Today it’s time to talk about how to declutter in layers. This is one of my declutter tips that I’ve realized needs its own post to really explain the concept of working in layers and help you implement the idea when you’re clearing your cluttered home.
We’ll cover:
- How I envision decluttering in layers
- The four layers of clutter
- The best order for decluttering those layers of stuff
It’s likely that your clutter was built in layers. Let’s remove it the same way…
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What Does It Mean To Declutter In Layers?
When it comes to purging clutter, I’ve always recommended the process of slow decluttering.
You can declutter slowly in a couple of different ways:
- Choose a small area to completely declutter and organize before moving on to the next space. This is great for people who need to feel like they have complete control over at least one place in their home as quickly as possible.
- Declutter in layers – or ‘stages’ – which can be better for people who feel the need to work from ‘easy’ to ‘more difficult’ when it comes to making decisions and removing clutter.
Layered decluttering is a simple decluttering method of making ‘sweeps’ around a room, clearing different types of clutter from trash to more useful items to deeply sentimental items. This happens over the course of several decluttering sessions done over days or weeks – or even months – so the process doesn’t feel so overwhelming or exhausting.
Even when working on a single area, I usually find myself decluttering in layers. I’ve cleared the clutter from most of my home this way, and it really works.
I think of it like peeling back the layers of an onion… you work through the clutter one layer at a time. It’s not exactly a speedy way to declutter because it takes time and hard work before you finally finish the decluttering process.
That said, you CAN use the ‘layers’ idea when doing something like a one-hour S.P.R.I.N.T. declutter for an entire room. But I don’t recommend that method until you’ve gotten some decluttering and decision-making practice under your belt.
The Four Layers Of Clutter
When clearing clutter, I always see the clutter in these layers and work through the layers in this order:
1. Trash
This is everything such as broken or beyond usable items.
2. ‘Useful’ things we don’t want or need
These are the things we tend to keep ‘just in case’ or due to guilt because of the money we spent or the item being a gift.
3. Things we use, but don’t need SO much of
Clothing falls into this category. You can only wear so many pieces over the course of a year or so. Other things we may overstock are pantry and household supplies.
Related:
9 Reasons You Fear Decluttering Clothes {And How to Get Past It}
5 Reasons I Ditched The Massive Home Stockpile For A Minimalist Pantry
4. Objects with sentimental attachments
There’s a reason this is the fourth layer… these items are usually the most difficult to make decisions on. They’re also so very hard to let go.
How To Tackle Clutter Layer By Layer
Working through our belongings and clutter in that order of layers sounds pretty simple and logical, right?
Well… in real life and our real homes, everything is mixed together and we can easily get overwhelmed by all of the stuff. We feel like it’s impossible to sort everything, especially when we have very little time or mental energy to give to clearing clutter.
You might be wondering, ‘How do I clear out all of the trash before I do any of the other items?’
Or, ‘How do I know what things are useful, but I don’t need so many of? I just don’t KNOW, and it’s hard to decide when sorting a big pile of stuff!’
I got ya. If you’re trying to dive into a huge pile, it IS hard to make all of the decisions at once. Choosing which objects to keep and which to let go feels nearly impossible when we’re buried under years of clutter. We may WANT a functional space, but we just can’t let go of the stuff, especially when it feels like we may toss the wrong things.
If you start small and slow, plus work in very thin layers, things become simpler. Sweep through one room and collect the most obvious items that are trash or unusable. That’s a layer. The next day, either keep going with that if you didn’t make it around the room, or sweep around and pull out the ‘useful’ things you don’t actually want or need, which can immediately be donated — here’s why I recommend donating over selling.
VERY IMPORTANT: Every time you finish a decluttering session, you MUST remove the clutter from your home the same day. Keep a donation box in your vehicle, take the trash to the bin, etc. Don’t store the clutter for days or weeks as you work to complete an entire layer.
The cool thing is that every time you make a sweep and clear a layer, more things will make themselves evident to you in a fresh way.
For example, you might do a layered decluttering of your living room and be fairly satisfied with the results. And then six months later you might think, ‘Hmmmm… I feel like I could let go of a few more things.’ So you do another sweep and find MORE items to donate. You’ve just eliminated one more layer of clutter!
Here’s the thing… Learning to declutter in layers actually makes the process easier! I don’t know about faster, since I believe in embracing the 10/10 slow decluttering method (10 items and/or 10 minutes a day). But whether you work through these layers slowly or quickly, the idea still holds true.
Plus, it’s okay if you don’t discover and declutter every. single. bit. of a layer all at the same time. You’ll catch those leftover items the next time through. This doesn’t have to be a perfect process to still work and make a difference!
Working through clutter in this order of layers gives your brain a chance to really learn to grasp the concept of letting go of physical objects.
That first layer of ‘trash’ means there’s very little risk associated with allowing those things to leave your space. As you work more deeply, you learn to accept a little more risk and you also build the habit of saying, ‘It’s okay, let it go.’
Does that work with EVERYTHING? No, of course not. That’s why even with decluttering in layers, it will very likely take many rounds of decluttering before your home is truly clutter-free and you’ve finished decluttering sentimental items.
But every step is progress, which builds your decluttering mindset and your decision-making confidence, making everyday life a little bit easier.
More Decluttering Inspiration And Resources
Top 5 Questions To Ask When Decluttering For Making Clear Decisions
An Imperfect Wardrobe – by Linda Wolfe
25 Things To Declutter In The Kitchen (And 3 Unexpected Items To Keep)
Free Printable Closet Declutter Checklist
Next Steps…
Learning how to declutter in layers isn’t just a useful method… it’s a mindset shift that empowers you to tackle even the most overwhelming spaces in your home. By breaking down the process into manageable layers, you give yourself the grace to work through your belongings with less stress and more clarity as you peel back the layers of clutter that have built up over time.
As you work, keep in mind that each sweep and each decision, no matter how small, is a step toward a more organized, peaceful home. Don’t rush it. Embrace the process, trust yourself, and know that with each layer you clear, you’re creating room for your most important things and more intentional living.
Start with that first layer today, and take it one step at a time. You’ve got this!
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