Organizing When Overwhelmed
Most clients call me when they’re at their wits end. They’re overwhelmed and frustrated and can’t stand their clutter anymore. That’s where I come in and clear up their home to return it to functional. So what about if you want to try to tackle you’re overwhelming clutter on your own? Believe it or not, you can do it!
If you’re at the point where you’re feeling overwhelmed and you’re clutter is severe, here are a few tips to help get you started:
Start Small. This will be different for everyone but in general, start with less than an hour. Give yourself a timer and stop when the time is done.
Follow Through. If you have taken your valuable time to sort through some belongings and weed out what you don’t need/want, finish the job! This means taking the items you want to donate to donation. Get rid of the trash or recycling you collected. Have items you need to return to a store? DO IT or schedule a time and put in on your calendar.
Consider Resources. You may find along the way that you need a hand. There are great services available to help you get stuff out of your home. Think about the following: shredding companies, donation pick ups, electronic recycling, junk haulers, organizers!
If you tackle some larger clutter or if your clutter isn’t quite out of control yet, I’ve got tips for that too! It’s important to know that even if your home is manageable now, it can easily get out of hand. Staying on top of your clutter is truly the name of the game.
Make it a Habit. Continuously checking back in with your most cluttered areas will help keep the overwhelming feeling at bay. This may mean taking just 15 minutes once a week or once every two weeks going through what has accumulated. This could be in your office, pieces of mail, kids schoolwork, an area you place items after travel or more!
Limit What Enters the Home. I’ll admit, it’s tempting to shop for your home, yourself and your family. Clients often say to me ‘I bet your home is really organized’. In all honestly, I am extremely cautious about how much stuff I buy or allow to be brought into the home. Even if I see a good deal or if someone wants to give me something, I always consider if I REALLY need the item. Is it worth having more stuff in my home to have a few dollars right now? Be honest with yourself!
You can achieve your home organizing goals. Know that it’s overwhelming for a lot of people and that if you work in small chunks, you can do it! If you get stuck, feel free to reach out for some help!