Why Decluttering Is The Best Form Of Self Care

What do you think of when you hear the word self care? Massages, a hot bath, exercise, a hobby? Those are the first things that pop into my mind, but self care is much broader than that. It refers to anything that you do to keep yourself mentally, emotionally, physically, socially and spiritually healthy.

As a professional organizer, I’ve seen firsthand how decluttering homes positively impacts families and their lives. 

Decluttering is one of the best forms of self-care because it has a profound effect on your health mentally, emotionally, and physically. 

When you declutter, you reclaim:

• Emotional clarity from visual chaos
  
• Mental space to actually think
  
• Spiritual peace in a calm environment
  
• Physical energy from not constantly tripping over stuff or wasting time looking for it
  

You’re not just cleaning up your house—you’re taking care of you.

Why Clutter Feels So Overwhelming (And What the Research Says)

It’s not just in your head—clutter really is stressful.

According to a study by UCLA’s Center on Everyday Lives of Families, mothers who described their homes as “cluttered” showed higher levels of cortisol, the stress hormone. The visual reminder of unfinished tasks and messes can make us feel like we’re constantly behind.

Meanwhile, research from Princeton University Neuroscience Institute found that physical clutter competes for your attention, reducing your brain’s ability to focus and process information. You’re more distracted, more anxious, and more likely to procrastinate in a cluttered space.

A few more eye-opening stats:

• 91% of Americans say they feel better when their home is clean and organized. (Clorox Survey, 2022)
  
• A recent survey from the National Association of Professional Organizers revealed that women spend up to 55 minutes a day looking for things. That’s six hours a week of mental chaos.
  

Decluttering isn’t about impressing guests or getting Instagram-perfect shelves—it’s about giving your brain and heart a break.

5 Rules for Making Decluttering Decisions Quickly

One of the biggest obstacles to decluttering is decision fatigue. Should you keep it? Toss it? Save it for “just in case”? When you’re short on time and mental energy, having a simple framework can speed things up. Here are five quick rules to guide your decisions:

1. If you wouldn’t buy it again today, let it go.
   
2. If it doesn’t have a home, it’s clutter.
   
3. If it brings guilt, not joy, it’s not serving you.
   
4. If you forgot you had it, you probably don’t need it.
   
5. If you’ve had it for more than a year and haven’t used it, you never will.
    

These rules create clarity and momentum, helping you move through the clutter with confidence. And when you follow them consistently, you build a system that helps you stay decluttered in the future—not just get there once.

While there are, of course, exceptions to these rules, try to apply them 90 percent of the time. If you need help getting started, go to the home page and download the 5-Minute Declutter Checklist!

Where to Start: Follow the Weight

The best place to start is the place that makes you feel the most drained when you look at it. What space makes your shoulders tense? The playroom? The car? The garage?

Start there. If you have a chunk of time to tackle your space, go for it! Checkout this post for tips on decluttering and organizing these areas. 

If dedicating a couple of hours or more sounds unrealistic to you, you have two options: 

1. You could hire a professional organizer to do it for you
2. You could declutter your spaces in small, manageable increments

Set a timer for 5 or 10 minutes. You don’t need a whole afternoon—you just need a few minutes of intentional effort. A consistent 10 minutes a day turns into entire rooms over time. 

This small shift can lead to bigger ones: fewer arguments, more time, better focus, and even improved sleep. Yes, really.

Why Decluttering Is a Family Affair

Get your kids involved! They will often throw out things that you wouldn’t, and it’s a great way to teach them responsibility and give them control over their spaces. 

Help them create a repeatable system and after a few times of doing with them, they will be able to do it themselves! A couple of tips for getting your kids to help with decluttering:

• Do a seasonal toy purge and let them choose what to donate
  
• Institute a “one in, one out” rule for toys and clothes
  
• Involve them in simple routines: 5-minute pickups, making beds, putting shoes away
  

Kids thrive in structured environments. Creating tidy spaces reduces overwhelm and stress for them, too.

Plus, letting go of clutter teaches something deeper: that stuff doesn’t equal happiness.

Create Systems, Not Sprints 

You don’t need to become a minimalist overnight. You just need a system that works with your life. In the New York Times bestselling book Atomic Habits, James Clear emphasizes identity-based habits. When you stare at a mess, instead of saying “I need to clean,” you say:

“What would an organized person do?”

That tiny mindset shift turns tasks into identity. It’s no longer about tidying— it’s about being someone who keeps a peaceful home. Clear then encourages readers to create systems that help them become the person they want to be. If you’d like to be more organized, calm and in control of your home and time, try adding one of these micro-habits:

• A Sunday Sweep:  Choose one cluttered area a week to declutter and organize.
  
• A nightly 5-minute reset: If there’s a specific place that accumulates clutter (mine is our kitchen counter), spend 5 minutes tidying it each night.
  
• A standing donation box: Get one or several to put in your home. Take them weekly or monthly to Goodwill.
  

Little habits = massive ripple effects.

Easy Wins: 5 Places to Start Decluttering Today

If you’re feeling stuck, here are some great starting points:

1. Nightstand – Declutter the last thing you see before sleep and the first thing you see when you wake up.
   
2. Your car – Moms spend a lot of time in the car. Let it feel like a sanctuary, not a stress zone.
   
3. Junk drawer – Instant gratification, low time commitment.
   
4. Bathroom counter – Visual calm first thing in the morning = better days.
   
5. Diaper bag or purse – Because no one needs 14 receipts and 3 broken crayons.
   

Decluttering Is Emotional Self-Care

When your space is calm, your mind is calm. You have more energy, more capacity to show up for your family, and more time for the things that matter.

You don’t have to do it all today, and you don’t have to do it perfectly. Next time you’re feeling overwhelmed, take corner, drawer, or counter, and spend 10 minutes decluttering. Notice how your mood shifts when you’re done.

Decluttering is how you love yourself through action. Because when you reduce the clutter, you make room for more joy.