My House Is So Messy, I Don’t Even Know Where To Start.

 

You may be thinking, “What does she know about a messy house?! She writes about cleaning, her house must always be clean.” 

 

You guys, this is false. I am here writing about cleaning because I too have been overwhelmed by a messy house. 

 

I’m not talking about the mess that happens after two nights of not doing the dishes… that mess I can deal with. 

 

I’m talking about the mess that you keep shutting the door on. The mess that continues to grow and you don’t know how to make it smaller. 

 

A mess caused by 3 years of letting things into your house and never getting rid of any of it. Two bedrooms, a dining room, and a basement FULL. OF. STUFF. 

 

The Clutter Was So Overwhelming

 

I know what it’s like to stand at the door of a room and think, “We need to do something. What are we going to do with all of this stuff?”

 

The answer is to get organized and start decluttering.

 

But how? Where do I start? I’m sure you are thinking…

This will take SO much time and I don’t have the time.

We don’t have enough space.

We don’t have the money to buy organization systems.

My spouse will never want to get rid of his things.

The baby needs so much stuff. 

 

Just Stop

 

Just stop with the excuses and get going already. Harsh but true. 

 

I’ve done it so I know it can be done and I want to help. Here are real, actionable steps you can take to start cleaning up and take back your house. 

 

 

How To Clean Your House When You Don’t Know Where To Start

 

Your home can be a safe, comfortable place for you and your family. A place of rest. 

 

So take the first steps for dealing with the mess. I promise once you start the work it will be worth it. Once you get over this hurdle you will be able to have a consistently clean home. 

 

Figure Out Why You Want A Clean Home

 

Figure out your reason for wanting a clean home and remind yourself of that, every time it gets tough. 

 

I myself do it because it’s pleasing to the Lord, and it’s good for the mental and physical health of my family. 

 

If you are having trouble coming up with why you want to have a clean home and why all of the work is going to be worth it, here are 9 Motivational Reasons For Keeping A Clean Home. 

 

Don’t Buy Organization Systems Yet

 

There is no need to spend money until you know exactly what you need to organize. You don’t want to organize any junk in your house. 

 

First, get rid of your junk and then you will organize what is left. You may even find that you don’t need to spend any money organizing. 

 

I myself try to make do with the space we have and if things don’t fit I get rid of something. This is a skill I have learned after a few years of decluttering my home.

 

This may seem like an impossible idea for you, but I bet you find a whole new you once you have this mess cleaned up. 

 

Ask For Help

 

Decide what you need help with and recruit the right people. Don’t be ashamed of asking either. In all honesty, they’ve probably seen your house, know you need help and are happy to help. 

 

Maybe you need a baby sitter so that you can have some uninterrupted time to declutter. 

 

Maybe you need someone to come over and help you go through the mess. It can be hard to decide what stays in your house and what needs to go. Having an extra opinion is always helpful. Find someone who will make you be honest with yourself and won’t encourage you to keep junk. 

 

Let me help you. I have a Facebook Group where we help each other simplify our homes. We work on cleaning routines, set decluttering goals, and have weekly challenges. It’s a great community where we are just doing the best we can to have a mostly clean home. The idea of a perfectly clean home doesn’t exist and we make sure that is known in this group. I’d love to have you be a part of it.

 

Start Decluttering

 

Okay, now we are getting somewhere. Now that you are mentally prepared and have asked for help, it’s time to get started. You are going to declutter your whole house, room by room, item by item. 

 

Find the time and you are going to dive right in. 

 

Be ruthless and get rid of anything that you don’t use or love. 

 

Touch every single item in your home and decide to love it or leave it. 

 

It sounds like a lot and in the thick of it, it may feel like you are never going to finish. 

 

Just start with one item and then move to the next… and the next… and the next. 

 

You will finish. And you will be SO HAPPY that you started. 

 

I highly recommend getting my Ebook, Your Guide To Decluttering Your Whole House In Your Own Time. 

 

Since it is an ebook you can start using it right away.

 

In the book I walk you through the exact process I took to take my home from a stressful mess to a consistently clean home.

 

The Declutter Guide will help you work through some of the issues that are holding you back from starting. It will also provide you with checklists to walk you through each room of your house and to make sure you are not keeping any unnecessary items in your home.

 

The process I share with you in the ebook is the same process that I took in my own house. We now live clutter free and I spend A LOT less time cleaning up my house. 

 

Decluttering is THE key to a clean home. You don’t need to be a minimalist to declutter. Having less means cleaning less. When you declutter your home, it is almost like magic. You suddenly have more time because you are not constantly picking things up. 

 

Start A Cleaning Routine

 

After your whole house is decluttered (Yay!), you will want to start a cleaning routine. This is what is going to help you stay on top of things, and never let your house get like that again. 

 

When I am staying on top of my cleaning routines, I am paying attention to my house, which helps me focus on never letting my house go back to the way it was. 

 

If you are looking for some cleaning routines you can check out my free Ebook, Simplify Your Life With A Cleaning Routine. It will help you design your own routine, plus it gives you many examples.

 

You can also read all of my routines here on the blog:

My Simple Daily and Weekly Cleaning Routine with Printable Checklist

More Details On My Morning Cleaning Routine

More Details On My Evening Cleaning Routine

 

Start Building Good Housekeeping Habits

 

Along with building a cleaning routine, there are other systems you can put into place to help you stay on top of a clean house. 

 

These habits include putting things back right away, having a place for everything, loading the dishwasher every night and much more. 

 

Here are 10 Habits Of People With Consistently Clean Homes.

 

Invest In Quality Organization Systems 

 

After everything is said and done, you can put organization systems into place. 

 

Once your home is decluttered you will find that you don’t need as much organization as you thought. You really just needed less stuff. 

 

None the less, it is good to have organizational systems in place. Plus, I find when things are aesthetically pleasing you are more likely to keep them picked up and in their place. 

 

You can get some organization ideas through these blog posts:

Bathroom Organization Ideas

Simple Bedroom Organization Ideas (includes closet ideas)

Laundry Room Organization

 

If You Need More Help

If you still feel like you need more help. I have a ton of resources here on the blog. 

 

Don’t forget you can join my facebook group and get help from me and others just like you. 

 

You can get my Declutter Guide and have a step by step guide to decluttering your house in your own time. 

 

I also have a free email challenge… Declutter Your Bedroom In 3 Days. 

 

 

Read any of the following blog posts for more tips and encouragement…

Declutter Your Whole House – 101 Things To Get Rid Of Today

Find Time To Declutter When You Don’t Have The Time

Decluttering Sentimental Items – How To Let Go

Declutter Your Closet and Always Know What To Wear

Declutter Your Kitchen – Benefits Of A Minimalist Kitchen

Why Decluttering Is So Hard and How to Overcome It

Declutter and Organize Your Kids Toys

How To Clean Your House When The Mess Is Overwhelming