Start Small, Win Big: How One Perfect Room Builds Momentum

I work with a lot of coaching clients virtually, which means they are doing the work of decluttering themselves. We have scheduled check-ins to keep them accountable for progress on their goals and help them over the hump when they come up against obstacles.

One of the frequent obstacles that pops up when you have hit midlife and are decluttering your whole home is the inherent mess that comes with it. Over the years you accumulated a lot of stuff. In order to see what you have you’ve got to get it all out. That makes a mess that can deflate even the most dedicated declutterer.

Because this challenge comes up so frequently with clients, I thought it would be a good subject for a blog. When you begin to declutter, you discover quickly that your house is full of connective tissue. That can lead you in different directions with lots of unavoidable messes in your wake. After a while it can feel like you aren’t making any progress! I’m sharing the One Perfect Room strategy I use with clients to help them avoid this momentum-killer!

One Perfect Room

I never use the word perfect lightly, because generally I agree with Miss Manners that it’s rude to be perfect.  But when I say make one room perfect, here’s what I mean.

You are going to select one room to tackle first. You are going to go through the whole decluttering process (and then some) in this room. It will serve both as inspiration and sanctuary. It will remind you of how the whole house will feel when you are finished.  This room will provide your brain with the dopamine it needs to continue! 

Pick a room that you like to hang out in. If you have family around you may want to pick a room everyone uses so they can all feel the benefit of the sanctuary. Or you may want to start in your bedroom if you spend a lot of time there.  In any case, pick a room that you spend a lot of time in!

Now Make It Perfect

Now you’ve made your One Perfect Room selection, it’s time to get started. Here’s your order of operation:

1. Get everything that doesn’t belong in the room out. Start with visible surfaces and then move to drawers, cabinets, closets, etc. Gather everything that has migrated over the  weeks (months? years?) into this space that doesn’t have a place or serve a purpose in the room itself.
2. Donate the stuff you don’t need. You will very likely come across things you haven’t used (or seen?) in a while. If something is broken or otherwise unusable it’s trash. Anything ‘perfectly good’ that isn’t currently serving you in your life today can go into a donate pile. When you are done with this step the donate pile can move to your car.
3. If you come across sentimental stuff you aren’t ready to part with, put it aside. For now. You aren’t ready yet for the heavier decisions. Your primary goal is to make this space into a haven. I recommend gathering the sentimental items (or anything else you know you should probably declutter but are loath to part with for some reason) together and designate a closet or other space to temporarily house them.
4. Do a deep clean. As you are taking things off of the floors, the surfaces, the shelves and drawers, take the opportunity to get in there and wipe everything down. Rid the space of dust and grime.

Rearrange furniture to suit your lifestyle today. Do you love all of the furniture in this room? Do you need it? It may be that removing a piece of furniture gives the space a fresh feel. If you love and/or need all of the furniture pieces, consider if they are arranged appropriately to suit your needs today?

Leverage Your Sanctuary

Now your One Perfect Room will serve as a sanctuary while you declutter the rest of your home. When you feel overwhelmed by the messy stage, go to your sanctuary!

The sanctuary should be off limits as a staging area for other spaces you are working on. Protect the extra space you have created and feel the positive energy when you spend time in the decluttered room. Not only should this motivate you as you move on to other rooms, it should also be a source of inspiration for new ideas. When you clear out the deadwood you create space for new ideas, ways to use rooms differently in this season of life.

Plus it’s a place to escape from the mess you’ve created elsewhere in the house! As you make progress you’ll add new rooms to the list of sanctuaries, and before you know it your whole house will feel fresh and inspiring!

This is a method I’ve used often with clients and it’s always successful. Sometimes the hard part is selecting the right room to start with. If your gut is telling you that the kitchen, primary bedroom or garage is the right place to begin, I have Room Guides for each space that can give you additional support and help you complete the room in the most efficient and pleasant way possible. You can browse through and shop the Room Guides here.

Let me know if you decide to use this decluttering approach in your home! I love to hear success stories and so does the broader community ❤️