When you think about decluttering, you might think of donate bins, garbage bags, and a room full of stuff, while you sit blankly remembering back to a younger you or a special keepsake. All this heaviness and overwhelm can make decluttering seem like an impossible task to start!
Make it easier on yourself! Decluttering can give you such a great (non-screen time) dopamine hit! Especially if you can find areas that give you that big hit with not as heavy a load to work with.
If you feel like you just can’t get yourself motivated, start with one of these three high impact, high dopamine hit areas of your home!
The junk drawer!
This clutter is a cake walk! There’s rarely anything sentimental to slow you down, and often there is actual stuff to donate or trash! Most people can get rid of at least 5 things from a junk drawer without ever worrying about what they’re tossing! Maybe there is a pen that no longer works, maybe there are old twist ties or broken elastics, maybe you have receipts, maybe you have old chore chart stickers, maybe you have actual garbage tucked under other things!
The idea is that most junk drawers are small, contain super random things, and you can easily make quick decisions about the junk!
A typical junk drawer will take between 5-20 minutes of work to get a big impact and that can create a fantastic dopamine hit! It can also propell you to check the next drawer, or the cupboard beside it, or who knows where else that energy can take you on your decluttering journey.
The landing strip!
This is the area from where you enter the house to the first area you feel like you are now in the house, coat off, shoes off, and could consider making a cup of coffee. Think surfaces! What do you do as you step into your home? Do you put keys away, or toss them on a shelf? Do you drop the mail on the kitchen counter? Do you hang your coat up? Think of all the things that clutter up those surfaces, benches, or shelves as you walk in the house. This is likely the space that people first see when they come into your home so dress it up, and get rid of that clutter!
You can get really fancy after you have decluttered by creating systems for what you do with your things as you walk in the house. Create a system that works for you and helps remind you of where things go if you are building the skill of putting things away, right away. Maybe you take your coat from the closet, but hang the hanger closer to the front door as you leave so that you see it when you return and can hang up your coat without too much thought. Create a key hook, basket or shelf. Put a small recycling bin by the door for your junk mail or random papers that get left by the front door. If you have kids, create a system for their bags or their shoes. Make it intuitive and easy to use!
Every time you walk into your clutter-free entryway, you will feel more confident about your space and may even start to enjoy entertaining! Definitely a fantastic and reoccuring boost of dopamine!
The medicine cabinet!
This is another area where items just seem to pile up and create clutter and stress. It’s also another area that you can declutter quickly and logically – no real thinking needs to take place! Making it another great dopamine hit!
Is the medicine expired? Toss it! Are the bandaid packages no longer sealed? Toss it! Easy peasy! No sentimental thinking or reminiscing involved!
Decluttering is a big task, especially when you feel like you have the whole house to do! But anytime you start to feel overwhelmed with it all, do one of these three areas. See where it takes you! You may find that the same week you do the medicine cabinet, you check out the cupboards around it, then before you know it, you have touched everything in the bathroom! You may find that as you declutter and tidy the front hall, you also focus time decluttering blankets on the couch in the family room, or kids’ toys that keep piling up on the stairs. Then suddenly the whole main floor feels more peaceful and liveable. Maybe after doing the junk drawer, you find that you are more motivated to work through the kitchen, one cupboard at a time!
Find a way to get small dopamine hits as you declutter! Decide that making your space work for you is the priority and dressing it up gives you confidence and freedom!
Give one of these three areas a try this weekend! Let me know in the comments where you will start and what you are most excited to acheive with your small dopamine hit focused area!
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