How to Declutter when You Have Kids

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Do one room at a time.

   Toys and children's things seem to make their way into every corner of the house.
   
   To prevent yourself from feeling overwhelmed, choose one room at a time to declutter.
   
   If you're up for a challenge, sort through your child's bedroom or playroom first.
   
   Or if you'd like to start small, choose a room that happens to have some of your kids' things, like your bedroom or the bathroom.Be realistic with your goals.
   
   You're more likely to declutter the toys if you give yourself some time in between rooms for breaks and to donate the toys.
   
   This will keep them from building up in your garage or attic.
2. 2

   Step 2: Set goals.

   You might want to declutter your entire house, but that can be difficult if you have small kids running around.
   
   Think about what's most important for you to declutter and focus on making achievable goals, instead of goals that will just cause you stress and anxiety.
   
   For example, instead of saying, "I'll declutter the entire house while the kids are home in the morning," make a more reasonable goal like, "I'll declutter the living room in the afternoon while the kids are napping."
   
   If kid clutter is everywhere, you may not know where to even begin.
   
   Try decluttering a small space first so that you feel a sense of accomplishment and become familiar with sorting through things.
   
   For example, sort through a small closet or bedroom before moving on to a playroom.Decluttering a small space will also help you gain momentum with decluttering.
   
   This will give you motivation to keep going through the house. , If you have younger kids, you might struggle to find the time to declutter.
   
   Try setting a timer for 15 or 30 minutes so you can get a quick declutter session in.
   
   This is also a good idea if you're having a hard time motivating yourself to begin the task.
   
   If you have older kids and can spend longer decluttering, write deadlines into the goals you set.For example, if your goal is to declutter the playroom and the garage, tell yourself that you'll need two hours for the playroom and three hours for the garage.
   
   Hold yourself to this deadline.
3. 3

   Step 3: Start with a small space.

4. 4

   Step 4: Set a timer.

Detailed Guide

About the Author