How to Declutter Your House Fast in 2024

If you live in the West, odds are you’ve seen a lot of rain and snow lately. Here in Salt Lake City, Utah where I live, Spring can’t come soon enough.

So even if it is snowing as I write this, I do know that Spring cleaning is almost upon us — and I count organization and decluttering in this annual home phase, too, because spring really is the perfect time to refresh your home and declutter your space. For all my busy mom friends — you can probably relate. This time of year marks the start of a new season and a chance to create a more organized and stress-free living environment. If you're feeling overwhelmed by the thought of decluttering your home, don't worry — I’ve got you covered! Here are some tips and tricks to help you declutter your home quickly and efficiently this spring.

Set Clear Goals

Before you begin decluttering, take some time to set clear goals for yourself. Decide which areas of your home you want to focus on and what you hope to achieve. Whether you want to declutter your entire house or just a few specific areas, having a clear plan in place will help keep you motivated and on track. You don’t have to get too crazy with the goals. Jot down your priorities in your Notes app and check them off as you go.

Start Small

When it comes to decluttering, it's important to start small and tackle one area at a time. Trying to declutter your entire house in one go can be overwhelming and may lead to burnout. Instead, start with a small, manageable area, such as a closet or a single room, and work your way up from there.

Decluttering Tips for Specific Areas

• Closets: Start by emptying out your closet and sorting through your clothes. Ask yourself if you've worn it in the last year. If not, it may be time to let it go. Consider donating or selling items that are in good condition but no longer serve you. Oftentimes, clients of mine can feel wasteful when they’re getting rid of certain items. Keep in mind that someone else will love and adore that dress that doesn’t suit you anymore. Your square footage is more precious than holding onto something you don’t wear anymore just because.

• Kitchen: Go through your kitchen cabinets and drawers and get rid of any items that are broken, unused, or expired. Consider investing in storage containers to help keep your kitchen organized and clutter-free. You can absolutely repurpose existing containers that you already have on hand. If you want to make your kitchen look extra streamlined, purchase new ones that match for a consistent look and feel.

• Living Room: The living room is often a gathering place for clutter. Take some time to go through any books, magazines, or knick-knacks and decide what you want to keep and what you can let go of. Storage solutions, such as baskets and shelves, are a great way to help keep your living room tidy.

Get the Whole Family Involved

Decluttering your home can be a big task, so don't be afraid to enlist the help of your family. Get your kids involved and make decluttering a fun and rewarding experience. You can even turn it into a game or offer rewards for reaching a certain decluttering milestone. I recently learned about the magic trash game from son’s teacher. Have your kids help tidy before bed and then if they pick up the “magical” item that you pre-determined was the one special item of trash or clutter, they get a few minutes of extra awake time or a tasty treat. Whatever helps motivate your household.

Stay Organized

As you declutter your home, it's important to stay organized and keep track of what you've accomplished. Consider creating a decluttering checklist or creating an album on your phone of before and after photos so you can track all of your progress. This can help you stay motivated and see how far you've come. Bonus points if you text those photos to your mom or friend so they can see how far you’ve come!

Donate or Sell Unwanted Items

Instead of just throwing away your unwanted items, consider donating or selling them. There are many local charities and thrift stores that would be happy to accept your donations, and selling your items online or at a garage sale can help you make some extra cash. If you’re a Salt Lake City, Utah local then I recommend both Deseret Industries or Savers for items that can be used again.

Stay Consistent

Decluttering your home is not a one-time task — it's an ongoing process. To maintain a clutter-free home, make a habit of regularly decluttering and organizing your space. Set aside some time each week to tackle a small decluttering project, and you'll be able to enjoy a clean and organized home all year round.

Keep in mind that decluttering your home doesn't have to be a daunting task. With a clear plan, some motivation, and a little bit of time, you can declutter your home quickly and efficiently this Spring. So roll up your sleeves, put on some music, and enjoy a clutter-free living space.

Interested in the whole less is more idea? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with me about your home organization goals or follow me on Instagram here for daily organization and minimalist-living tips.

How to Declutter Your Home and Why It Matters

It's time to face the truth: clutter is the frenemy we didn't know we had. Sure, it seems harmless at first, but then it can feel like it’s accumulated at an exponential rate and the next thing you know, you’re drowning in it.

Why is it important to ditch the clutter?

First and foremost, clutter is a sneaky time thief. Think about it: how many hours have you spent searching for your keys, that one missing sock, or that super important document buried under piles of who-knows-what? Time is precious, especially now that we're juggling careers, relationships, and maybe even a few adorable fur babies. So why waste it playing hide-and-seek with inanimate objects? According to the National Soap and Detergent Association, getting rid of clutter would reduce 40% of housework. So if you can edit out what you no longer use, love or need, you may find that you get almost half of your time back.

Let's reclaim those lost hours and put them towards something much more enjoyable, like binge-watching our favorite guilty pleasure show or treating ourselves to a well-deserved spa day.

What else does clutter do to us?

Let's not forget about the emotional weight of clutter. Remember that top you bought five years ago and haven't worn since? Every time you catch a glimpse of it, it taunts you with guilt and whispers, "You wasted your hard-earned money on me." Let's free ourselves from the unnecessary guilt and make room for clothes that we actually want to put on everyday. Less waste, less guilt and more enjoyment.

Lastly, let's not underestimate the impact of clutter on our mental and physical well-being. Cluttered spaces can make us feel overwhelmed, stressed, and downright grumpy. Let's create a sanctuary where we can relax, unwind, and enjoy the serenity of a clutter-free zone. Trust me, when you come home to a tidy space, you'll feel like you can conquer the world—or at least enjoy your favorite beverage in peace.

What about sentimental clutter?

Now, I get it. Parting ways with our clutter can be tough. We develop emotional attachments to random objects like the vase Aunt Mildred gave us for our birthday. We feel obligated to keep it because, well, she's family. But here's the thing: Aunt Mildred may not even remember she gave it to you, and chances are, she's got enough vases to start a floral shop. So why not donate it to someone who might actually appreciate its... charm?

How do I tackle the clutter?

Tackling the clutter is like eating an elephant - you do it one bite at a time. If the pile of paperwork in the corner of your kitchen has been staring back at you for a month, start there. Pull out all of the papers and go through them one-by-one. Do you need to take action on something? Keep it out in the open. Is something just junk mail or paper you never needed in the first place? Recycle that stuff. Got documents that you should really hang on to for longer than a few weeks? File that a way in a long-term file system.

Just starting with one problem area will help you gain momentum so you see progress and then feel encouraged to keep going.

When and how often should I declutter?

This is going to be different for everyone. You’ll want to declutter your kitchen counters daily to stay on top of the many things that end up on that surface. You’ll want to edit and declutter places like your closet once every few months (when you start noticing things getting a little messy and/or you’re not wearing everything in it.) If you’ve never decluttered your home before, start by zone. Once all of the zones are decluttered then you just need to switch to maintenance mode.

Fortunately, maintenance mode is much easier than that first round of decluttering. Maintenance doesn’t have to be daily or weekly but don’t let spaces go on too much longer than monthly.

So, my fellow 30-something ladies, let's bid adieu to clutter and welcome a life of freedom, organization, and unapologetic enjoyment. It's time to declutter like nobody's business and embrace the amazing women we are. Remember, a clutter-free space is a clutter-free mind, and who can argue with that? Now, go forth, conquer the clutter, and unleash your minimalist outlook on the world.

Want more simple living help to streamline your house? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with me about your home organization goals or follow me on Instagram here for daily organization and minimalist-living tips.

RELATED POST: 10 Simple Ways to Organize Your House Right Now

3 Things Your Future Self Would Want You To Simplify This Year

We're almost to the end of January and while you may have set some of your best resolutions about 30 days ago, you may feel that they're no longer top of mind.

Not because you don't want to keep them there, mostly just because life happens and even this far into January stuff starts to bombard our day-to-day. While a new year brings so much goodness along with it, pesky things like push notifications, unfinished tasks, house clutter, over-use of social media, and struggling to get your time back can distract you from achieving goals and increase feelings of overwhelm and anxiety. (And I don't know about you but I refuse to feel defeated 1/12th of the way into the year!)

To clarify, the things outlined in this post are not meant to replace any resolutions. They're more like the quiet background music that plays during your morning commute - they're included in this post to help you pace yourself. They can help you keep a steady drumbeat of sanity and serenity while you think about things like family, career, self-improvement and those 2018 resolutions.

So here's a list of three things your future self would want you to simplify this year.

Queue the drumroll.

1. Simplify Your Approach to Simplifying

Don't get bombarded by all the things you think you need to declutter or organize this year. Start small first. Work on one area that you feel you could benefit the most from and think about streamlining it. If you see that you can tackle one small thing, you'll notice that you can tackle more and eventually more. I know too many people who have started in on a major 8-hour decluttering project just to find that 4-hours in they aren't done. And they're burned out. And just like that, "simplifying" leaves a rather sour taste in their mouth. 

Take little steps toward simplifying. It's not going to happen overnight and that's ok! Take baby steps and you'll feel a lot less like this:

Simple and intentional living blogger, Jennifer of Simply + Fiercely shared with me her view on simplifying things both physical and non-physical.

"I use the same decluttering system for everything, from my closet to my to-do list," she said. "Once you know your values and personal vision, you can ask yourself if the task/item/etc. is taking you further or closer to the life you want most. And of course, if it’s not, it’s time to let go!" 

She went on to say:

"Decluttering is really just learning a new way of decision making—but admittedly, it can take some time to learn. Personally, I found it easier to start with decluttering my physical stuff and as I got better at it, I naturally started to apply these skills to my schedule, relationships, and more."

If simplifying seems hard for you - know that you're not alone. It just takes a little guidance and some practice. If you'd like to meet other simple-seekers, come on over to my new Facebook group. The more the merrier!

2. Decrease Time Spent on Your Phone

YouTuber JP Sears shared a rather hilarious clip about being addicted to our phones. The "How To Be More Addicted to Your Phone" video is not only spot on, it illustrates how addicted we really are.

As JP (and research reports) point out, millennials check their phones nearly 150 times per day.

That's right. 150 TIMES PER DAY.

If you're a parent, then this topic may hit close to home.

I have a smartphone and I am also a mom. I use it to talk to my friends and family and in many ways it's been a wonderful tool to keep my out-of-state family close and in touch with my little guy.

On the flip side, I get slightly terrified when I consider how often I check my phone or how often it interrupts my day. At 15 months old, my son doesn't understand what those things mean. What he does understand is the attention I do or don't give to him. 

In a TIME Health article from last year, the topic of cell-phone distracted parenting was studied and researched:

"Few things require more hands-on attention than a young child. And there’s little that’s more distracting than the constant bleeping of our cells phones. When these two things compete for our attention, the results can be sobering."

The article went on to say that research shows children need reliable, quality attention from their parent. Specifically, the kind of attention that is free from endless distractions because distractions can impact our little ones on an emotional level.

It was at that point in the article that my ears really perked up. Yikes. I don't want to ruin my kid! Especially not because I'm interested in being the first to respond to a text-message ding or meaningless social-feed update.

The study was eye opening and it has got me looking for ways to improve my own attention and focus.

If you're not a parent, I think it's safe to say that adults can very quickly get a sense for where our attention is or isn't if it's that obvious to a child.

So... let's all do our loved ones and friends a solid and vow to look up more!

3. Quiet the Noise

According to Reset.me:

"Few people would argue that modern life provides a nearly overwhelming amount of sensory bombardment in the form of noise, crowds, traffic, clutter, and the demands of ever-present electronic devices."

Is the TV always on? Try keeping it off for longer. Are you addicted to binge-watching your favorite shows (as so many of us are)? Challenge yourself to do new things during your downtime. Experiment with limiting your Netflix intake. I can tell you from personal experience that it is doable and it feels good to get personal time back.

Do you play a variety of uplifting music or dull replays of songs you've heard a million times that lack any significant mood-boosting ability?

When all is said and done, are the sounds in your life (that you can control) encouraging and uplifting? Calming or enlivening? Educational or melodic? Or is it all just noise.

TV and music aren't the only sources of noise. What's more of a challenge is noise pollution that's much harder to control and that surrounds so many of us who live in big cities.

According to an article in Harpers Bazaar, noise pollution is proven to be harmful to our health:

"A constant gush of stress hormones actually restructures the brain, contributing to tumor development, heart disease, respiratory disorders, and more. And of course, our hormonal endocrine systems haven’t had time to learn that car stereos aren’t out to get us..."

The article goes on to share that noise pollution can be worse for women, too:

"Women are more field-dependent, meaning they take in the whole picture, while men are more focused on what they’re doing, so they don’t notice what’s in the periphery...”

Noise does have an impact on us - even if we don't realize it. It's helpful to consider where and when we can lower the volume. The article shared ideas related to noise fasts (apparently it's a thing), choosing quieter appliances and using things like earplugs and white noise machines to muffle the sound.

Now, you might be thinking something like, "ok great. You've shared some interesting stats that have me thinking about these three things but where do I go from here? Where is the glimmer of hope? 

Jennifer of Simply + Fiercely shared the following sage advice for those starting in on their simplifying journey and I couldn't agree more:

"... start with self-reflection. What are your core values? What matters most to you? What are your priorities, hopes and dreams? Don’t assume you know the answers; instead, really invest time into exploring these questions. Then once you’re done, use your answers as a benchmark to help you evaluate what does (or doesn’t) belong in your life. And remember—the more you know what you want out of life, the easier it is to see what doesn’t belong."

Remember, your version of simple may not be my version of simple and that's the kind of thing that makes the world go round! 

Look for what matters most to YOU and go from there.

In the meantime, I encourage you to try pacing yourself when it comes to simplifying, try spending a little less time with the smartphone and try muffling the unnecessary noise this year.

I'll be working on these things, too. Please keep me posted on your progress and thoughts in the comments section!

Interested in the whole less is more idea? Subscribe to my free email list below and you'll be sent monthly tips and insights related to all things simple living including invites to future webinars.

This Is The Kind of Clutter That Overwhelms Type A Women + How To Get Rid of It

A cluttered life may not be overrun with things. 

A cluttered life may not even look "messy" to others.

But it may feel out of sorts to you. 

To someone looking in, the imaginary burden of things slightly cluttered or left undone can go unnoticed, but to you it's like a weight that's hanging when you look at packed shelves in the garage or see a bag of donation items sitting in the corner of your room. It's an almost undetectable burden that weighs you down when you see things unfinished or run out of time at the end of the day for the tasks you really didn't want to put off again.

Interestingly enough, you're the only one who feels this load. You notice it, you feel the pull but you're not quite sure how to make it lighter. While your life is quite amazing, you know it could be a teensy bit better if you could get a handle on those few things that seem disorganized.

Amid the busyness of life and the transitional phases of things like career changes, starting a family and the general stresses of adulthood, simplifying seems to take the back burner. 

Unfortunately, as organized and tidy as we think we may be, it's the undetectable-to-the-outside-world stuff that often leads us to feel like we're living cluttered lives. 

If you had more time, you'd get rid of those weighty loads. You'd do it without hesitation if you knew how to tackle them or even properly identify them.

While the physical stuff is oftentimes to blame for clutter, it can be the non-physical stuff that is just as much if not more of the culprit.

According to Psychology Today:

"Clutter bombards our minds with excessive stimuli (visual, olfactory, tactile), causing our senses to work overtime on stimuli that aren't necessary or important... Clutter makes us anxious because we're never sure what it's going to take to get through to the bottom of the pile."

Starting something but not finishing it creates annoying emotional clutter.

There's actually an upside to this dilemma. It means you've started plenty of projects and probably already enjoy simplifying and cleaning out parts of your house. 

The issue here isn't a lack of motivation. You my friend, might just be one of the most motivated when it comes to simplifying. The underlying problem may be in the follow through. 

Example: You decide to go through your closet and weed out the shirts you're not so keen on anymore. You enjoyed the Sunday afternoon purge and after you finished the job, you added the said items into a brown bag that you planned to take to Goodwill. 

The problem with this very simple but all too familiar scenario is that clean-closet-on-Sunday-afternoon-from-2-4pm all of a sudden became a two-month long journey where that bag sat and starred back at you like a sarcastic reminder of failure instead of success.

And reminders like that just ain't fun.

So here's a little suggestion. Add the purge portion of your project AND the drop-off of those goods into your calendar. Create an actual event for yourself and see if it helps. Add it like you would your hair appointment or trip to the doctor. 

It's extremely simple but it might just help you with the follow through. 

This doesn't just apply to much needed errands either. You can try this with larger organizational jobs in your house. Sometimes we get in way over our heads with something like cleaning out the garage. So schedule the job on your calendar and in increments. That way you have a time set aside for the job and you won't burn out after spending 5 hours on a Saturday trying to tackle it. While getting in and getting it all done can work for some people, it won't work for everyone and may lead to good ole' fashioned burnout. YIKES.

If you create an appointment to help complete tasks, it increases the chances that you'll get a reminder, it helps you plan around that thing and you'll be more apt to want to check it off your list.

The notably efficient and organized Stephen R. Covey explained it like this:

"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule but to schedule your priorities."

Remember, it's not that you don't want to simplify. It's just figuring out how to create some accountability so that you complete the task. And lemme tell you, I'm still working on this. It's too easy for any of us to start something and get pulled in a handful of directions. (If you have a toddler, you know exactly what I mean.) 

Digital clutter i.e. too many emails and social media updates create feelings of overwhelm and ANXIETY

Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist shares 25 areas where you can minimize clutter. The trusty email inbox made the number one spot on Becker's list.

Bottom line? Virtual clutter is still clutter and we've got it bombarding us all day everyday.

Example: You, like the rest of the world's population like to check your Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram feeds. It's fun to see updates from old friends and watch videos of darling dogs and cats. The downside to the never ending social feeds and updates, however, are feelings of despair, comparison and the fear of missing out. YIKES again.

According to Anxiety.org, online social media addictions can lead to rising levels of anxiety among other not-so-great feelings.

"Feelings of self-consciousness or a need for perfectionism can arise, which often manifests itself into social anxiety..."

And our goal here is to prevent feelings of overwhelm. Because nobody enjoys feeling like this:

For those of you with a Type-A personality - anxiety is probably already your frenemy. Most perfectionists feel like they're never quite perfect enough. Combine this with constant reminders of things in and around your house that you've wanted to get rid of, clean up or get out and it's a recipe for never-ending feelings of anxiousness. 

According to an article from Daily Trends, social media anxiety disorder is a real thing that a lot of women in particular experience as a result of too much social media clutter filling up their lives. The article goes on to provide this solution:

"Stress caused by basic social media use is a lot easier to handle, as long as you are willing to alter your way of thinking. “I can spend hours browsing Pinterest, and sometimes that site convinces me that anyone can embark on any DIY project with fabulous results,” wrote Jenna Andersen, creator and editor of PinterestFail, a funny blog that encourages Pinteresters to have a healthy laugh at their mistakes. “This hasn’t been my experience, and I’m guessing it’s happened to [others] as well.”'

In a nutshell, physical and digital clutter can make us feel less than productive and that we're somehow a hot, disorganized mess EVEN THOUGH WE'RE NOT. Even though we're freaking amazing. Even though we're so much better off than we think we may be if we find ourselves comparing our first-attempt at a DIY project to the perfectly curated Pins on Pinterest.

Your inbox isn't going to halt on sending you notifications and your social media feeds aren't going to stop scrolling for you.

So now is the time to simplify things. 

Now, more than ever, you need to take your own world by your own hands and figure out what deserves your attention and angst and what simply does not.

KEY TAKEAWAY

Try scheduling time to tackle your next project (in increments) and when it comes to the digital clutter - log off, walk away or go outside.

Whether you're a stay-at-home mom, working professional and/or an adult with dreams, you've got bigger fish to fry than to worry about these types of things cluttering your life.

Good luck - let me know how it goes in the comments section!

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Are you looking for a little (or a lot) of help with your own home organization? Click here and schedule a complimentary 15-minute consult and chat with Britnee Tanner about your home organization goals.

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Interested in the whole less is more idea? Subscribe to my free email list below and you'll be sent monthly tips and insights related to all things simple living including invites to future webinars.