Declutter Your Home: Simple Hacks for Busy Mums to Stay Organised

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Feeling Overwhelmed by Clutter? You’re Not Alone

Let’s be real—keeping your home tidy as a mum feels like an Olympic sport. You clear one surface, turn around for five seconds, and boom—it’s like a toy tornado and a laundry explosion decided to have a party in your living room. And let’s not even talk about the mystery pile of stuff on the kitchen counter that regenerates overnight.

The good news? You don’t need to spend hours cleaning or follow one of those colour-coded, Pinterest-perfect decluttering systems that make you want to cry. Decluttering is about making small, intentional changes that create a big impact over time. Think of it as tidying up in survival mode—quick, doable, and designed to stop the chaos before it takes over.

This guide will walk you through simple, practical strategies to help you declutter your home without losing your sanity. Because let’s face it—you’ve got enough on your plate already (and that plate probably has yesterday’s snack crumbs on it). Let’s get started!

Step 1: Start Small – One Space at a Time (Because Rome Wasn’t Decluttered in a Day)

Look, we’d all love to snap our fingers and have our homes magically transform into a Pinterest-worthy sanctuary overnight. But unless you’ve got a fairy godmother who also doubles as a professional organiser, that’s not happening. The trick is to start small—bite-sized decluttering that doesn’t make you want to run away and live in the garden shed. Start small and focus on one space at a time.

📌 The 5-Minute Declutter Rule – Set a timer for five minutes and tackle whatever mess is staring at you the hardest. Five minutes of decluttering won’t turn your home into a minimalist paradise, but it will stop your kitchen from looking like a crime scene after a toddler snack attack. Small wins add up! – Set a timer for five minutes and declutter as much as you can in that time. Doing this daily makes a big difference without feeling overwhelming.

📌 Choose a High-Impact Area – Focus on a spot that actually makes your life easier when it’s tidy. Forget about the random drawer of mystery cables for now—think about decluttering:

• The kitchen countertops (because hunting for space to chop vegetables shouldn’t feel like a puzzle game)
• The entryway (because tripping over 47 shoes the moment you step inside isn’t fun)
• Your child’s play area (so you don’t step on a rogue LEGO and experience pain beyond words)
• Your wardrobe (because we both know half of those clothes haven’t seen daylight in years) – Start with a space that will have an immediate impact on your daily life, such as:
• The kitchen countertops
• The entryway or hallway
• Your child’s play area
• Your wardrobe

📌 Sort in Three Categories: Keep, Donate, or Toss. Ask yourself:

✔ Do I actually use this? (Or does it just sit there, judging you?)
✔ Would someone else love it more? (Charities and friends will thank you.)
✔ Is this trash? (Looking at you, drawer full of ancient receipts and dried-up pens.)

If an item doesn’t serve a purpose or bring you joy, it’s time to let it go. And no, that doesn’t mean shoving it into a cupboard ‘just in case’—we’re decluttering, not relocating the mess.

Step 2: Decluttering Different Areas of Your Home

Each room has different clutter challenges. Here’s how to tackle them:

Kitchen: Clear the Chaos & Claim Your Counters

• Do you really need that avocado slicer and the bread maker you used once in 2019? Probably not. Keep only the appliances you actually use daily and free up some counter space so you can cook without battling a blender.
• Check those pantry shelves for spice jars older than your firstborn. Expired food? Out it goes. Organise by category so you don’t end up buying yet another bottle of soy sauce when you already have three.
• Use baskets or dividers to keep cupboards tidy.
• Invest in space-saving storage solutions to make better use of your kitchen cabinets.
• Install hooks or magnetic strips for easy utensil access.

Living Room: Make It Look Like Adults Live Here Too

• Give your remotes, books, and rogue LEGO pieces a proper home. Preferably not wedged into the sofa cushions.
• Use storage baskets to keep everyday items organised.
• Keep surfaces (coffee tables, shelves) as clear as possible.
• For every new candle, throw pillow, or ‘live, laugh, love’ sign you bring in, say goodbye to one—otherwise, your living room will start looking like a home décor aisle exploded.
• Choose multifunctional furniture like storage ottomans to reduce clutter.

Bedrooms: Create a Clutter-Free Sleep Sanctuary

• If you haven’t worn it in a year, it’s probably not your style anymore. Donate it and free up space for things you actually enjoy wearing (instead of hoarding ‘just in case’ outfits).
• Use storage boxes for seasonal items.
• Keep bedside tables clutter-free with only essentials.
• Rotate wardrobe items seasonally to keep your space organised.
• Use under-bed storage to maximise space.

Kids’ Rooms: Tidy Up Before You Lose Your Mind

• Let’s be honest—your child doesn’t need ten identical stuffed animals or broken toys missing half their parts. If it’s broken, bin it. If they’ve outgrown it, donate it before it mysteriously multiplies again.
• Use labelled bins or baskets for easy toy organisation.
• Rotate toys so everything isn’t out at once.
• Make tidying up a game—because let’s be real, asking them nicely never works. ‘Race to put the toys away before the timer runs out’ = instant motivation.
• Create a designated homework or craft station for focused activities.

Bathroom: No, You Don’t Need 12 Half-Used Shampoo Bottles

• That mascara from 2020? Bin it. Expired skincare? Let it go. Only keep what you actually use, or your bathroom will forever look like a chaotic beauty aisle.
• Invest in drawer dividers—because digging through a sea of random beauty products every morning is no way to start the day.
• Limit items on counters to essentials.
• Consider wall-mounted storage or hanging organisers to free up space.
• Use stackable bins under the sink to store extra toiletries.

Home Office: No More Working in a Paper Avalanche

• You don’t need four staplers and 100 mystery pens. Keep what you use daily, and ditch the rest before your desk disappears under the clutter.
• Digitise paperwork to reduce physical clutter.
• Use a filing system for important documents.
• End each day by clearing off your desk—because starting tomorrow in a mess is setting yourself up for failure.
• Invest in vertical storage solutions like shelves or pegboards.

Step 3: Maintain a Clutter-Free Home with Simple Habits

Decluttering isn’t just a one-time task—it’s about maintaining small daily habits to keep your home in order.

🧹 One-In, One-Out Rule – For every new item you bring in, donate or discard one.

🗑 The 10-Minute Tidy – Spend 10 minutes each evening resetting your home.

📅 Declutter Monthly – Choose one day a month to tackle a small area.

🛑 Stop Clutter at the Source – Be mindful of what you buy and bring into your home.

📦 Use a Donation Box – Keep a box in a closet for items you no longer need, and donate it monthly.

By adopting these habits, your home will stay organised and stress-free without requiring constant effort.

The Mental Benefits of a Decluttered Home

Decluttering isn’t just about making your house look like a show home—it’s about saving your sanity. Let’s be honest, looking at a mountain of laundry, random toys, and last week’s unopened post is enough to raise anyone’s stress levels.

Studies show that clutter isn’t just annoying—it can actually mess with your brain, increasing stress and making it harder to focus on anything other than the chaos.

So here’s why we’re focusing on it:

✔ Instantly lower your stress levels—because nothing says ‘overwhelmed’ like a pile of stuff staring at you from every corner.

✔ Find things when you actually need them—instead of embarking on an epic quest for your keys every morning.

✔ Make your home feel like a retreat, not a storage unit—so you can actually relax without feeling like you should be cleaning.

✔ Help your kids thrive in a clutter-free space—because stepping on LEGO in the dark isn’t a parenting milestone anyone wants to reach.

✔ Sleep better at night—because a calm, clutter-free bedroom is way more relaxing than one that doubles as a storage room.

✔ Make cleaning less of a soul-destroying chore—because less clutter = less time spent scrubbing, sorting, and sighing dramatically.

A Lighter Home, A Lighter Mind 💛

Decluttering isn’t about achieving some unrealistic, Instagram-worthy, minimalist dream—it’s about creating a home that feels good for you. A space where you can breathe, move, and, most importantly, not trip over plastic dinosaurs on your way to the kitchen.

Start small, stay consistent, and remember—it doesn’t have to be perfect, just better than yesterday. You’ve got this!

Thanks for hanging out with me—happy decluttering! 💛

– Jordan

P.s. Let me know in the comments if you’ve tried any of these or got any tips for me!