Decluttering your entire home can feel like a huge task, but breaking it down room by room makes it so much more manageable. Whether you’re tackling your bedroom, kitchen, or bathroom, each room has its own unique clutter challenges—and with a little planning, you can clear the clutter without feeling overwhelmed.
I’ve learned that taking it one room at a time not only makes the process easier, but it also helps you maintain momentum. Here are 13 steps to help you declutter your home, room by room, so you can enjoy a more organized and peaceful space.
1. Start with a Plan
Before diving into each room, take a moment to think about the overall goal. What do you want to accomplish? For me, I usually break my rooms into smaller, more manageable areas—like focusing on a closet, desk, or countertop.
Create a list of the rooms you want to declutter and prioritize them based on what’s most urgent. This will give you a roadmap to follow and help you stay organized throughout the process.
2. Set a Timer for Each Room
Decluttering can feel like it’s going to take forever, so setting a timer can help keep you on track. I typically set a timer for 20-30 minutes per room.
This keeps me from getting sidetracked, and it gives me a clear target to aim for. Knowing there’s an end in sight also helps me stay focused and motivated.
3. Declutter by Category, Not by Room
When starting with a room, I find it helpful to declutter by category instead of trying to do everything all at once. For example, if you’re decluttering the bedroom, tackle all the clothes first—take everything out of the closet and drawers, then sort through it.
Afterward, you can move on to books, shoes, and other items. This method prevents you from feeling overwhelmed and ensures you’re focusing on one type of clutter at a time.
4. Start with the Easy Wins
To build momentum, start with the easiest areas of each room. These might be spaces that you don’t have much attachment to, like the top of a coffee table or an empty shelf. Clear these spaces first to feel accomplished, and then move on to more challenging areas.
For example, I always begin by decluttering the counters in the kitchen because that’s the space that tends to get messy the quickest. It feels great to see it cleaned up right away!
5. Use the Four-Box Method
One of my favorite tricks for staying organized during decluttering is using the four-box method. As you go through each room, have four boxes or bags ready: Keep, Donate, Trash, and Relocate.
This system helps you stay focused on making decisions and prevents the clutter from just piling up. If an item doesn’t belong, put it in the “relocate” box for later. If it’s broken or no longer useful, toss it. It’s a simple way to keep everything moving without getting bogged down by indecision.
6. Focus on Flat Surfaces First
Flat surfaces like countertops, tables, and shelves are the biggest culprits when it comes to clutter. I always start by clearing off these spaces because it makes a huge impact quickly.
You’ll immediately notice how much more organized the room feels. Once the flat surfaces are cleared, it’s easier to focus on the deeper, more cluttered areas like drawers and cabinets.
7. Tackle One Drawer or Shelf at a Time
Instead of trying to declutter an entire closet or drawer at once, break it down into smaller sections. Focus on one drawer or shelf at a time to avoid getting overwhelmed.
For example, when decluttering my kitchen, I’ll start with a single drawer, sorting through the utensils and organizing them into categories. Once that’s done, I move to the next drawer. This makes the process much less intimidating, and I get to see my progress right away.
8. Deal with Paper Clutter
Paper can accumulate quickly and easily become a major source of clutter. Take 10-15 minutes each day to go through mail and paperwork before it starts to pile up. I recommend sorting it into categories like “To Do,” “To File,” and “Trash.”
Create a filing system that works for you, whether it’s digital or physical. Tackling paper clutter as it comes in will prevent it from taking over your home and creating unnecessary stress.
9. Declutter Your Closet
The closet can often be one of the trickiest areas to tackle. I start by pulling everything out and assessing each item one by one. If I haven’t worn it in the last six months or if it no longer fits, it goes in the donation or toss pile.
The goal is to keep only what you truly wear and love. Once I’ve made the tough decisions, I organize everything neatly by category—shirts, pants, shoes, etc.—to keep things tidy and easily accessible.
10. Organize as You Go
Decluttering and organizing go hand in hand. As you clear out items, take the time to organize what you’re keeping. For example, in the bathroom, I organize my toiletries into containers and label everything.
It might take a little extra time, but organizing as you go keeps things neat and prevents clutter from building up again. Plus, it feels so satisfying to have a clean, organized space when you’re done!
11. Set Limits for Sentimental Items
It’s easy to keep items simply because they have sentimental value, but keeping everything just leads to clutter. I like to set a limit for sentimental items—whether it’s one box or one shelf in my home.
When I reached my limit, I had to make the tough decision to let go of things that weren’t as important to me. For example, I keep only a handful of letters and gifts from loved ones, rather than every card I’ve ever received. Setting a limit helps me stay grounded in my decision-making process.
12. Get Rid of Duplicates
We often keep duplicates of things without realizing it, like extra mugs, kitchen gadgets, or blankets. When decluttering, I focus on identifying and getting rid of duplicates. If I have multiple sets of something that I never use, I donate the extras.
For instance, I realized I had more towels than I needed, so I donated the ones I wasn’t using regularly. This not only reduces clutter but also makes it easier to find what I need when I need it.
13. Stay Consistent
Decluttering isn’t a one-time event—it’s an ongoing process. To prevent clutter from building up again, I try to make decluttering a regular habit. I spend just 10-15 minutes a day organizing or clearing things out, whether it’s a quick sweep of the living room or sorting through a few papers.
Keeping up with the little things makes the bigger decluttering tasks less overwhelming and ensures your home stays organized in the long run.
