Declutter your space with a simple reset list
Sometimes life gets messy. There’s something that you need to do (or want to do!) but every visible surface seems to be covered in a mixed-up conglomeration of.. stuff. There’s no room to think let alone start on your task.
Looking at it like that…it’s too overwhelming.
But if you break that stuff down into categories you can start to deal with them systematically, one flavour of stuff at a time. You can use a Room Reset list to help do this.
What are some categories of Stuff?
The sorts of “stuff” in your place might be different from mine, but you’ll probably find
- laundry (in various stages)
- broken things and just plain trash
- dirty dishes, mugs, spoons, chippy packets…
- important things like your keys
- ordinary bits and pieces that need putting away
- paper, cans etc that you can recycle
What’s a Room Reset list?
It’s a simple checklist to use when you need to rescue an area that’s become too cluttered and messy. If you have a list prepared already, it saves you from having to create a new plan each time.
There are lots of ways to approach this – but starting is the main thing. Even clearing one corner of your desk or kitchen countertop can give you room to breath and move.
After you’ve gotten some of the stuff out of the way, it will be easier to start on other tasks like zone cleaning, focussed decluttering – or just being able to vacuum the floor.
My version of the list
I looked at the stuff that collects in my house to make my own reset list.
(Due to the nature of my brain, I had to make it an acronym!)
I like to choose one room, or even just one section of a surface, and run through the whole list just focused on that one area.
If you’re prone to side quests, you might want to place your “collections” by the door and follow up with them when you’ve finished the list.
🌱SPROUT reset
 |
Socks & other laundry |
 |
Plates & food packaging |
 |
Recycling |
 |
Odds & ends |
 |
Urgent & important |
 |
Trash |
What you need
- a trash bag
- a few empty baskets, bags or boxes to collect other stuff as you go
- pick a safe place to put anything especially important that you find in your travels
Let’s get started!
Here’s how I go through my own reset list.
Socks & other laundry
Collect any dirty laundry. (If you’ve got a backlog – start with any laundry that’s damp, sticky or stinky) You can start a load of washing, if it won’t set you off track.
If you have stray piles of clean washing, you can just straighten them up or pop them back into baskets for now.*
You don’t need to sort the ironing on the exercise bike right now either – it’s not going anywhere.
Plates & food packaging
Collect anything that’s had food or drinks in it or on it. Dishes, yogurt pots, takeaway containers, fancy drink thermos, etc.
Take the “washable” things to the kitchen, and put the trash in your trash bag.
Recycling
Collect up any old paper, junk mail, drink cans and bottles.
(Anything that your local area can actually recycle) and put it in your recycle bin.
Odds & Ends
Look for good stuff that’s just been left in the wrong place.
If something belongs in the room you’re in, put it away now. Collect up a basket of things that need to be someplace else; you can deliver them (or donate them) later.
Note for Team Side Quest: You may sort the shelves into perfect alphabetical/rainbow/symmetry as a special treat later ❤️
Urgent & important
As you go through the list, if you see something important put it away properly, straight away!
I’m talking about your glasses, spare keys, lost library books, your missing left AirPod, expiring gift cards, etc etc.
Don’t be like “I’ll just leave it here for now” because it will vanish as soon as you turn around.
Trash
“Once you eliminate the
impossibleother stuff, whatever remains, must be thetruthtrash” Sherlock Homes, probably.
Collect any obvious rubbish into your trash bag. (Again, if there’s a backlog – start with stuff that’s wet, sticky or stinky)
Empty any wastepaper baskets and trash cans in this space.
This is the point at which you might discover some rubbish bags you started filling on another endeavour – out they go too!
You did it!
All right!
Now’s the time to take your rubbish bags and recycling out, then have a well-deserved break and a cuppa!
Here are a few examples of other lists to consider. Make it work for you!
Onwards!
More Room Reset type lists from the Experts:
How quick can I do a NOT ME FIVE??
That’s whip through the house and pick up (and put away) 1: Laundry, 2: Dishes, 3: Trash, 4: Papers, and 5: the Other Stuff.
Kelly and Cindy
By cleaning in categories, it’s easier to stay on task and avoid paralysis and overwhelm.
KC Davies, “5 Things Tidying Method” (Video)
A room reset is super basic and one of my top home cleaning tips to use. It’s resetting the room to its original state. That place where it was when you first decluttered it.
Declutter in Minutes, “Room Reset – The Secret to Keeping a Clean House”
You cannot possibly clean everything at once, but when your brain sees a large amount of work, that’s what it tries to do. Working by category is far more efficient.
Sarah McGlory, “How do I clean an overwhelming space?”
P.S.
Re: leaving the piles of clean washing works for me! In the past I have had unfolded washing strewn across the living room and felt like I couldn’t vacuum or anything until I folded it all and put it away properly. I had to give myself permission to just pile it back into baskets. Weirdly, once the floor was “clear” it was easier for me to do the folding.
P.P.S I forgot to show what it looks like when I put in the Home Routines app!
