This is going to be a very short post. I’m in the process of writing a much longer instructional post about one-pot cooking and this doesn’t need to be all that long, so…

This is going to be simple. It’s not really a decluttering “method” as much as it’s a suggestion for a…let’s just call it a “mindset shift”.

Looking for advice about how to declutter your house?
Looking for instructions about how to declutter your house?

Here you go:

1. Find a drawer in your house that has stuff that you know you need to get rid of.
2. Empty the drawer
3. Put back what needs to go in that drawer
4. Throw out the rest

That’s it.

Yes, I’m serious.

Notice I didn’t add “repeat” to the end of that list. I’m not saying that you need to do an entire room in one decluttering session (for some of you, that could take weeks…or longer). I’m not going to insist that you fill a garbage bag with your stuff or a fill a box with all the stuff that you want to donate. We will probably need to discuss that stuff at some point (leave me a comment if you really want me to open up that particular can of worms), but for now…

Give. Yourself. The win!

Just declutter one drawer.
And reward yourself when you’re done.

The goal here is simple: to change your perspective about decluttering. Most of us go into this process incredibly intimidated by it. We don’t think we have time to do the job (or to do the job well). We think that it’s too big of a job. We’re emotionally attached to our stuff and don’t want to part with it…and we Don’t. Get. Started.

So this is your permission slip.
I’m giving you permission to NOT declutter everything, everywhere, all at once.

Just…pick one drawer. (Or drawer equivalent: a basket, a cabinet, a shelf…)
One. ONLY one.

And after you’ve cleaned out that drawer — take stock of how you feel.

• Name the emotion you’re feeling. Are you inspired? Satisfied from a job well done? Encouraged?
• How long did it take you? Chances are it didn’t take all that long.
• Or…If the emotions you are feeling are negative: Why are you distressed? Did you throw away something that you have an emotional attachment to? Are your thoughts spiraling out about how much of your space that you have left to work on? Are you feeling intimidated by the scope of the rest of this project — and those feelings are telling you that you can’t continue? You know what? That’s okay!
  • Sit with those feelings a while.
  • Talk to a supportive friend (if you have one — or ChatGPT if you can’t think of anyone).
  • Write them down in a journal — or below in the comments.

As anyone who’s completed a major project will tell you, sometimes the hardest part of the project is getting started. Cleaning out a drawer — just one drawer — is a simple way to overcome that hurdle.

If you’ve made it through that one drawer, congratulations!
The hardest part is done!
You’ve gotten started.

Now, take what you’ve learned and apply it. When can you spare another ____ minutes to tackle the next drawer?

It doesn’t have to be today, but momentum is a thing, so if you can’t do it today — block out that amount of time in your calendar for tomorrow (or the next day, or whenever…)

And after you’ve cleaned out that second drawer…then think about repeating the process. As they say on the back of a shampoo bottle: Lather. Rinse. Repeat.

You can do this!

If you need a cheerleader to spur you on, I’m here! Share your decluttering wins and challenges below.