Anyone else have a minor panic attack whenever they walk into their living room and there are piles all over the place? And every other room is just one more messy cyclone of stuff? I don’t know about you guys, but when my house gets all jumbled with an overflow of miscellaneous junk, I take the clutter personally. 

I’m sure you’ve heard about this theory that the condition of your home is a physical manifestation of your mental state. So, if your place is a chaotic hellscape, it’s a reflection of your inner turmoil. If your home is spankin’ clean, it appears that you have things under control. 

Although there is no scientific proof to this theory, I do feel an overwhelming sense of anxiety and stress whenever my place is cluttered, because I do feel a strong lack of control in my life. I think to myself, “If I can’t even keep my living space organized, there’s no way I’ll be able to sort out the rest of my problems!”

My trouble is that I have piles and piles of miscellaneous crap everywhere. I struggle with the psychic weight — the mountains of books and paper that aren’t shelved or filed to perfection, not to mention the heap of items that I’ll probably never use again in my life.

So, how can I go about cutting down on the absolute disorder in my living space, for a tidier, sparkling home? Lately, I’m obsessed with “the chaos method”, which clears out the congestion in the most efficient way I’ve found yet. Let’s explore how you can implement the chaos method in your home, ensuring you never feel overwhelmed by your messy space again.

Grab your sticky notes and favorite sharpie for labeling, and let’s get a move on!

How Can I Use The Chaos Method To Declutter My Home?

When following the chaos method, you’re gonna need to be okay about making a rather unsettling mess so that you can properly tidy up the place. I know that sounds counter-intuitive. But think of it like this: you can’t have a rainbow without some rain! And you can’t properly declutter your home without things getting a bit cacophonous so you can finish the job. 

But where to start?

Step 1: Place ALL Your Clutter On The Floor

Start this process by going into each room at a time. So if you’re gonna start in your bedroom, pull out everything you’ve got from your drawers, nightstands, shelves, bed, boxes, etc. Don’t be shy. Grab all of it. 

Next, drop all of your stuff on the floor. I know this might seem daunting, but it’s the best way to properly assess just what you own. When everything is laid out on the floor, it becomes harder to ignore items that feel out of place or unnecessary, cause they’re now fully visible in front of you. 

Maybe you were okay with that cowboy hat that lights up when it was crammed out of sight at the bottom of your dresser. But, seeing it staring back at you from the floor is a whole different ball of wax. The chaos method makes you much more likely to reassess which items you truly need and don’t need. That mascara-stained throw pillow that’s too itchy and uncomfy to sleep with? Yeah, throw it away, sis. That movie ticket stub from that forgettable action movie you saw way back in 2016? Trash it. If it doesn’t add value to your home, it’s gotta go. Stat. 

So, you’ve got all your stuff completely exposed in chaotic heaps. Now what?   

Step 2: Sort Into Organized Groups

Grab your sticky notes, ladies and gents. It’s time to sort and label all your stuff into separate categories. For instance: clothes, shoes, knick knacks, furniture . . .

But don’t panic: You don’t have to add a sticky note to each and every item you own. That would take centuries. Instead, make sticky notes for the categories you’re organizing and place them on the floor in their respective zones. Then, place your clutter in its proper zone. 

Step 3: Identify Which Items You Want To Trash Or Donate

Okay, so now that all your life’s purchases are staring you right in the face, what next? To continue with the process, identify the items that you no longer want into several categories. Which items will you be trashing? What will you be donating? Is there anything that should be recycled? 

Then go ahead and create labels for all the items you no longer want. Again, separate your labels into different zones: Zone 1= Recycling, Zone 2= Donating, Zone 3= Trashing, and so on. 

Once the items you no longer want are in their proper zone, dump them in the trash or recycling bin. Any items you wish to donate pack them in your car trunk, or store by the door so you can send them off to homeless shelters, Salvation Army, friends’ houses, and so on.

Move Whatever You Will Keep Into Their Designated Space

You’re almost done! Now that you’ve gotten rid of all the stuff you don’t need, it’s time to reorganize and rearrange the things you’re certain you want to keep. Store your items in places that are most practical. Once everything’s all set, you’ll be blown away by how neat and sweet your place looks. Every nook and cranny will be clear of the hubbub and so nicely in place. Once you see that all your hard work has paid off, You can finally breathe a sigh of relief. Now, your home is filled only with meaningful and essential items, creating a space that not only feels lighter but clears your mind, allowing for greater focus, peace, and clarity in your beautiful life.

If you ask me, that’s something to be proud of.