When we talk about decluttering and organizing, large-scale undertakings such as cleaning out the garage or color-coding a closet spring to mind. But sometimes just thinking about tackling those jobs can feel exhausting, creating a barrier to success even for people who are highly motivated to improve their homes and their lives by exerting control over their belongings.
To avoid feeling overwhelmed by such projects, Jane Abrahams and Wendy Trunz, the founders of Jane’s Addiction Organization, recommend “soft decluttering,” which emphasizes small projects that add up to big improvements over time.
“Soft decluttering is more of an easing into organizing your home,” Trunz says. “It is done in smaller tasks, physically and mentally, unlike full cleanouts or complete purges.”
Starting with modest goals and setting yourself up for success with incremental projects, Trunz adds, “renews your confidence, restores hope and begins to move you toward the dreams and visions you have for your home and your life. Small wins make a huge impact.”
Using this approach can also help people who struggle with anxiety and other conditions that can hinder getting organized. “It keeps stress responses in check,” says Danielle Roeske, a psychologist and the vice president of operations at Newport Healthcare. “Large tasks can trigger feelings of anxiety and overwhelm, especially for individuals with hoarding tendencies.”
Taking a measured approach is key for many people. “The little things that nobody sees lead to the big things everybody wants,” Trunz says. “Completing each accomplishment while creating easy, sustainable systems as you go creates daily habits, which then, in turn, create a more clutter-free and peaceful lifestyle.”
An antidote to ‘perfection paralysis’
“Perfection paralyzes people,” Trunz says. She encourages people facing any decluttering project, whether it’s an overflowing closet or an attic that’s turned into an overstuffed storage unit, to abandon dreams of a Pinterest-worthy display. “Don’t go for perfection,” she says. “Go for good enough for now. Don’t think perfect, think done.”
Using the soft decluttering approach, however, doesn’t mean letting go entirely of those Pinterest dreams. It just slows the process a bit, making it more likely you’ll achieve the end goal.
“Soft decluttering breaks an emotionally loaded task of purging and organizing into less-threatening pieces,” Roeske says, which can also help manage feelings of grief, loss and nostalgia that can crop up when decluttering. “It’s easier to sit with 15 minutes of these feelings with smaller projects instead of five hours with a major cleanout task.”
Focusing on smaller projects, she adds, “prevents the all-or-nothing trap where someone thinks they either need to do a massive purge of their clutter or do nothing with it at all. It reduces the all-or-nothing and perfectionist mind-sets that get people stuck, and reinforces the idea that even small gestures can have a meaningful impact.”
7 soft decluttering projects with a big payoff
Prevent the entryway from turning to chaos
“The entryway of your home has a high visibility and is used daily, so the impact can be felt immediately,” Roeske says. She recommends soft decluttering to keep what she calls “the key-and-mail drop area” from getting so cluttered that it makes getting in and out of the house a challenge. Putting away coats, bags, shoes, umbrellas and reusable totes takes only a few minutes and can be done on an as-needed or routine basis. “Scheduling decluttering like a recurring habit rather than a one-time event can help you stay on top of these tasks,” she says.
Keep the refrigerator and pantry in order
“The kitchen is the hub of the home,” Abrahams says, “and the refrigerator holds the fuel for everyone’s bodies.” Use the soft decluttering method each week to keep chaos from taking over and to reduce food waste. “Grab a garbage bag, throw out all spoiled or outdated food, drinks and condiments to keep the space organized and clean.”
Tidy up junk drawers and other catchall spaces
“Soft decluttering projects that have the biggest impact can include junk drawers or those ‘catchall’ drawers in your kitchen, medicine cabinets or bathroom counter clutter,” Roeske says. Use drawer dividers or repurpose boxes to create compartments that help keep small items contained and grouped by type or use.
Clean out the car in three steps
Abrahams shares this three-step process to clean out the car: 1. Grab a garbage bag and throw away trash, starting at the front and working toward the back. 2. Use a bin or bag to gather items that don’t belong in the car and need to be put away. 3. Organize the trunk, using bins to store items, which makes it easy to remove them when more space is needed.
Do 10 minutes of digital organization
Roeske recommends taking a few minutes to tackle what she calls “digital clutter,” which can include removing unused apps from your phone, going through your email, or deleting digital photos and screenshots. “Set a timer for 10 minutes so that the decluttering task has a clear end point and doesn’t spiral into feelings of overwhelm,” she says.
Keep wallets, purses, bags and backpacks organized
“Clean out your purse and wallet,” Abrahams says, and use pouches to create organized systems to make switching between bags easier. Then, “once a year, neatly lay out the cards and important info that you have in your wallet on a flat surface. Take a picture of the front and back of the group, and this way you have all the information on hand if you lose your wallet to quickly shut down cards and replace them.”
Reduce the art, posters, framed photos or crafts on display
“Many people are overwhelmed with large framed family pictures, craft and school projects that they have saved but no longer want to hang on walls or have displayed,” Abrahams says. “However, emotionally, these are very hard items for clients to part with.” She suggests taking a picture of artwork to keep on your phone or display in a digital frame. “The goal is to enjoy the memories without the clutter.”
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