Shopping for pretty organizing containers like stylish baskets and matching totes is so fun, isn’t it? I mean, it has part retail therapy and part “I’m finally gonna get my house together” warm, fuzzy vibes.
But reality soon comes rushing back when you get those organizing containers home, put some of your things into them…and find the mess creeping back in almost immediately.
Has this happened to you? (I know it’s happened to me.)
It’s not because you lack motivation. And it’s not that you didn’t try hard enough. It’s actually an order of operations problem.
(I know, it’s sounds math-y. But I promise it’s not.)
Key Takeaways TL;DR
- Organizing before decluttering creates chaos, as it just rearranges clutter without removing it.
- Too much stuff overwhelms organizing systems, making them ineffective and stressful.
- Decluttering first reduces the number of items, making organizing simpler and less frustrating.
- Even small decluttering efforts can ease the organizing process and improve your space.
- Follow the order: declutter first, then organize for lasting improvements in your home.
The Myth We’ve All Been Taught: “If I Was Just More Organized…”
Somewhere along the way most of us started to believe lies like:
- “I’m just not an ‘organized person’”
- More bins and baskets = an organized home
- Once all the things are sorted, the chaos will stop
- That organizing is the solution to clutter
It’s easy to see why we believe those things: stores selling matching baskets in their pretty displays, Pins showing perfectly sorted and “edited” color coordinated spaces, extreme before and after photos (that don’t show an important step that goes in between the before and after).
That’s because organizing doesn’t remove anything, it just rearranges it.
Why Organizing Before Decluttering Always Falls Apart
Organizing before decluttering will never work. Because…
1. You’re Trying to Build Systems Around Too Much Stuff
No system can function when it’s overloaded. So even if you put all the pretty containers in place, if you still have too much stuff for the space you have, your organizing system cannot possibly function well.
More stuff = more managing = more stress.
2. Organizing Multiplies Decisions Instead of Reducing Them
Trying to organize first – adding bins, labels and categories – creates so many unecessary decisions because the volume of stuff is too high.
This creates fatigue, not relief.
3. You End Up Maintaining Clutter Instead of Solving It
When you try to maintain all that excess clutter, you may be creating prettier piles of stuff, but all that stuff needs constant attention.
Hence why the “organization” didn’t last.
What Decluttering Actually Does That Organizing Can’t
I know, I know. Decluttering seems like a huge effort – and a rather boring one at that. But it’s actually a relief to clear out things you don’t need anymore.
Decluttering Reduces the Load on Your Home
Fewer items = fewer things to manage, clean, store, and think about.
Decluttering Makes Organizing Simpler (& Almost Automatic)
Once there’s less stuff, organizing becomes so much easier, and so much less overwhelming.
Decluttering Changes How Your Home Feels, Not Just How It Looks
Yes, organizing is a little bit about how your home looks and functions. But even more importantly, it’s about how your home feels. With less clutter, you can easily organize which leads to:
- Less visual noise
- Less background stress
- More breathing room
And I’m pretty sure we could all use a little bit of that in our homes right now!
“But I Don’t Have Time to Declutter Everything”
Don’t have time to declutter everything? Fair enough. Life is busy.
But you don’t need an all-day purge. You don’t need perfect conditions (those don’t really exist in real life anyway). You don’t even need to do your whole house.
Just make progress. Take baby steps. 5 minutes here. 5 minutes there.
Decluttering like this works because small and selective can be super effective!
The Right Order (And Why It Finally Works)
Next time you need to tidy up, fix or organize a space in your home:
- Declutter first (remove what doesn’t belong in your life anymore)
- Organize second (give what remains an intentional home)
This order actually reduces the mental and physical effort you need to improve your home.
This order helps the changes you make to stick.
And going against this order is why past attempts at “organizing” your space have felt exhausting.
Here’s How to Make Progress…Even When You Don’t Have Time to Declutter Everything
If full-house decluttering and organizing feels impossible right now, you don’t need a massive plan, you just need a clear starting point and some 5-minute baby steps.
My 5-Minute Organizing Cheat Sheets are designed to give you fast, focused real-life wins. And they’ll help you do things in the right order without the overwhelm.
FAQs
Because organizing doesn’t remove anything. It only rearranges what you already have. When there’s too much stuff, even the best systems become hard to maintain and quickly fall apart.
Yes, even just a little decluttering reduces the volume first, which makes organizing simpler, faster, and far less frustrating. You don’t need to declutter everything. One small space is enough to see a difference.
You end up maintaining clutter instead of solving it. That usually means more bins, more decisions, and more stress…and the “organized” space rarely lasts.
Absolutely. Organizing gives what remains a clear, intentional home. An assigned spot to return things to. It just works best after decluttering, when you’re working with less stuff and fewer decisions.
You don’t need to. Decluttering works because it can be small and selective. Even five minutes in one drawer or one surface can make organizing feel easier right away.
Organizing is not wrong. It’s actually really important to the look, feel and function of your home. But it’s not the first step. Decluttering is. If you declutter first, even one tiny space at time, organizing will be easier…and your home will look, function and feel so much better!
Have you tried organizing before decluttering and felt like it never lasted? I’d love to hear where you got stuck. Let me know in the comments below.
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