Declutter + Organize Without Making A Huge Mess
If the fear of making a huge mess often scares you away from decluttering + organizing, please keep reading! We’re going to talk about both the mess + the overwhelm of larger projects, or projects that might take more time to knock out. Solutions do exist for all of this, I promise!
If the fear of making a huge mess often scares you away from decluttering + organizing, please keep reading!
We’re going to talk about both the mess + the overwhelm of larger projects, or projects that might take more time to knock out. Solutions do exist for all of this, I promise!
We started this discussion last week in our EOW Chat (end of week) that I post on Instagram stories typically on Friday or Saturday each week. When This conversation was initiated by several of you reaching out to me over the course of many months, sharing your own concerns + stories, so I thought this topic deserved a deeper look. Let’s get to it!
Many of you (and myself included) said that there are often times when you KNOW there is an area your home that needs attention - whether it be decluttering, organizing, or both - BUT you never get started out of FEAR of making a big mess during the process. This fear stops you in your tracks.
This fear you’ve expressed to me, and that I am very familiar with, comes from various layers worth mentioning. See if any of these thoughts resonate with you:
When I get started decluttering or organizing, it spreads out and takes over my whole house!
Decluttering makes more of a mess than what I had to start with!
I don’t have enough space in my home to start decluttering.
My kids will get into everything I’m trying to sort through.
I don’t have enough time to declutter an area and get it pulled back together quick enough.
I’m not going to be able to use this space for my day-to-day if I start decluttering here.
I hear you. I do. Now let’s start talking about solutions.
Create a Plan + Timeframe
Without a plan you will lose focus. Let’s say you want to tackle a space this month. Great. Right it down on paper, on the refrigerator, in your phone, add to your google docs/schedule, whatever works best for you. After you have your timeframe in place, it’s time to dive into some practical strategies to make your decluttering/organizing actually happen.
Assess Your Space
Take a moment to get clear on the area you’re wanting to work on decluttering/organizing. Is it a closet? It it an entire room? It is one part of a space? Get clear on what it is you want to get through. Now look at this space objectively - what is it made up of? Shelves, drawers, furniture, bins, piles, containers? Learning to look at your space IN PIECES is a great tool to help you more easily break your space up into MINI ZONES. These mini zones make the decluttering/organizing task more manageable. Now go get your donation/giveaway + keep boxes ready! Let’s keep going!
Avoid A Massive Mess
First, I’m going to be candid with you, there will be some mess. That is actually an indication that progress is happening! But here’s how to not let it get totally out of control and take over your home. Once you’re seeing your space in MINI ZONES, decide where you want to start. If you feel like you can’t work in that particular space to get the decluttering done, go grab a box/bag/container and fill it with the items from one or more of the MINI ZONES in your space (ex. empty out one full drawer or shelf into your box). Then take it out of the room to go through in a low traffic space - like the top of your washing machine, a low use counter top, the garage, on a bed in the spare bedroom - somewhere out of your high use spaces so you can keep moving + living.
You can also apply this to CATEGORIES you see in your space - remove all the books and put them in a box to go through - finish that category then move on to the next category until you’ve chipped away at your entire space. Or let’s say you want to get through your entire closet this month with limited time/space. Go through 1 category each night and put things back each night so there’s not a clothing explosion all over your room for weeks on end! Decluttering/organizing by MINI ZONES or BY CATEGORY will also help you manage your time and not get so overwhelmed by the process. It also lends itself perfectly to not having large, continuous chunks of time to do the work.
What To Ask Yourself
✓ Is it bringing value to myself/home/family?
✓ Do I/we use it?
✓ Do I actually like to look at this item?
✓ Does it support my current + future life goals?
✓ Would I buy it full price in the store today?
Be objective, be honest, stay focused on creating space for what you love + value + is essential to your life/home day to day.
Restore Order
While you’re going through your space, you can choose to put things back gradually or all at once once decluttering is completed. Your most effective organizing will happen once you see all of your KEEP items together, to make better sense of them as a group. Also consider if these KEEP items should go back where you found them, or be more helpful + efficient in another location. Sometimes decluttering in a different space than where you found the item is highly beneficial, as it often helps you separate yourself and the item from its’ old, often stagnate home. It can be easier to assess the value of something in a neutral location more objectively.
Parting Ways
As those donation bags or boxes are filling up, even if you are in the middle of your decluttering in that space, I encourage you to remove them from your home as quickly as possible. Divert as much from landfills as possible. Set up a scheduled pick up time, give the items away to a friend, drop off at a local charity, shelter or donation site as soon as you are able to. Make sure to remove the items you’re parting with from the space you’re working on immediately. This will help you more quickly see your progress and not let you get hung up on indecision. Honor your instincts and decisions. If you’d like to sell some items, give yourself a timeframe, and create a donation or giveaway back up plan if your items don’t sell. Keep your eyes + actions focused on looking forward (not back)!
For more decluttering + organizing resources see these guides:
Declutter Your Home Masterclass (doors close 2/5)!
Clothing Closet Declutter Guide
Declutter Guide for Kids + All the Things!
Organization + Style Guide
Note: Clothing Closet Declutter Guide, Declutter Guide for Kids, and the Organization + Style Guide are ALL included in the bonus section of the Declutter Your Home Masterclass.
5 Simple Things To Reduce Stress + Anxiety Now
Are you feeling it… yep, I’m feeling it too! Did you know the environment we create in our home has a huge impact on how we navigate stress? So let’s talk solutions. If you're feeling anxious, stressed or uneasy, here's 5 simple things you can do right now in your home that will help, with little effort + time.
Are you feeling it… yep, I’m feeling it too! Did you know the environment we create in our home has a huge impact on how we navigate stress? So let’s talk solutions.
If you're feeling anxious, stressed or uneasy, here's 5 simple things you can do right now in your home that will help, with little effort + time.
1. Clear a counter.
Small or large, choose one and make it as minimal as possible. Only leave out what you absolutely need...BLISS! Anytime you can reduce visual fatigue in your home, the better. You simply do this by reducing how much is grabbing for you eyes and attention.
*My kitchen counter seems to have the most impact on my stress level, so I try to keep it in check since it is used often and highly visible to the whole house.
2. Hang up clothes/jackets/piles laying around.
Take 5 minutes to put things away if there’s any piles or items stacked up in a chair, and enjoy seeing your space without the piles.
*Same is true with bags, coats, boots + shoes. Put a few things back in their home and reduce the visual clutter quickly. Phew!
3. Streamline your nightstand.
Keep it as minimal and joyful as possible. Add flowers, a good book or magazine, some cozy socks, maybe a good candle and clear off the rest.
*Mine is very simple right now - I have a lamp, one book/mag, glass of water, and typically that is it! Oh, and my polka sleep socks are in a basket on a shelf under the top of the nightstand…essentials!
4. Make your bed.
Simplify what's on there to the best items that you love. Make it look inviting, fluff the pillows, put your favorite throw blanket at the foot of the bed to grab anytime you need it. Done!
*My favorite, soft, cozy throw blanket sits at the foot of our bed and it is my go-to in the evening. I love knowing it is there, ready and waiting. Also, seeing a made bed throughout the day is such a game changer for how clean your room looks and how good it feels. Try it, trust me.
5. Pour yourself a glass of water.
Temperature of your choice - give it a boost with some fruit slices or mint.
*I love combining citrus fruit slices and strawberries - and sometimes I use frozen mango for the ice - delicious!
I hope these tips help you today + become your go-to when you need a quick reset anytime you're feeling a bit off. Keep it simple + spend only a few minutes.
You have incredible power right in front of you to create good, right in your home. Take care my friends.
PS. If you have more chaos + clutter to tame and you want help making it feel less overwhelming, check out all of my mini courses + guides HERE.
Declutter Your Home Masterclass: What it is Actually Like Inside?
[ THE SNEAK PEEK YOU’VE BEEN ASKING FOR ]
We all want a peek behind the curtain to see if this program is right for us before we click buy…I get it, I am the same way! So let’s demystify and answer your top questions I’ve received about the Declutter Your Home Masterclass since the launch in early September.
[ THE SNEAK PEEK YOU’VE BEEN ASKING FOR ]
We all want a peek behind the curtain to see if this program is right for us before we click buy…I get it, I am the same way!
So let’s demystify and answer your top questions I’ve received about the Declutter Your Home Masterclass since the original launch back in the fall of 2020.
If you haven’t seen it yet, here is the full outline of the content in the Masterclass HERE.
YOUR CONCERNS + QUESTIONS ANSWERED
1. I am afraid it is going to take up too much TIME. (I barely have any, how will I do this too?)
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
✔ It is flexible and self-paced program, which means it can work with your schedule. I teach you how to find pockets of time to make tangible progress!
✔ I have strategically organized the content in a way that you can digest in small bits. Then move on to the next topic.
✔ I only encourage you to make progress on decluttering in your home through MINI TASKS. This is the way to stay motivated and see clear progress quickly.
✔ All the tools I have created for you in each section SAVE YOU TIME. When you follow the tools/checklists I provide, you get the results you’re craving the quickest.
2. Since this is self-paced, how do I stay on track and stay motivated?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
✔ Self-paced means that you get to move as fast or as slow as you need to. You personalize the pace to make sense for your current life and what it will permit. For some of us, that is a few evenings a week after the kids go to bed. Others like to dedicate part of a weekend. It all depends on your person goal(s) which I help you intentionally discover and outline in a practical, tangible way. Replace your phone scrolling with this MC in small bits and you can completely transform your home + life before you know it.
✔ The content is organized in a very simple way, WELCOME, START HERE, STEP ONE, STEP TWO, STEP THREE, BONUS CONTENT (which is filled with extra awesomeness by the way). In each section you are given a quick video with me to watch, and a list of content to review, plus all the resources and tools to get you moving quickly on that topic. You are stepped through each area in a way that is easy to understand/implement.
✔ I’ve recently added a bonus checklist that you can keep and print out to help you keep track and check off your progress while you move through MC. You’ll find that under the WELCOME section. Also, each section is loaded with simple, helpful lists to help you move through the skills with ease + lots of support.
3. Once I buy the MC, I know I have life-time access to all the content, but what does that really mean?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
✔ It means that once you purchase the program, you have IMMEDIATE ACCESS and CONTINUED access to all the material and resources as long as you’d like (for personal use only).
✔ Occasionally I might add updates or an extra bonus to the material or an awesome resource I run across and you get that too! You are the first to be notified of these extras via email, and they will be added to the MC outline pages (where you find all the content).
✔ You can login and access the content from the Masterclass outline page from pretty much anywhere (on your smartphone, tablet or laptop/desktop).
4. What’s the best way to move through the Masterclass to get the most benefit/bang for my buck?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
✔ To get the MAXIMUM benefit of the Declutter Your Home Masterclass, I honestly believe you need to go start to finish. Move through the sections as I have laid them out for you. The order is easy to follow.
✔ Each of the sections were written/created in a way to build on skills and knowledge we’ve discussed in the previous section. You will want the knowledge base from each of the previous sections to rock it in the next section. They all build + support each other!
✔ I also provide quick links for you to access all of the most important resources and tools to implement new skills at the end of the section content. Each of these quick resources are easy to pop open and utilized the moment you need them without digging through the full section to find them.
5. When will I see results from the skills I learn in the Masterclass? What will my home feel like, and what can I expect?
WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:
✔ The first results you will noticed are the simple mindset shifts you will make early on in the WELCOME section. These will continue and are strengthened during the START HERE section. You will notice an IMMEDIATE shift in how you approach your home, making future skills you’ll learn even easier to implement.
✔ In Step One and Step Two, we start taking the most ACTION steps were you will see real physical results right in front of you. You will learn how to assess concerns (and find problem areas) and find high priority areas in your home to address and then create a goal. I teach you exactly how to break it down into small steps to actually make it happen. I give you ALL the exact tools you need to learn and implement decluttering anything, in any area of your home. It’s amazing! Skills you have forever!
✔ By the time you are in Step Three and you’ve moved through all the previous sections, you are an old pro! You have an incredible skillset to identify issues in your home, understand how they got there, declutter the area, improve the efficiency and organization in the space, and then know what to do with the items you’re parting ways with. You will also learn how to prep your home for future success and continue to set decluttering goals for your home as needed.
✔ Most importantly, these results are sustainable that you continue to benefit from. You get immediate results, you get results throughout the process, and you continue to benefit from your decluttering efforts long after you’ve completed your goals, even in the smallest of areas and even through the smallest of goals. Also, YOU START SAVING MONEY because you actually know what you have in your home!!!
✔ Your home will feel lighter, more efficient, less frustrating, less stressful…many report they feel like they “can finally breathe” in their home. It feels calmer, it feels relaxing. They feel less anxious. You start saving money…the list is longer…who doesn’t want all of this?
YES, THAT WAS A BIT LONG WINDED…but sometimes that is what is needed, as I wanted to make DARN sure I eased your concerns and help you decide if the MASTERCLASS make sense for you right now. If you have anymore questions, feel free to leave a comment below or email me at: fuzzyhippodesign@gmail.com
And thank you AGAIN to all my current Declutter Your Home Masterclass Students!! You are all telling me about the amazing things happening in your homes, the difference you feel, and the improvements you see in your day to day. I am so grateful + happy to be along side you for it! Keep the awesome stories + feedback coming!
Start Decluttering + Organizing Today With My Top 3 Strategies
OK friends, we are being swept up in a whirlwind of people and companies giving advice on how to reduce what you have in your home and how to get organized, and A LOT of that basically points at you needing to buy more “product” to make any of this happen. I don’t completely agree with this, in fact I want to shift gears here a bit and share with you my TOP 3 STRATEGIES to get you going on decluttering + organizing in your home RIGHT NOW, today, as you read this blog post. These strategies will work and will make a difference.
OK my friend, let’s get REAL for a second here. We are being swept up in a whirlwind of people and companies giving advice on how to reduce what you have in your home and how to get organized, and A LOT of that basically points at you needing to buy more “product” to make any of this happen. I don’t completely agree with this, in fact I want to shift gears here a bit and share with you my TOP 3 STRATEGIES to get you going on decluttering + organizing in your home RIGHT NOW, today, as you read this blog post. These strategies will work and will make a difference. I want you to get ready to put them into action on your home ASAP. And no, I am not going to tell you have to go buy any products to get started, I promise!
So let’s go ahead and dive right in.
STRATEGY #1: You need to slow down.
No really, SLOW DOWN! You need to slow your roll…and you can approach it two ways.
ONE, in general start slowing down when you are doing any daily task in your home. Notice how you are feeling during them, are you frustrated, do you find yourself looking for things, are things falling on you while you try to perform a basic task like grab something from the pantry, etc. Also, which tasks are smooth as butter? Which ones are so simple and mindless and easy to complete? We need to pay attention to both. Write them down or take mental note of both conditions as you see fit.
TWO, another option is to look at one specific area of your home you know is a big pain-point for you. For example, your laundry room is driving you nuts, it feels disorganized, it doesn’t look good in there, you have issues finding things and keeping things in good stock and you generally dislike being in the space. Write down every layer of what is an issue and what obstacles seem to be present making it a frustrating space to be in and complete basic tasks in.
STRATEGY #2: edit + sort
After you have slowed down and you’ve decided to focus on one “problem area” that you’ve taken a moment to identify things that are causing you grief, let’s now start focusing on change. Before we do this, we need to start with editing + sorting.
Remove items in the space that are:
✔ broken
✔ not used
✔ need to be in another area of your home
✔ have too many duplicates of
✔ you dislike or have a negative associate with
✔ is not essential, useful or valuable to your day to day
With whatever is left + you are keeping, do the following:
✔ group items into “like categories”
✔ group items by type, shape and/or frequency of use
✔ you might need to apply several of these to one category as you see fit, but just get started and see where it goes
✔ example // junk drawer groups: writing utensils, scrap paper/notebooks, tools, office supplies, misc. Lay each item out in their appropriate group on a table for a closer look with strategy #3 next
STRATEGY #3: tap into YOUR RHYTHMS to truly get organized
OK, so you have created piles of things into groups that make some basic sense for you and you’re further along than when you started. EXCELLENT. Let’s get things put back in a way that’s intentional, efficient and looks good.
Let’s talk RHYTHM. How do you use this space? What essential activities are happening here?
You can apply this to something as large a room or as small as a drawer. Rhythms are relevant everywhere because it cues your brain on what to do and how to do it. You want this to be as simplified as possible.
I’m going to use the laundry room example again. Let’s say there’s 3 major things you do in here: you manage all the laundry, you store dog supplies/food here, and it’s a catch all for household supplies/tools/etc. So your RHYTHMS are all centered around these 3 tasks (doing laundry, taking care of the dog, and grabbing a household item/tool).
Now you can start to put things back into the space based on these RHYTHMS you’ve identified that need to occur in the space. Laundry essentials go back together, dog essentials get grouped together, household essentials put back together.
And LAST BUT NOT LEAST (and probably your favorite topic to discuss)…
Let’s talk ORGANIZATION. This is where RHYTHM, FUNCTION + BEAUTY all come together.
Within each group of items that SUPPORT A RHYTHM (or essential activity) you’ll organize your items with these guidelines:
✔ items you need to see and reach/grab daily or frequently make them easy to access
✔ create simple groupings within these high access or low access groups by shape, size and/or by color + style, and labels are always great to remind you what you have and maintain order
✔ further corral random sizes of things that support a rhythm but don’t really “go together” or maybe don’t look very good together by gathering them in a container, basket, box,tray, etc. Giving them a boundary is essential or it can get chaotic and spread out fast.
✔ aim to shop your home first for these containers - you can always swap them out over time as needed but the edit/grouping/organizing will already be done!
OK, IT’S ACTION TIME!
Go put these strategies to use, test them out, and tell me how it is working for you! My goal is always to transparently + honestly teach you the tools to help you to be immediately active in improving your home environment as soon as possible. It will always be worth the effort, even in small chunks. Set a timer for 15-30 minutes and see what you can do. I think you will surprise yourself.
P.S. If you’re feeling like you want even more help with decluttering + organization / you’d love to take the guess work out of it + clarify where you should start? I’ve got you. Click HERE to learn more. As always, please feel free to email me with any questions you have. EMAIL: fuzzyhippodesign@gmail.com
Thanks for being here.
30 Day Declutter Challenge
HOW ARE YOU? Wow, what a doozy of a year we’ve had so far. Some of you joined us WAY back in March when we all went into shelter-in-place and started a quarantine lifestyle for the health of ourselves and our community with the onset of COVID-19. During those first 30 days, I invited my Instagram family to join me in a 30 Day Declutter Challenge where we did one *mini* declutter challenge each day for 30 days (we took Sundays off), so it took about a full month-ish.
Hello my dear friend!
HOW ARE YOU? Wow, what a doozy of a year we’ve had so far. Some of you joined us WAY back in March when we all went into shelter-in-place and started a quarantine lifestyle for the health of ourselves and our community with the onset of COVID-19. During those first 30 days, I invited my Instagram family to join me in a 30 Day Declutter Challenge where we did one *mini* declutter challenge each day for 30 days (we took Sundays off), so it took about a full month-ish. I wanted to recap that 30 day experience with you all here, and if you missed any days, or wanted to get started here on your own time, I have it all mapped out below for you.
The nature of these challenges, as I mentioned, is that they are indeed intended to be*mini* declutter challenges, meaning that they should likely only take you between 5-15 minutes each. Consider it a quick declutter session where you stay focus only on the task at hand, and then you move along with your day!
Did you know that I did all of the challenges right along side everyone and showed each day my progress and how I approached each mini challenge?
Yes, I sure did! See all of the details in my Instagram highlights, click HERE.
[ NOTE: you’ll need to scroll through the Instagram highlight bubbles and look for these highlights: 1Mini Declutter | 2Mini Declutter | 3Mini Declutter. There’s three different highlights to capture our full month+ because we went through a lot of awesomeness together! Also, I mislabeled a few days on IG, but if you follow them in order, they correspond with the full list below. I blame the errors on the foggy quarantine brain… you know…]
Let’s dive into the list + then I’ll share some final notes on the experience + TOP TIPS I shared with my IG family during that time.
DAY 1: SOCK DRAWER
DAY 10: LAUNDRY ESSENTIALS
