One Mom’s Story of Decluttering Her Home

Do you ever wonder what it’s really like to work with a professional organizer? Or do you wonder if people actually change and keep up with tidying up?

I checked in with my client, Kristen, a couple of weeks after we decluttered her house. She shared with us how stressful it was having stuff everywhere, her fears about decluttering and minimizing things in her home, how her family reacted, and how her mindset has changed since her decluttering sessions.

If you’re a frazzled mom overwhelmed by all the stuff in your home, you will find this discussion relatable and inspiring. Let’s declutter and let it go, friend! You will feel so much freer.

What was life like before we started decluttering?

As you can imagine with four kids, it felt very chaotic. The clutter was an added overwhelming stressor in my life. I didn’t know what to do. I just felt stuck. I felt something had to change and if it didn’t I knew I would go crazy.

I knew that simplifying our life and making things simpler in the home would overflow into every aspect of our life. That is what decluttering truly has done for our family and I’m so thankful.

What was your home like before we started decluttering?

I had tried to create systems so there were a lot of bins. I thought that having baskets for the kids’ toys would make it easier for the kids to put their toys away but I realized that was not working. The kids would actually just dump the basket of toys on the floor for entertainment and leave the toys there. The baskets actually created more chaos and more clutter.

When you stepped in and said that if I just get rid of the stuff I won’t have to keep picking it up. It made a lot of sense and I wondered why I didn’t think of that. You gave me the motivation to get rid of things my kids weren’t playing with anymore.

Because my kids are spaced out in ages, I thought I had to hang onto all their toys so I could pass them on to the next child but they weren’t playing with everything. I felt like I couldn’t get rid of their old toys even though they weren’t being played with. I realized I could still have the memories without holding onto everything.

The kids have not complained about having fewer toys. They really haven’t even noticed. We weeded out some of the play kitchen food because it was always all over the floor and they haven’t missed the extra that we removed. It’s mind-blowing.

Why was I creating these storage systems that weren’t working when I could have just gotten rid of the stuff?! My motto is “less is more” but I hadn’t been exemplifying this in my life.

What were some fears and worries you had before decluttering?

Some anxiety definitely hit. I would be anxious even if it was just a friend coming to see my home because I felt very vulnerable.

Some of my fears about decluttering were, “Am I going to have the energy to do this? Am I going to have the mental capacity to part with items?”

I kept thinking, “Is it okay to let things go? Am I going to miss it? Am I going to have to rebuy this item”?

I was a little fearful of being vulnerable and letting you see the mess. Letting someone see behind closed doors.

One of my biggest struggles too was thinking about my husband and if he was going to be on board with it. I had to think through everything to make sure I didn’t get rid of anything he would want to keep.

After we decluttered the living room, office, and kitchen, what did your seven-year-old daughter request?

She was truly the most excited about the transformation, and she asked, “Mama, when are you going to do my bedroom? I want my room done” She was on board and ready to get rid of things. She was easy and didn’t fuss. She really embraced the idea of less is more.

Does she find it easier to reset her bedroom?

Absolutely! Her bedroom looks great. We put everything away and it has a place. It’s simple to take care of. I enjoy her bedroom the most as well.

How has the decluttering process affected your life, your home, and your family?

It’s been really good. My husband has even coined the term “reset.” He’s on board with it and he helps out more around the house. He sees my effort and tries to help as well.

If there is a time that the kids are on the tv and the house is a mess he will say, “Alright everyone, let’s reset.” And we do and it’s easy because everyone pitches in and helps to tidy up.

It’s been so good for everyone. That terminology is sticking with them and it’s been a lot fast to clean up. Before we were hounding our kids a lot to help but everyone understands what it means to reset and it makes tidying up so much more simple.

How did your husband respond to the idea of habit-stacking your laundry routine?

I did share that routine with him. We are both on board with maintaining a laundry routine. When he returned home, he saw that I had been working hard to stay on top of the laundry.

I don’t follow the routine exactly but I have been able to keep up with it better. I’ve even recruited my son who is nine to help with putting away the laundry. It definitely helps to have a routine to follow.

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I’d love to hear from you!

Do you think it would be easier to have someone helping you declutter and downsize your home? Do you feel stuck and just don’t know where to start decluttering? Let me know where you are in the comments below.

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