Have you ever felt like decluttering is just too much, like there's way too much involved and the entire process is kind of overwhelming? Well that's because there are two different phases to clearing the clutter and taking charge of your home. But most people are trying to do it all at once. So in this episode, I'm breaking down each of the decluttering phases and what they look like.
Hey there, I'm Nicole from The Maximizing Momma, and I am obsessed with creating a home that gives me more peace of mind, more time to myself and more time with my kids. I teach you the tried and true secrets to clearing your clutter, getting organized, and managing your household in a realistic and sustainable way.
This show is where we talk about things like motherhood, decluttering, organizing, creating routines, mindset, energy, and everything in between. Our homes are the foundation for the rest of our lives, and it's so important to have a calm, relaxing household so you can have the time, the peace of mind, and the freedom to truly enjoy motherhood.
So sit back and get ready to take charge of your home.
Hello. Hello and welcome back to the Take Charge of Your Home Show. So last week we wrapped up the Breathing Room challenge and it was so incredible. I was honestly in awe every single day, seeing all of the incredible progress that everyone was making in their home over the three-day challenge. But best of all was the aha moments when it all started to click in place and they realized that they can absolutely take charge of their homes and ditch the clutter one step at a time. During the three-day workshop. I broke down the two different phases of the decluttering process. And it was so impactful that I thought it was the perfect thing to share here on the podcast.
So let's get right into it.
So I would love to know if you can relate to feeling like when you're decluttering, you're just trying to do too much. You're trying to declutter different rooms in your house sporadically as well as different areas. And definitely trying to declutter different types of items.
All the while dealing with the everyday messes and the homeless clutter. And really just feeling like it's a lot to deal with. So, if you can relate to any of this. I want to say that that is exactly why you feel so strapped for time, so stretched then, and like you're not making any progress.
Now over the last 12 or so episodes since this podcast first launched, I have been explaining why this happens. How on the one hand, you've been trying to declutter and organize at the same time. Because that's what we have been taught by professional organizers, all the while tidying up and rearranging your things and trying to make your house look more neat and tidy.
On top of cleaning and dealing with everything else that goes on in your household. But also how there are three different types of clutter and messes that all need to be handled in very different ways. And how within those three types of clutter, are different layers of stuff. Kind of like layers of an onion, with the first layer being things that you can easily let go of. The bottom layer being things that you could never fathom getting rid of. And then several other layers of stuff in between.
And then finally, we also have the maintenance mode of taking charge of our homes, which is when we're learning, how to put things back where they belong, teaching our kids how to pick up after themselves and really just honing in and refining your habits. So keeping all of that in mind is why I have broken down the different aspects of our home life into four stages.
Stage one is the overhaul process. And this is essentially when you're dealing with the everyday messes and the homeless clutter, and really just developing a good system to help you stay on top of the messes and all the things that you want to keep. And this is meant to be stage zero, which is what you focus on before you start decluttering.
And then you have stage two, which is the decluttering stage, now there's also stage three and stage four that are for organizing and maintaining, but we're talking here about decluttering.
Now there is a lot that goes into successfully clearing the clutter from your entire home. And this is why I have broken up decluttering into two different phases.
Which is exactly what we're getting into in this episode. Now I am sure that if you are listening to this podcast, you are very well aware that getting started with decluttering.
Can often be the hardest part.
And that's because it's a new skill. Just like if you were going to learn how to run a 10 K race. Or one example I find more comparable is when you want to lose a hundred pounds. I mean, just think about everything that you would need to do if you want to start a weight loss journey, drink more water, eat more veggies, start working out, take daily walks, et cetera.
I know for me and my weight loss journey over the last couple of years, since the pandemic. It's pretty much entailed doing the opposite of what I had been doing, which was sitting on the couch all day, eating processed foods and drinking no water. So when you're ready to start de cluttering, it's kind of like that, right.
I mean. You have to do something different to see success, something different than you have been doing.
Because the truth of the matter is that what you have been doing before now hasn't been working. Otherwise, you would already have the calm, peaceful home that you desire.
And it really requires a level of self-awareness to recognize that in order to make a change, you must do something different. And I believe that's why so many people are stuck. Because they want to keep doing the same things and keep trying it themselves.
But it also requires a level of confidence and capability to know that you can do this. Because if everything that you have tried before now has led you right back to where you started, there's a pretty good chance that you feel defeated and maybe even uncertain about the entire process. Which is all the reasons why getting started is often the hardest part because you can't just force yourself to take action.
I mean you could try, but it won't last for more than a few days.
And then to get started with e cluttering, not only do you need to feel confident and capable to start taking action, but you also need to have a game plan of how you're going to literally de clutter, what to do with everything and how you'll get the unwanted items out of your house.
So once you have got started and you feel fully capable to start taking action, then you need to get in there and actually do it. Actually, de clutter. You have layers and layers worth of stuff that you need to sort through and let go of in order to achieve this stress-free home that you're dreaming of. Some of those layers will be easy to let go of. While others will require a bit more dedication.
So when you consider all that goes into getting started, and then what it looks like to successfully clear all of the clutter from your house, it's no wonder why it seems so overwhelming. And that is the reason why I have broken it down into two different stages to really simplify the entire process. So you're not trying to tackle your entire house. So you're not looking at your entire home wondering how you're ever going to make a change.
Now that reminds me. I am sure you have probably heard of the whole declutter your house in a weekend thing. And. In my opinion. I think it's ridiculous because it was meant for people who have already decluttered their homes. And what I find so frustrating is those articles you see on Pinterest explaining how to declutter your house in a weekend.
Because if someone's house is at a place where it can be decluttered over a couple of days, then that means they already know how to declutter. Otherwise they would not be able to do it in a weekend. Does that make sense? I kind of went off topic here, but I was talking about looking at your entire house and wondering how you're ever going to make a change.
And I know you want to make a change. I know you want to ditch your clutter. So you leap into action and you try to piece together random strategies that you find all over pinterest. But when you try to use all these different strategies on top of trying to get started and trying to let go of layers and layers worth of stuff, it's just a bunch of chaos. It's just too much.
When I started my decluttering journey. I was trying to do too much as well, which is exactly why I stopped and put it off for a couple of months. But then over time. I started to really dissect the different types of stuff that we had in our home. And the different types of clutter, the different layers of clutter.
Because remember we had combined all of our family's things with all of my late mother's things, as well as my childhood belongings. So the layers of clutter in my home were very clearly identifiable. And so once I started to recognize all of this. I broke up the process into different phases. And that's when everything changed.
I went from trying to do too much and trying to sort through years worth of stuff all at once. To simplifying all of it and easily creating space. And I was able to do it with four kids, working a part-time job, starting a business, during the pandemic, while grieving my late mother, with swollen legs. Because of the fact that I simplified the process.
Because I wasn't focused on decluttering my entire house and I wasn't trying to let go of my late mother's things at the same time as I was trying to pare down our family's clothes that didn't fit anymore. So, what I want you to take away from this episode is that de cluttering can be very simple and attainable.
When you focus on one step at a time, when you complete one phase before you move on to the next phase.
So now let's go over each of these phases.
Phase one is called foundational decluttering. And this phase is all about getting started. During this phase, you're learning the foundations that you need to know to unload that first layer of clutter from your home.
If you missed our last episode, all about thinking of decluttering, like an onion, you should definitely go check that out because it will explain all the different layers of clutter. Then you can come back and finish this episode.
So again, during phase one, you're unloading the first layer of clutter in your home, that is easy for you to let go of.
These foundations include feeling fully confident and fully capable to go all in. Choosing a decluttering method, deciding where to start, creating an exit plan, building momentum and commitment, and then transforming a couple of rooms in your house from cluttered to calm.
Phase one is the initial jumping off point. So you're really finding your groove and figuring out what works for you. In a nutshell, it's when the fog has lifted. And you're starting to get your feet wet and your hands dirty and starting to make progress and see real results.
Now phase two is called thorough decluttering. And this is when you're completing a more thorough decluttering of your home. It's when you're unloading the second and third and fourth layers of clutter. Which again are things that, you know, you don't need to keep, but you're having trouble letting go of.
So you're letting go of things that you have been holding onto for years, transforming the rest of your house, , and really making longterm progress. The second phase in a nutshell is when your home is truly becoming clutter-free.
So, let me put this into perspective for you considering all the different ideas I have shared with you on this show over the last couple of months.
We have talked about accumulated clutter and how it's the things that are hidden away and piled up behind closed doors. Well, the kicker is when you have accumulated clutter in several different areas like drawers, cabinets, boxes, and shelves, and then you also have accumulated clutter piling up in closets and bathrooms and spare rooms.
So the drawers and the cabinets and the shelves are the things that you use on a daily basis or maybe a weekly to monthly basis. They're the things that you can visibly see when you walk through your house, the things that are stressing you out the most, because they're in your line of sight.
But the closets and the spare room that has become a temporary storage unit, those areas where you can shut the door. Those are areas that are more hidden away. So when you ditch the first layer, the first layer of accumulated clutter from your main living spaces, like the drawers, cabinets and shelves, then you have more room for the accumulated clutter that has been hidden away in closets and spare rooms. So ditching the first layer of clutter opens up space for the things that you might not let go of until later on in your journey, when you have reached the second phase of decluttering.
But it's still inevitably creating more space in your home. Let me give you an example really quick. So what's coming to mind is some of my sentimental items. I keep them in my closet on a built-in shelf. As well as on my dresser top. But when we first moved into this house, there was stuff everywhere, piled up. So I had to keep my sentimental items in a box in the garage. Because I didn't have room to display them in my house. However, once I was able to clear the first layer of accumulated clutter during the first phase of de cluttering, then I had room for my sentimental items. So, for example, we had this paper. organizing tray. And it had plastic wrap, like wrapped around it during the move to keep all the papers contained inside. And whenever we moved here, it got put on a shelf in my closet.
But it was something easy for me to let go of. And so during the first phase of the decluttering process, I got rid of it and then that opened up space for my sentimental items to go on that shelf in my closet. Which in turn opened up more space in my garage.
I wasn't trying to let go of my teenage clothes that were honestly still in my closet, since this was my late mother's home. I was just letting go of the easy items during the first phase of decluttering. And it really created a domino effect. And I believe this is why I was so successful in clearing the clutter from my whole house.
Because, as I said, there were visible layers of clutter and I knew right off the bat that I would not be able to let go of my teenage clothes, but I damn sure could let go of old paperwork from a year prior.
So, let me tell you, when you break decluttering down into two different phases like this, it really takes all of the pressure off of you.
Now y'all know that I have been talking about taking you on a journey to declutter your entire house. Not all at once, but over time. My long-term plan is to have a suite of programs that will help you with all the different aspects of your home life from overhauling to the different phases of de cluttering, then organizing, and then maintaining for the longterm.
And that is exactly what I've been building out over the last few months. So last fall, we had a bundle to help with the overhaul phase. And really dealing with all the things that you want to keep, but you don't know what to do with. And now, it is time to support you through the first phase of demolishing your clutter.
So, if you are ready to put this all in place in your home. If you are ready to stop trying to do too much while you are decluttering. If you are ready to make the decluttering process so much more simple, so you can finally see results and create a neat and tidy home. Then I am honored to invite you to join us inside foundational decluttering.
It's a live five week brand new program to support you through the first decluttering phase, the foundational phase, as we transform your bedroom from cluttered to calm. The doors are officially open until Monday, March 13th. And I am so excited for this because it's going to be like a big declutter party.
So allow me to quickly run through what's included before we wrap up for today. Foundational decluttering is a five week program where you will learn the foundations you need to unload the first layer of clutter from your house.
All of the lessons will be taught live inside of a safe, closed door environment. It's a community app that you can download to your phone so you don't have the distractions of social media. And this is my very favorite part because the community has meetups and challenges, badges and points and gamification to make the entire process so much fun.
Plus, you will have encouragement and accountability from the other members as well as tailored support from me where you can get my eyes on your home so you never have to wonder how to put these foundations in place in your house. So we can take everything that we have been covering ever since this podcast first launched and put it all in place in your house.
So it's going to be me, you and a small community of others decluttering our bedrooms together, which is so exciting. So each week, all of the lessons will be taught live, and we will also have weekly Q and A sessions. And I will say that this might be the only time I run this program live. Because once we wrap up at the end of April, all of the content will be uploaded into the member portal where it will become a self study program.
So basically as a founding member, you get to help me create this program because we will not move on to the next lesson until you are ready. And since this is the inaugural launch of this program, you're getting double the support at half the price.
Now I chose for us to declutter our bedrooms together for a couple of reasons.
First of all, when I surveyed my community, I asked them if they could only declutter one room in their house, which room would it be? And the bedroom won by a landslide. But I also wanted to choose our bedrooms because having a calm, relaxing bedroom truly allows me to prioritize my own needs as a busy mom.
It gives me space where I can relax when I need to, without any added stress, because I don't have stuff piling up everywhere. Because I can not be the mom that I want to be when my cup is empty. So having my own little sanctuary is extremely important to my wellbeing. And here's the thing. Our bedroom is the first thing that we see right when we wake up. And the last thing we see when we fall asleep at night.
And the truth is that waking up to clutter impacts the rest of your day. But when your room is free of excess stuff, you can start the day off on the right foot with peace of mind and clarity. You can find what you need right when you need it and make it out the door on time. And you can model to your kids how to take care of their own rooms so they can clean up their things without a fight.
And plus having one room in your house that is calm and relaxing will give you the confidence and motivation to take charge of other rooms. So, as I said, it really creates a domino effect.
And that is all exactly what we will be creating together during this five week program. We will be transforming your bedroom from cluttered to calm one step at a time.
Now let's quickly talk about the bonuses that are on the table when you join before Monday, March 13th, at the end of the day. You will have access to an incredible bonus suite so you truly have all the foundations that you need to continue unloading the first layer of clutter from your home.
You get the Home Overhaul Blueprint so you know exactly what to do with the everyday messes and the homeless clutter and keep them from coming back. You'll also get endless decluttering ideas and on demand pep talks so you can continue making progress in your home after our time together is over.
So at the end of five weeks at the end of April, when we wrap up this program, you will have a bedroom that is calm, relaxing, and free of excess stuff. So you can prioritize your own needs, so you can sit back and enjoy some time to yourself without the stress and the overwhelm.
And then throughout the year, you will be able to leap into action with a new found sense of confidence, knowing that you have all the foundations you need to demolish the clutter from other areas in your house.
We officially start on Monday, March 27 in just a couple of weeks. And right now we have an amazing launch special for 50% off. So you can join for 147 or two payments of 79, which is just incredible for everything that you're getting.
So if the episodes that I share here on The Take Charge of Your Home Show have been valuable and eyeopening for you, then I am truly honored to invite you to join us inside Foundational Decluttering. I would love the opportunity to support you through the first phase of the decluttering process and help you transform your bedroom from cluttered to calm.
You can join us at themaximizingmomma.com forward slash foundations. And I will also share the link below in the show notes. But the price is increasing to 297 on Monday, March 13th at the end of the day. So you will not want to wait on this. If you have any questions at all, send me a DM on Instagram and I will help you decide if this program is the right fit for you.
Now over the next couple of weeks. We're going to be talking about your mindset because having the right decluttering mindset makes all the difference. Often we believe that we can't declutter it because it's too hard, too time consuming, or because we're just naturally disorganized.
And mindset can be kind of a trendy word. But it's very vital to the decluttering process and I can't wait to share it all with you.
But before we end today's episode, I want to quickly explain how to make the first phase of decluttering work for you.
So first you will choose one room in your house that you want to transform. Then you will get really clear on what de cluttering method you're going to follow, how you will get the clutter out of your house, and what you personally need to do to get motivated. Then you will start tackling the different zones of that one room, one at a time.
Don't worry about trying to sort your clutter into piles or trying to force yourself to let something go. And definitely don't worry about the everyday messes or the homeless clutter.
Just focus on getting started, taking action, and letting go of the excess stuff from that one room. Really focus on letting go of that first layer of clutter, that things that will be easy for you to let go of.
So that's all I have for you today, but again, you can check out Foundational Decluttering in the show notes below. And if you have any questions at all, send me a DM so we can chat about it and see if this is the right fit for you. And I will be back here next week to talk about cultivating the right decluttering mindset.
I'll see you soon. Bye.
Thank you for listening to another episode of the Take Charge of Your Home Show. Go ahead and take a few moments to celebrate yourself for being here, doing this work, and really learning how to create a calm, relaxing home. Don't forget to check out the show notes and feel free to leave a rating and a review so I can know what you want to hear more about because you and your journey are what make this show a reality. I'll see you next time.
