Wanting to declutter your house is a goal for many military moms in the new year. As we wrap up the holidays and return to our regular routines, our tried and true systems often fall apart. The mail piles higher, mittens go mismatched, and there’s still a box of ornaments in the living room.
Hey, being an organized military mom isn’t easy! And sometimes it’s good to remind ourselves of that when we’re feeling a bit overwhelmed.
Military spouses have enough to worry about without added clutter. That’s why I’ve put together a list of actionable steps to help you declutter your house. See which ones resonate with you, and share some of your favorite decluttering methods in the comments below!
Step One: Imagine Your Decluttered Life
Creating a decluttered life begins with imagining it—if we can envision it, we can do it. Before anything else, grab a blank sheet of paper and a pen. Then jot down ideas about what your ideal home will look like.
Think about:
- What you plan to use various rooms for
- What you want each room to look and feel like
- Elements you love versus those you dislike. For example, you might envision an electronics-free bedroom or a tidy bookshelf in your living room.
- Your ideal morning routine in a clutter-free home—what would it look like? Would you have fresh flowers on your kitchen table and a hot pot of coffee on the counter?
- What does your ideal entryway feel like? Do you love seeing all of your kids’ shoes on a tidy rack or do you prefer a shoe-free entryway?
- What images on Pinterest or elsewhere online inspire you? What suggestions do they offer for your current spaces like your home office or dining room?
- What parts of your day feel disorganized? Is your purse clutter-free? What about your car and closet? What spaces in your life feel overstuffed and what areas are too sparse?
Allow your answers to guide you in getting rid of what doesn’t belong and making space for things you truly love. By defining your ideal lifestyle, you create a vision of the perfect home to keep you going. You set the tone for decluttering.
Step Two: Make a Home Binder
Because military families’ physical addresses change frequently, there are often decluttering processes worth repeating in each new location. That’s why capturing all of these decluttering ideas in one place is so important: Put all your ideas into a binder for easier set-up of a tidy home with each move. You can include whatever you want in this one organized resource.
In my family’s home binder, I put:
- My favorite tips from different decluttering books and articles
- The names of favorite paint colors
- Important phone numbers
- Home project ideas
- Shopping lists
- To do lists
- And more…
Your binder might also be a good place to keep all of your warranties, instruction manuals, and even the paperwork associated with your current home. It’s also a good idea to keep photos of your more expensive or precious belongings for insurance purposes.
I also have a “wish list” section that I use to write down items that I want but don’t quite need yet—a shopping list for when I have a little extra money to spend. While I like Marie Kondo’s method of only keeping what you love, I find it’s not realistic for every military spouse. Sometimes we need to keep the slippers we don’t love because new ones aren’t in our budget yet.
Some clients find that creating a wish list prevents them from making the impulsive purchases that lead to clutter in the first place!
Step Three: Listen to Your Clutter
One of the main reasons I encourage my military spouse coaching clients to create clutter-free lives is the positive effect it has on our quality of life. Clutter tends to block our creativity, keeping us stuck in place. By clearing all the physical and mental clutter away, we can finally start living the lives of our dreams.
Because of this tendency, it’s useful to find out what type of clutter we’re clinging to. Then, without judgement, we need to consider these items and let go of them in a way that works for us. Once we’ve released these crutches, we can attract what we really want into our lives.
For example, at one point I had accumulated more than a few Military Ball gowns in my closet that were way too small. I was sad to let them go because they carried wonderful memories of time spent with my husband. But I realized that they were also keeping me mentally fixed on the past when I was really pushing to move forward with my life.
Eventually I decided to donate these dresses to Borrow for the Ball. This nonprofit helps military families dress up for formal events without spending a fortune. My donation offered an easier way for me to part with the gowns. By finding a way to declutter while supporting my values, parting with items I loved but didn’t use became far less painful.
Step Four: Use, Re-purpose, or Repair
Military families tend to be sentimental and have strong family values, so tossing items when you declutter your house can be a real challenge. That’s why I like to institute what I call the use, re-purpose, or repair practice.
Use. Many organizing experts emphasize massive purging. They suggest having wastebaskets
in every room and encourage weekly trips to Goodwill—constantly getting rid of things you don’t use. I recommend being kinder to yourself by hanging on to a few sentimental items. You may even put together a little shelf for displaying things that are especially meaningful to you and your family.
Re-purpose. Many items end up not being used for their original purposes but can still be used to fill an important function. For example, if you aren’t using military mason jar glasses for drinking, they may work as pencil holders instead. Consider creative ways of consolidating sentimental items, such as turning your favorite pieces of kids’ art into t-shirts.
Repair. However carefully we pack things, some items seem to break with every relocation. It often makes financial sense to get these items repaired. For example, I recently called the 800 number on my broken Dustbuster and found that it was still under warranty! Before throwing an expensive item out, remember that many appliances can be easily repaired or pieces can be replaced.
Step Five: Use Practical Storage Solutions
As you visualize your tidied home, try to choose organizational items that are more portable. This way, when you relocate, it will be that much easier to transport the entire system rather than starting anew.
These systems may include:
- Plastic dressers for storing light bulbs, tools, and extra cords
- Clear bins for toiletries, accessories, or toys
- Stand-alone toilet paper stands
- Portable towel racks
- Other items with added storage features
These solutions can be especially useful for military spouses who want to simplify the moving process.
Containers are also meant to help you set limits—if nothing else will fit in a drawer or bin, then the time has probably come to declutter. Or, if you measure your shelf space before shopping, you’ll find that you only buy what you need. Keep your storage system simple and you’ll be much more likely to take it with you when you move.
Step Six: Make Labels
The Sharpie is my best friend in a house with four kids—and it might just be the best tool in your decluttering arsenal as well! Oftentimes, the most important step in the organizing process is just labeling things. This might include labeling bins designating what items you will use, re-purpose, repair, or donate (see step 4). Or you might label items that you’ve already decided to keep.
Because I love simplicity, I use broad labels like “games,” “toys,” “baking supplies,” “art supplies,” etc. on my containers. This way I know where certain items are without having to make more containers than I need.
It may also make sense for you to invest in a label maker, especially if you have a lot of electronics cords (or maybe it’s just me!). I used to have all four kids deny taking my iPhone charger simultaneously until I finally labeled it “mom’s charger!” Now, when they get a Christmas gift that plugs in, the first thing we do is label it. This also helps us avoid accruing dozens of mystery cords.
When my kids get new clothes, I also put labels on them right away—it makes laundry so much quicker. Plus, as we label new clothes, we’re reminding ourselves to get rid of things the kiddos have outgrown.
Step Seven: Create Simple Organizing Systems
Many of my clients put off decluttering because they don’t know where to start or think the process will be too complicated. So, I tell them to use financial guru Dave Ramsey’s strategy of starting small and letting success create momentum.
I love giving clients easy assignments to tackle because these small changes can have a huge impact. I might ask them to tidy up their laundry area, tackle a bathroom, or focus on the entryway. When they realize how great it feels to have one space decluttered, they’re often inspired to take on a new project. I especially enjoy asking clients to take “before and after” photos to see the impact this work can have on their mental space too!
I also like making my organizing systems super easy. For example, I’ve divided my closet into four sections, one for each season. I keep my winter clothes on the left side and summer staples on the right. And I use a similar system for every room. I put heavy blankets on top and lighter sheets on the bottom of my closets. The basement storage goes from Christmas to the Fourth of July while the garage has a wall dedicated to each season.
This system is so easy that I even enjoy organizing sometimes. Choose a system that makes sense for you while keeping it simple and allowing yourself to start small. Plus, if you can make decluttering fun in some way, go for it!
Declutter Your House Starting Today!
Think of an area of your home that you would like to declutter. Ask yourself: How can I simplify my life? Take some time to schedule your top three decluttering projects and imagine what your life will look like when they’re complete.
Once you’ve finished a project, consider sending in your “before and after” photos to krista@militaryspousecoach.com. I might just include your photo in my upcoming spring “Declutter Your Life” webinar!
