Your Day

When you’re unsure where to begin decluttering, focus on a category that will make a noticeable difference in your daily routine. These are the items you interact with most often, like clothes, kitchenware, or work-related supplies. Starting here can create an immediate sense of improvement and make your day-to-day life smoother.

Start With Boundaries

Break up the areas by creating boundaries. Instead of tackling an entire room, focus on a small, defined area like a single shelf or a single drawer.

Even within the small space, you can look for low-hanging fruit things you can easily decide to keep, toss, or relocate. These quick decisions will build momentum that pushes you forward.

Start With Curiosity

Curiosity takes decluttering from chore to self-discovery. Every item in your home tells a story, and by taking a moment to acknowledge those stories, you make the process more meaningful.

Instead of making quick, emotionless decisions, you can create a thoughtful connection to enjoy the process and the space you’re working to create. You’ll appreciate who you were, who you are, and who you’re going to be a little more when you’re done.

Start With a Game

Decluttering can be fun. Try turning the process into a game to help you get started.

For example, try the 10-10-10 decluttering challenge: find 10 items to toss, 10 items to donate, and 10 items to put away. Or set a timer for 10 minutes and see how much you can declutter before it goes off. You can even assign points to each item and try to beat your own high score.

Games add a sense of playfulness and remove some of the stress from getting started. They can also be a great way to involve family or roommates.

Give Yourself Permission to Go at Your Own Pace

Decluttering isn’t a race. In fact, it’s an ongoing process that’s never quite done.

Give yourself permission to go at your own pace to make it sustainable.

Slow down and focus on quality over quantity. Instead of tearing through your home to meet an arbitrary deadline, take time to reflect on each item and what you want the space to feel like.

Moving at your pace also helps you honor your emotions. Decluttering can stir up unexpected feelings like nostalgia, guilt, and grief. By taking it step by step, you create time and space to process these emotions instead of feeling overwhelmed.

So take a deep breath. Set your own rhythm. Whether you spend five minutes or five hours, every little bit of progress counts.

Theresa Bedford

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Theresa Bedford is a lifestyle and relationship writer with a passion for self-development and to live life to the fullest. She writes about relationships, mindfulness, and simple living. Her work has been seen on the AP newswire, MSN, Wealth of Geeks, Media Decision, and more.