Easy Decluttering Tips for Moms
These easy decluttering tips for moms can help you clear out the mess and enjoy a happier, more organized home. Our list of shortcuts are just what you need when you are busy with day to day life.
How to declutter the busy areas in your home setting up rooms that area easier to keep from getting messy.
When your home is organized, you spend less time looking for lost items and more time on what truly matters—quality family moments.
Keeping things organized also allows you to clean more easily and if you are like me, finding easier ways to clean is a good goal to have.
How often should you declutter your home?
How often you declutter depends on what works for you, but a good starting point is to do a home decluttering project four times a year or once every season.
You can work more often in busier areas such as the kitchen or home office. Having a more frequent plan for these areas will help to keep them from getting out of hand.
Just find a rhythm that suits your family’s pace and stick with it to keep things under control.
Decluttering your kids’ things is important, too. You can do it twice a year to keep up with their changing needs and interests.
Before their birthdays and the holiday season are good times, as new items often come in during these periods.
Can you put decluttering on auto-pilot?
Yes you can with our easy hack, gradual decluttering. Here’s how it works:
- Place a donation box in any room you want to decluttering.
- Be sure to write the word DONATION on the front to remind you what this container is for.
- Each day set a goal of putting 5 items into that box.
- By the end of a month you will have removed 150 items from that room.
It is an easy way to decluttering without having to invest hours to do so.
Easy Decluttering Tips for Moms
These are my top tips to help make decluttering easier allowing you to get rid of the mess without getting overwhelmed by the project.
1. Come up with a decluttering system
A decluttering system is an easier approach to organizing and reducing clutter in your home.
It allows you to take a large intimidating project and break it down into easy to do steps that take just minute to complete.
Having a plan is helpful especially if you feel overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you have to work through.
With the help of a reliable system, every decluttering project feels more manageable and less like a huge chore, perfect for when you’re not feeling up for a big project.
2. Use Baskets to Hold Daily Clutter
Baskets are my favorite organizing tool and for good reason. They work! Use them to hold random items that tend to clutter up different areas in your home.
You can use a basket on the stairs for items that need to go up, a deep basket in the family room to hold blankets, a shallow basket to hold pet toys, or a counter basket to hold incoming mail.
Baskets not only work great they look great too. Find a solution that matches your style and keep mess areas neater.
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3. Use Hangers for EAsier Decluttering
Sometimes it can be hard to know what clothes to let go of and what clothes to keep. Use the hanger trick to help you see the things you are no longer wearing.
Here’s how it works:
- Go into your closet and turn your hangers around so they are backwards on the rod.
- As you wear an outfit, correct the hanger so it is now facing in the right direction.
- After 30-45 days, any hangers that are still backwards on the rod are the things you did not wear in that time.
- These are the clothes you can now sort through removing any pieces that no longer fit or you no longer love.
Hangers are a great way to take the pressure off of making the hard decisions.
4. Set priorities
Put your energy on what needs to be tackled first to make decluttering more manageable and less stressful.
This approach helps you to stay on track without loosing focus or getting distracted by other messes in your home.
A simple tip is to involve your family in setting these priorities. Hold a family meeting and let everyone know why you want to deal with the mess and chaos. Involving them in the process such as choosing the rooms that will get worked on first will encourage them to be more willing to stick to a new plan.
Be sure to let them know that with a less cluttered space, you’ll all find more opportunities for fun and relaxation together.
5. Use headphones to stay focused
Music can be a powerful tool for keeping your focus while decluttering. A playlist of your favorite songs can help you keep pace allowing you to get more done.
Five songs will give you 20 minutes and you might be surprised how much you can get done in that time.
If music isn’t your thing you can listen to an audio book instead. This is my favorite decluttering distraction and I usually find myself working longer just so I can continue listening to my book.
6. Use Areas to Easier Decluttering
When you can break a busy space into small areas it helps to remove the overwhelm of tackling a big project all at once.
Section a space off into four sections and work in one section at a time sorting things out that you no longer need or use.
When you only focus on one section at a time it removes the pressure of the entire job. And with each finished area you will be one step closer to a clutter free room.
7. Start with paper clutter
Paper is a source of clutter that plauges every home no matter how organized it is. By having a solution for the papers you will make a big difference in the overall look of every room.
To deal with papers, you can use a simple sorting system with labeled boxes for recycling, shredding, and sorting keeping them out so you can add to them as you have time.
This will allow you to quickly categorize papers without needing to find a permanent place for each piece immediately.
Starting with papers can be a manageable first step if you’re tight on time or not ready for bigger decluttering projects.
It’s a quick way to see progress and clear out some clutter without getting overwhelmed by larger tasks.
More Paper Clutter Tips:
- How to Declutter Paper Piles in Your Home
- How to Organize Bills and Paperwork
- How to Organize Receipts
8. Use laundry baskets for sorting clothes
I love to use laundry baskets as your sorting containers because they are the perfect tool for decluttering.
Baskets are easy to move around and hold more than you might realize allowing you to fill them with things you no longer need.
Put a label on each basket to speed up sorting. “Donate” for items to give away, “Toss” for items too damaged to keep, and “Keep” for what will be staying, and “Put Away” for items that belong in another room.
9. Use child friendly containers
Decluttering your child’s room can be a project all on it’s own. If your child is old enough have them take part or do the work themselves. Be sure to break things down into small time blocks to ensure they stay focused.
Use containers with lids that stack on top of each other for easier space saving storage.
You may also want to use clear boxes so items are easily visible, or just label them if they aren’t see-through.
This way, toys and materials can be sorted by category, making cleanup and finding things more straightforward for both moms and kids.
Larger bins are great for bulkier toys or those with awkward shapes, making them easier to store and retrieve.
However, smaller containers might work better for smaller items or to encourage kids to sort their toys by type.
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10. Reuse old clothes
If you are looking for a new and fun hobby, you can give new life to your unwanted clothes turning them into a fun new item for your home.
Transform old clothes into new items like bags or use them in other creative ways to reduce waste and give fabrics a second life.
Upcycle clothes that no longer fit your kids. Turn them into new items like quilt patches, pillow covers, or tote bags.
You can also use them for craft projects, such as braided rugs or decorative banners.
These projects can be a great way to spend creative time with your kids, teaching them about recycling and crafting.
11. Follow the One In One Out Rule
Ever heard of the One In One Out rule? It’s a simple method where you remove an item of clothing every time you buy a new one.
This rule is a practical way to keep your closet organized and prevent it from becoming too crowded.
It can be tough, especially if you love shopping for your kids, but thinking of decluttering as a way to ensure quality over quantity might help.
Next time you’re tempted to buy something new, see it as a golden opportunity to reassess your wardrobe.
Identify what’s rarely used or outgrown and could be passed on or donated. You’ll be surprised at how much lighter and more organized your closet will feel.
12. Have a garage sale
A garage sale gives you a chance to clear out items you no longer need, like old household items. It can also be a fun family activity.
Start by sorting through your items and decide what to sell. Price items reasonably and organize them so they’re easy to browse.
Before selling old toys and kids’ clothes, give them a good clean to make them more attractive to buyers.
Price items reasonably, considering their condition and original cost—think about what you’d be willing to pay.
Group similar items together and label them clearly, maybe even with a little sign indicating the type of items and price range.
Making decluttering a family activity is a fantastic idea! It can be both fun and educational for the kids.
Give each child a specific, age-appropriate task, like sorting their toys or deciding which books to keep.
As you go along, praise their efforts and maybe even reward the whole family with a fun activity afterwards. This way, decluttering becomes a positive experience that teaches responsibility and teamwork.
