By Leo Babauta
Today we’re going to take a very simple step: pick an area to start with.
But first, if you haven’t done the first two steps yet, please do them now: get started with Why, and set aside time. I’ll wait while you do that.
Now I’d like you to simply pick an area to start with today, and if you have time, start decluttering it. You don’t have to finish decluttering it, just start.
How do you pick an area to start with? Ideally it:
- Is a small flat space — a shelf, a part of your countertop, a small area of the floor, a small tabletop, a small drawer. Don’t pick an entire room or closet, just start very small.
- Isn’t going to be overwhelming — don’t pick your most challenging area. This first week, we’ll be learning the decluttering method, so start easy. Think “slightly cluttered shelf” rather than “my overflowing garage”.
- Is under your control. If you share the space with someone else and they might be an obstacle (we’ll talk more about this later), don’t pick that spot.
Note that you can pick a place in your office or workspace, or in your home. It doesn’t really matter where you’ll start, because you’ll have lots of time this month and beyond to get to everything!
Advanced Declutterers
If you’re an advanced declutterer, feel free to pick a challenging area you didn’t get to last time. The papers of your desk, a pile of bills, the garage or attic, a bedroom or hall closet. There’s no need to start with a challenging area unless you don’t have any easy areas left.