If you are like me, and can overthink or over-research something before getting started, rest assured that these 3 steps are the basic workflow to get started organizing any space.

1. Gather your supplies

Most likely, this means:

-Sharpie

-Masking tape or Washi Tape (for labelling)

-Trash bags / boxes for sorting (kitchen trash bag size is great, or bankers boxes)

2. Set your boundary, and make it small*

*One of the biggest setbacks in organizing is starting too big. So instead of “I’m going to organize the garage today”, start with “I’m going to organize the top shelf of the garage shelf today.” Progress over perfection prevents burnout.

-You can use time as a boundary, and only work for a certain amount of time. Be sure to set a timer (I’d recommend 20 min to start)

-You can use space as your boundary: only working in top dresser drawer, or bathroom countertop, for example.

-You can also use descriptors as a boundary: “today I’m going to go through clothing that is blue”, or “let’s look through any of your toys that make a sound”

-Or, you can use outward obligations as your boundary: “I’ll work on this until my friend arrives for lunch”, or “When I’m waiting in the carpool lane, I’ll declutter photos on my phone”

3. Group like with like, and label your decisions along the way.

This is an absolutely crucial step that often gets missed. As silly as it may seem, label the bag that is for trash as “trash”, and label the bag for donations “donations” so you don’t have to remember which is which the following day (week…month) when you have inevitably been interrupted.

And as you make decisions, group like with like. For example, if you start a pile of items that you need to ask someone else about, give those items a boundary (shoe box, bag, or tape it out on a surface) and label it with the next action steps: “ask ____ if they want these–> if not, donate”.

That is it! With those 3 steps you will be off to the races. Not sure where to start? Here is my list of easiest places to springboard your decluttering journey when you feel stuck.