Decluttering and Organising: A Practical Guide for When You Don't Know Where to Start

Clutter isn't a character flaw - it's a systems problem. Here's a practical, no-judgement guide to decluttering and organising your home.

Jo de Serrano OBE DUniv

5 min read

a close up of a bunch of drawers with labels on them
a close up of a bunch of drawers with labels on them

Last updated: June 2026

Decluttering and Organising: A Practical Guide for When You Don't Know Where to Start

Key Takeaways

  • Clutter is rarely about laziness or too much stuff; it's usually about the number of small decisions that have built up over time.

  • Decluttering and organising are different things. Decluttering decides what stays; organising creates a home for what remains. Always declutter first.

  • Start small... One drawer, one shelf, one cupboard. The goal is momentum, not a transformed house in a day.

  • The framework that works: decide what belongs, group similar items together, then create simple systems.

  • Systems fail when they're designed for an ideal life rather than a real one. The best systems work on tired, busy days.

Contents

  1. The problem isn't necessarily the stuff

  2. Decluttering and organising are different things

  3. Where should you start?

  4. A simple framework that works

  5. Why some organising systems fail

  6. When it might be time to ask for help

  7. FAQs

If you've ever looked around your home and thought, "I don't even know where to begin", you're certainly not alone. One of the things I hear most often from clients is that they have tried to get organised before. They've bought the storage boxes, watched the programmes, read the books and set aside a weekend to tackle it. Yet somehow, a few weeks or months later, things have drifted back to where they started.

The reason for this is very rarely laziness or a lack of motivation. More often, life gets busy, and the home evolves as families grow, routines change, work becomes demanding and unexpected things happen. What worked five years ago may no longer work today.

The good news is that getting organised is not about becoming a different person. It is about creating practical systems that work for the way you actually live.

The problem isn't necessarily the stuff

People often assume clutter is simply about having too many possessions, and sometimes that is true. However, in my experience, the bigger issue is often the number of decisions that have built up over time. Whether it's the pile of paperwork on the kitchen counter, the bags that still need sorting, the items that do not have a clear home or the drawer you avoid opening because you know it needs attention. Each one is another decision waiting to be made, so when enough of those decisions build up, it can start to feel overwhelming.

This is particularly true for people who are neurodivergent, managing ADHD, perimenopause brain fog or executive dysfunction, where getting started can often be the hardest part.

For me, this was a radical rethink of my cupboard under the stairs. It wasn't that there was too much stuff; it was that the way it was stored made it hard to get to the back of the cupboard, and I was tired of being squeezed between the mops and the Mr Muscle. With the addition of a new shelf and baskets to contain all the cleaning products, it no longer felt like I had to do an obstacle course to reach the Pink Stuff.

Decluttering and organising are different things

This is one of the most common misconceptions I come across... Decluttering is about deciding what stays and what goes, and organising is about creating a home for the things that remain. Many people try to jump straight to the organising stage, they buy containers, labels and storage products before they have decided what actually needs to stay. The result is often beautifully organised clutter.

I always encourage clients to declutter first and organise second, as it makes it much easier to create systems that are practical and easy to maintain. And never ever buy the boxes before the decluttering is done.

Where should you start?

When everything feels overwhelming, I usually recommend starting somewhere small. Definitely not the whole loft, garage or the dumping ground room.

Choose one drawer, one shelf or one cupboard. The goal is not to transform the whole house in a day; the goal is simply to get started, and small wins matter. They help build confidence and create momentum, which makes the next space feel much more manageable. A kitchen drawer, bathroom cabinet or hallway cupboard is often a good place to begin because they tend to involve fewer emotional decisions.

A simple framework that works

When I work with clients, I generally follow three stages.

1. Decide what belongs

Before organising anything, we look at what is actually being used and what still serves a purpose in the person's current life. This is not about being ruthless... It is about being realistic. It's about understanding why people are holding onto things and helping them to decide on what stays.

2. Group similar items together

Once we know what is staying, we group similar things. There is no universal right way to do this. Some people organise by room, others by activity, and some need things visible to remember they exist. Whatever works for you is usually the best approach. There is a tendency to over-engineer here, but over-categorising and having too many individual containers for items can complicate, not simplify. Think similar, not identical, such as super glue, sellotape, velcro, Blu-Tac, and epoxy resin together in a box. They all stick things, so they all go together.

3. Create simple systems

Only once the first two steps are complete do we start looking at storage and organisation. The best systems are usually the simplest, so if putting something away takes too many steps, it probably won't happen consistently. Again, the goal isn't perfection... It's about creating systems that are easy to maintain, even on a busy day.

Why some organising systems fail

One of the biggest reasons systems fail is that they are designed around an ideal version of life rather than real life. A system might look wonderful on social media, but if it takes too much effort to maintain, it is unlikely to last. Good systems work when you are tired, busy, and when life is a little chaotic. The most successful organising systems are often the least exciting... They simply make everyday tasks easier.

When it might be time to ask for help

Sometimes the challenge is not knowing what to do, it's doing it on your own. Having another person alongside you can make a huge difference... Not because they are taking over, but because they provide structure, accountability and practical support.

One of the things my clients often tell me is how much easier the process feels once they stop trying to tackle it alone. There is no judgment and no pressure. Just practical help to create a home that feels calmer, more organised and easier to manage.

If the idea of getting started feels overwhelming, a discovery call is simply a conversation about what is going on and whether I might be able to help.

No obligation. No pressure. Just a chance to explore your options.

FAQs

Where should I start if my whole house feels overwhelming? Start small - a single drawer, shelf or cupboard. The goal isn't to transform everything at once; it's to build momentum with one manageable win.

What's the difference between decluttering and organising? Decluttering is deciding what stays and what goes. Organising is creating a home for what remains. Decluttering should always come first - buying storage before decluttering often results in beautifully organised clutter.

Why do organising systems stop working after a while? Most systems fail because they're designed for an ideal version of life rather than a real one. A system that requires too much effort to maintain on a busy day won't last, however good it looks.

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