The piles seem to multiply overnight - mail on the counter, the dining room table covered in lessons, dishes abandoned mid-meal for a bath time emergency.
Clutter brings its own chaotic energy that gradually dominates our home environment if left unchecked. What begins as small annoyances progress into genuine life burdens. As someone who struggles with keeping clutter, this month I am embracing the FlyLady habit of the month by decluttering for 15 minutes each day. Will my life be completely clutter-free by the end of this short month? I doubt it, but I have faith that I will be building a more healthy habit so that I can continue clearing the clutter.
The Weight of Clutter’s Impact
Physical clutter exerts real mental friction and stress. Visual noise distracts from focused tasks. Missing bill payments in the mail heap leads to financial woes. Drawers overflowing with unused items highlight wasted money. It’s a downward spiral of feeling chronically overwhelmed yet immobilized to change habits.
As a homeschool family, clutter is the enemy. Not being able to find the book or reference material, or the time wasted searching for a pen, pencil, eraser, etc. can bring the day to a screeching halt. Once the lesson is over, it is so important for us to put everything back in its place, to be sure we are able to find everything where we need it.
Even in my sewing room, organization is essential! Although I have always felt like I thrived in creative chaos, working towards a clutter-limited lifestyle has become more appealing. I find it much more satisfying to complete tasks when I can find the fabric I’ve been looking forward to using, without digging through a pile to get to it.
The Freedom Gained Through Decluttering
Simply clearing out the obsolete liberates space for openness and breathing room. Order and visible progress inject our psyche with motivational sparks. A tidy home office helps brains reboot and realign perspective. The simplicity of an uncluttered kitchen makes cooking enjoyment possible again. Small pockets of organization blossom into newfound tranquility.
I have long envied people that have a natural knack for organization. It didn’t matter how many times I got help or tried to copy the perfection I saw, nothing ever stuck. Over the last two years I have learned more about myself and my own productivity. After being told my whole life that I was just a “messy person” I am finally learning how organization works for me, and my kids, as we build better habits towards a happier home.
Start Small for Sustainable Change
Tackling a fully congested home seems impossible when we’re already depleted from daily demands. 15 minutes of concentrated decluttering helps break stagnancy. I use a timer for focused motivation. By picking one troublesome area like a junk drawer or countertop, I am able to manage the clutter with less overwhelm. Challenge yourself to work steadily sorting, evaluating, and tossing items that are no longer needed. Check pockets for loose change as a reward!
Building Lasting Habits Over Time
The key is consistency using those 15 minute daily sessions to cement decluttering habits. What once seemed like scarce free moments become transformed into progress milestones. Over time, the little moments accumulate into radically downsized clutter and new lifestyle routines. Clear spaces inspire maintaining them. Good habits reinforce one another holistically.
Give yourself grace on days when declutter goals take a backseat to self care necessities or family priorities. But promise yourself to keep coming back to carve out small spaces for lightness through little daily acts of letting go. The overhanging heaviness of clutter can indeed be conquered 15 minutes at a time.
So how do you declutter? I’d love to hear any tips or tricks that will help keep up motivation!
