How to Conquer Clutter and Keep It Under Control

If clutter seems to take over your home no matter how often you clean, you’re not alone. The best way to conquer clutter is to declutter in small, manageable steps, give everything you keep a place, and create habits that prevent clutter from building up again. You don’t have to organize your entire house in one weekend. A little progress each day can make a big difference.

Clutter isn’t just about having too many things. When counters, floors, closets, drawers, and other spaces become overloaded, cleaning becomes harder too. Dust and dirt can collect around objects, and the more things you have to move, the more difficult it is to keep your home clean.

The good news is that you don’t have to get rid of everything you own to have a more organized home. The goal is to keep the things you use, need, and truly value while finding a better home for everything else.

Here are my 10 Commandments of Clutter Control to help you declutter your home and keep it that way.

1. Stop Procrastinating and Start Clearing the Clutter

One of the biggest problems with clutter is putting it off until “later.” Unfortunately, later usually turns into tomorrow, next week, or someday.

You don’t need an entire Saturday to start decluttering. Give yourself 15 minutes and choose one small area.

Try:

• One kitchen counter
• One junk drawer
• One bathroom cabinet
• One shelf
• One section of a closet
• One small area of the garage
• One pile of papers

Set a timer and work until it goes off. When you’re finished, stop or keep going if you’re on a roll.

Small victories matter. Clearing one drawer may not seem like much, but it proves that you can make progress.

And here’s another simple rule: If something takes less than two minutes to put away, do it now. Don’t create tomorrow’s clutter by putting off a tiny task today.

2. Stop Making Excuses for Keeping Clutter

“I might need it someday.”

“It was expensive.”

“Someone gave it to me.”

“I’ll use it eventually.”

“I don’t know what to do with it.”

We’ve all said some version of these things.

Sometimes there is a good reason to keep something. But if you find yourself making excuses for nearly everything, it’s time to take a closer look at what you’re keeping.

When you’re unsure about an item, ask yourself:

• Do I use this?
• Do I need this?
• Does it work?
• Do I have something else that does the same job?
• Would I buy this again today?
• Do I have room to store it?
• Am I keeping it because I actually want it, or because I feel guilty getting rid of it?

You don’t have to make every decision immediately, but don’t let indecision turn into another pile.

3. Use It or Get Rid of It

One of the simplest decluttering rules is also one of the hardest: If you don’t use something and don’t have a good reason to keep it, consider letting it go.

Look for things you haven’t used in a long time.

That could include:

• Clothes you never wear
• Kitchen gadgets you never use
• Broken items you’ve been meaning to repair
• Duplicate household items
• Old magazines and newspapers
• Toys that are no longer used
• Decorations you no longer enjoy
• Expired products
• Things you forgot you even owned

If you’re having trouble making a decision, create a temporary “maybe” box. Put questionable items in the box, label it with the date, and store it somewhere out of the way.

If you haven’t needed anything in the box after several months, that may tell you something about how useful those items really are.

Just don’t turn the “maybe” box into permanent storage. That defeats the purpose.

4. Learn to Let Go of Things You No Longer Need

Decluttering isn’t always about junk. Sometimes the hardest things to let go of are perfectly good items that simply don’t fit your life anymore.

Our homes change as our lives change.

Children grow up. Hobbies change. Families move. Jobs change. People move into smaller homes. Tastes change. What once made perfect sense to keep may no longer have a purpose.

Sentimental items can be especially difficult.

You don’t have to throw away every keepsake to reduce clutter. Instead, choose the things that are genuinely meaningful and consider whether you need to keep every single item connected to a memory.

For example, instead of keeping an entire box of children’s artwork, you might choose a few favorites and photograph the rest.

The goal isn’t to erase your memories. It’s to make room for the life you’re living now.

5. Give Unwanted Items a Second Home

Decluttering doesn’t automatically mean throwing everything in the trash.

If something is clean, safe, usable, and no longer needed, consider whether someone else could use it.

Depending on the item, you might:

• Donate it to a local charity
• Give it to a friend or family member
• Sell it
• Recycle it through an appropriate program
• Give it away through a local community group

Having a donation box or bag in your home can make this easier. When you find something you no longer need, put it directly into the box.

When the box is full, take care of it instead of allowing it to become another permanent pile.

And remember, donating something doesn’t mean you have to keep it in your home until you find the perfect person for it. Once you’ve decided it’s time for it to go, follow through.

6. Set Limits for How Much You Store

Storage space isn’t unlimited.

If you have one shelf for towels, one cabinet for cleaning supplies, or a specific area in the garage for holiday decorations, decide how much you can reasonably keep in that space.

When the space is full, don’t automatically buy another storage container.

First ask yourself whether you need everything you’re storing.

This is especially helpful in:

• Closets
• Kitchen cabinets
• Bathroom cabinets
• Linen closets
• Garages
• Attics
• Basements
• Storage sheds

Your storage space can be a built-in clutter limit.

If your belongings no longer fit comfortably in the space you’ve designated for them, it’s time to reassess what you’re keeping.

7. Try the First-In, First-Out Rule

First In, First Out, often called FIFO, is a simple way to prevent older items from getting forgotten behind newer ones.

You may already use this idea with food. Put newer items toward the back and use older items first.

You can apply the same thinking throughout your home.

For example:

• Put newer pantry items behind older ones.
• Use older cleaning products before opening new ones.
• Rotate seasonal clothing.
• Use older toiletries before opening replacements.
• Check older craft and hobby supplies before buying more.

You can also use a similar rule for clothing, toys, books, and other belongings: When something new comes in, consider whether something old needs to go.

You don’t have to get rid of an item every time you buy something new, but this is a useful way to keep possessions from quietly multiplying.

8. Remember That Less Can Be More

More stuff doesn’t necessarily make life better.

The more belongings you have, the more you have to clean, organize, store, maintain, repair, and eventually move.

That doesn’t mean you need to live with an empty house. It simply means you should be intentional about what you bring into your home.

Before buying something, ask yourself:

Where will I keep this?

If you don’t have a place for it, that’s a good reason to pause before buying it.

You can also use a waiting period for nonessential purchases. Put the item on a list and wait a few days before deciding whether you still want it.

Sometimes the desire to buy something disappears once you’ve had time to think about it.

9. Give Everything a Place

One of the best ways to control clutter is to give the things you keep a designated home.

Keys go in one place.

Shoes have a place.

Mail has a place.

Toys have a place.

Cleaning supplies have a place.

When everything has a home, putting things away becomes much easier.

If an item doesn’t have a place, it will probably end up on a counter, table, chair, floor, or other convenient surface.

This is also why buying storage containers before decluttering isn’t always the best approach. You may end up organizing things you don’t actually need.

Declutter first. Organize what remains second.

And before bringing something new into your home, think about where it will live.

10. Stay on Top of Organization

Decluttering isn’t a one-time project.

Even after you’ve worked hard to get your home under control, new things will continue coming through the door.

Mail arrives. Packages arrive. Clothes are purchased. School papers appear. Household products run out and get replaced.

That’s why maintaining an organized home is easier when you make decluttering part of your regular routine.

You don’t have to spend hours doing it.

Try:

• Spending 10 to 15 minutes each day putting things away
• Doing a quick clutter check before bed
• Clearing kitchen counters at the end of the day
• Sorting mail when it comes into the house
• Keeping a donation box available
• Decluttering one small area each week
• Reviewing closets and storage areas a few times a year
• Getting the whole family involved

If everyone who lives in the home helps put things back where they belong, one person doesn’t have to constantly clean up after everyone else.

How Do You Start Decluttering a Cluttered House?

If your entire house feels overwhelming, don’t start with the biggest mess.

Start with something small enough that you can finish it.

A good order might be:

1. Choose one small area.
2. Remove obvious trash.
3. Put items that belong elsewhere into a relocate pile.
4. Separate items you want to keep from items you no longer need.
5. Donate, recycle, sell, or dispose of unwanted items.
6. Put the things you’re keeping where they belong.
7. Clean the area now that it is easier to reach.
8. Move on to another small area.

Don’t pull everything out of every closet and drawer at once. That can leave you with a house that looks even more chaotic and make it harder to finish what you started.

Finish one small area before moving to the next.

What Should You Get Rid of When Decluttering?

If you’re not sure where to begin, look for things that are broken, expired, duplicated, unused, or no longer useful.

Common clutter includes:

• Broken household items
• Clothes that don’t fit or aren’t worn
• Duplicate kitchen tools
• Expired products
• Old paperwork that no longer needs to be kept
• Outgrown children’s items
• Unused decorations
• Items you’ve been saving “just in case”
• Things you don’t remember owning
• Items that have no designated place

Be thoughtful with important documents, photographs, financial records, medications, and other items that may have specific disposal or retention requirements. Don’t throw something away simply because it looks like clutter.

How Do You Keep Clutter from Coming Back?

The secret to keeping clutter under control isn’t constantly cleaning up the same mess. It’s reducing the amount of clutter that enters your home and dealing with small messes before they become large ones.

A few simple habits can help:

• Put things away after using them.
• Deal with mail regularly.
• Don’t shop simply because something is on sale.
• Keep a donation box available.
• Avoid keeping duplicates you don’t need.
• Give new purchases a designated home.
• Regularly check storage areas.
• Get rid of things when they stop being useful.
• Set aside a few minutes each day for tidying.

The less clutter you allow to accumulate, the less time you’ll have to spend dealing with it later.

How Clutter Makes Cleaning More Difficult

Clutter and cleaning go hand in hand.

When surfaces are covered with belongings, you have to move those items before you can properly dust or wipe the surface. When floors are crowded, vacuuming and mopping take longer. Cluttered closets and cabinets can also make it harder to reach the areas that need cleaning.

That’s why decluttering can make your regular house cleaning routine easier.

You don’t necessarily need a spotless, picture-perfect home. You simply need enough open space to clean effectively and enough organization that everyday items don’t constantly get in the way.

A Simple Clutter Control Routine

If you want an easy routine to follow, try this:

Every day:
Spend 10 to 15 minutes putting things away and clearing obvious clutter.

Every week:
Choose one small area to declutter.

Every month:
Look at a problem area that tends to collect clutter and figure out why it keeps happening.

A few times a year:
Review closets, storage areas, seasonal items, and belongings that have accumulated since your last decluttering session.

This approach keeps clutter from becoming a giant project.

Conquer Clutter One Small Step at a Time

You don’t have to conquer all the clutter in your home in one day. Start with one drawer, one shelf, one counter, or one closet. Decide what you use, what you need, what you love, and what you’re ready to let go.

Then give the things you keep a place and make putting them away part of your everyday routine.

The real secret to clutter control isn’t getting your home perfectly organized once. It’s creating habits that keep clutter from taking over again.

So don’t wait for the perfect weekend, the perfect storage system, or a burst of motivation.

Grab a trash bag, a donation box, and a little determination.

Start with 15 minutes.

You might be surprised by how much you can accomplish.

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