Where did it all this junk come from? Where do we even start? It’s much too easy to look around our home and feel overwhelmed at the amount of clutter we’ve collected. FlyLady can help with that!
One important thing to remember is that you cannot organize clutter. If you’ve sorted paper clutter into piles and then shuffled the piles around, you know exactly what I mean. The only way to help with clutter is to get rid of it.
Check out these FlyLady tips to get started. Don’t continue feeling defeated by the amount of stuff taking over your house. You can do it, one baby step at a time!
FlyLady Babysteps
15 Minutes a Day
Don’t get burned out! Set a timer for 15 minutes and get moving. Grab a trash bag to “throw away”, a box to “give away” and a box to “put away”. There is no item in your home that won’t fit into one of these categories. When we work with a timer, it’s easier to focus and stay on track knowing that there is a finite limit to what you can do. You aren’t as likely to get sidetracked with an old photo album when you are being consciously aware of the passing of time.
At the end of 15 minutes, stop and do something else. You can always come back to a task later with a new timer to get more done. Just remember to pace yourself and have realistic goals. Your home didn’t get messy in a day and it’s not going to get clean in a day.
If you want daily reminders you will want to read How to use the FlyLady App.
Work on a Hot Spot
We all have hot spots in our homes. This is the place where you dump your mail when you come in the door. Where the kids come in and drop off backpacks and jackets. Where your purse and umbrella get dropped and forgotten about until it’s time to leave the house again. Concentrate on this spot and begin to clear it.
As you make progress, you also need to make a real effort to change your habits or it will only get messy again. Go through mail immediately and throw away junk mail and flyers. Create a designated place for purses, backpacks, shoes, etc. When we have a place to put things, it’s much easier to keep clutter at bay.
If all of these tips are getting you excited to find out more about the FlyLady System check out the book Sink Reflections or her website Sink Reflections
5 Minute Room Rescue
Take 5 minutes to make some progress instead of being overwhelmed by the worst room in your house every time you think about it. Even if you have to begin with making a path to get into the room, that’s still a great start. It’s ok if you come across some items that you know should either be given away or thrown away, but you can’t bring yourself to get rid of it yet. We all have things that we keep around for sentimental reasons when we don’t really need it. Find a temporary spot for it and revisit it later. Just give yourself time and you will be able to let it go one day.
27 Fling Boogie
Throw Away
This is a great way to feel accomplished in your decluttering process. Grab a trash bag and start looking. Find 27 items that can be thrown away. As soon as you have 27 things in your bag, close it up and take it outside before you have a chance to go back into the bag and “rescue” your trash items. It went into that bag for a reason and you will feel better with less stuff surrounding you!
Give Away
After your trash bag is outside, grab a box and go through your house again. This time, look for 27 things to give away. Bless someone else with items you don’t need or don’t use. A great rule of thumb is that if you have two of something, you can most likely get rid of one. Keep the one that is in the best shape and give the other one away. Just like the throw away bag, this box needs to go to your car immediately. Do not hang on to this stuff for a yard sale that may or may not ever happen. Get it into the hands of someone who can use it as soon as possible.
Check out Learning to Fly with the FlyLady to get an overall idea of how the FlyLady system works. It’s an entire housecleaning routine that will get your home in order and help it stay that way! You and your family deserve a home that hugs you. Fill your home with the things that you love and get rid of all the extra stuff.
However you approach getting rid of clutter in your house, be positive about it. Turn on music that you love and get to work. Set a timer for yourself during your 27 Fling Boogie to see how quickly you can fill your bag. Turn it into a game by giving your kids a bag each and see who can get their give away box full the quickest.
Make it fun and it will get done!
Other Articles You Will Like:
Learning to FLY with the FlyLady: Daily Routine to Keep Your House Guest-Worthy
10 Things Organized Moms Actually Do
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Hi I dont know you & have never been here before. I am super stressed. Overwhelmed. I tried this flylady stuff as a young single mom got hopelessly overwhelmed and failed. I am now unemployed-son gone. I am a bad way needing to try this again. I have watched tons of vids and read some things no one really addresses what you do with ”clutter” that has no home and you use all the time. This i my block. Ive come to place where i know i can let go of sentimental stuff. Stuff I dont need. I still block with stuff I spent money on cause i am hurting for money but where i live there is no real conducive way for me to sell anything. No credit cards, no bank acct., live very isolated yard sale is out. Please help me with WHAT DO I DO WITH PILES OF THINGS THAT HAVE NO HOME? I have a bench beside me i keep this laptop and piles of books and paper on that i use daily-frequently. A sewing basket, A crochet basket. A stack of boxed aerogarden stuff i have yet to open & start. Planned to keep on this bench too. I just cant get the concept of bringing a big basket or box to set on this bench to pile my pile in actually making it less easy to access. I do not understand and am super frustrated. WHERE CAN I GET HELP?