What to Do When Your Home Becomes Overwhelming

Contributed post.

The kids’ toys are scattered across the floor, laundry baskets are overflowing, and dishes are piled high on the countertops. It’s only natural to be overwhelmed when everyday living gets on top of you. The good news is that there are actions you can take, both immediately and long-term, to ease your overwhelm and get your chaotic home back on track. Keep reading to learn four helpful tips:  

Take Survival Steps

Even before you consider long-term organizational solutions like container rental storage, under-bed containers, or over-the-door hanging pockets, take survival steps when the chaos overwhelms you, and you simply need some breathing room.

Start by taking a break and breathing. Remind yourself that the mess doesn’t reflect your worth. Next, jump into action with the five-item rule. This simply means you need to walk into a room and remove five pieces of trash or items that need to go in the trash. Next, focus on one small, high-impact area, such as around your kitchen or bathroom sink. This can become your sanctuary space for lowering your stress levels.  

Learn Effective Decluttering Strategies

As a society, we simply own too much stuff. You’ll undoubtedly be thinking this as you struggle to find storage places for all the items crowding every nook and cranny of your home. That’s why learning effective decluttering strategies is so important. The less stuff you own, the fewer storage solutions you need to invest in.

There are a number of helpful strategies that may suit your home and decluttering needs, such as the ‘later’ basket. As you clean each room, place any items that don’t belong there in a basket or box, then return them to their rightful locations once the room is tidy.

When you know you’ll quickly lose motivation while cleaning, set a 15-minute timer. Work on one small area for 15 minutes, then stop when the timer goes off. This strategy builds momentum and reduces the risk of burnout. For particularly ruthless decluttering, explore the four-box method. Label four boxes with trash, donate, keep, and sell, and focus on one area or room at a time.  

Create Sustainable Habits

It can sometimes feel as though you’re regularly entering a state of overwhelm due to clutter in your home. Therefore, something has to change. It’s time to create sustainable habits. 

For example, you might create a ‘one in, one out’ rule in your home. For every new item that comes home, one must leave. Involving everyone in the family in cleaning and organizing can also ease the load. After all, if you’re not the only one who lives there, you shouldn’t be the only one to clean. Assign children age-appropriate tasks. 

Ask for Help

Aside from getting your family involved in cleaning and decluttering, don’t be afraid to ask for external help. Invite a friend over to sit and chat while you clean, helping you to maintain your focus. If you’re too daunted by the task ahead, hire a professional cleaner for a deep clean or a professional organizer to help you sort through and organize your overcrowded possessions. 
 
Being overwhelmed by your home is no way to live, so it’s time to make a change. Create sustainable habits, seek help, and learn helpful decluttering strategies to focus on one space at a time. Your home may be back in order and far more functional in no time!