If you're looking for decluttering inspiration this January, the snowball decluttering method should definitely be on your radar.
It's one of the most apt decluttering techniques for this time of year - and not just because its name lends itself so well to the season. The snowball method is all about the small, easy wins that provide us with enough momentum to work through our decluttering checklists in full. It's a gentler approach, which many of us are craving right now.
Hopefully, you found some easy ways to reset your home in the New Year and things have started off feeling (relatively) calm. Or maybe the need to declutter your home has become too much to ignore, and you're in desperate need of a new method that speeds things along.
Either way, I've enlisted the help of professional home organisers to get their take on the snowball decluttering method. They've shared five top tips on how to make it work for you.
What is the snowball decluttering method?
Before we dig into the expert tips, you might be wondering what the snowball decluttering method actually is.
"It's all about starting in a way that feels manageable," professional home organiser Rebecca Crayford explains. "You give your brain a quick, easy win - by tackling, say, one small drawer or surface, which encourages you to move on to the next small task."
And so it goes until eventually, your decluttering has "snowballed" into something much bigger than how it started. It's the perfect way to declutter your home in a way that feels manageable.
"It's a pretty brilliant psychological strategy against procrastination," Max, co-founder at Pocket Storage, advocates. "It works by exploiting the momentum of small successes."
5 ways to use the snowball decluttering method to reset your home this January
Decluttering really is about the small wins. Getting rid of just one item, or working through one small area at a time, is often mentally rewarding enough for us to keep at it. That's what the snowball decluttering method is all about.
1. Start with the space that feels easiest
The snowball method is all about starting with the easiest task. So, instead of picking the area that feels like the biggest priority - AKA the messiest room in the house - start with a less cluttered area instead.
"Bathrooms are great for this, because they’re smaller and tend to hold less sentimental items," Shannon Murphy says, professional declutterer and founder of Simpl Living Co. "Start by sorting through products you haven’t used or didn’t like."
The key is to pick the area that feels easiest to you. Maybe decluttering the bedroom in one day feels less overwhelming than sorting through the bathroom cabinet - trust your instincts and go with what feels right.
2. Tackle a high-visibility area
Another way to try the snowball decluttering method is to start with a high-reward area - i.e., somewhere you see on a day-to-day basis.
"Seeing immediate results reinforces the habit and builds motivation," Max Wilson says. "Even the smallest possible win - like a medicine drawer - is enough to get started."
To keep things super simple, aim to spend no longer than 15 minutes sorting through your first area of choice. Mentally, this should feel doable - and if you feel like carrying on once the 15 minutes is up, then by all means go for it.
3. Face the bigger jobs when you feel ready
Jobs like decluttering the garage and decluttering the loft can feel overwhelming to say the least, but working your way up to these - instead of diving into them head-first - should feel easier.
"By the time you reach these larger, more complex spaces, you’ve already strengthened your decision-making ‘muscles’ and created enough momentum to handle the challenge with far less overwhelm," Max explains.
So, tackle these jobs only once you feel ready and you'll have avoided one of the biggest (and most damaging) decluttering mistakes. It's the best way to avoid starting the job and giving up halfway through.
4. Try combining it with another method
The snowball effect is present in other decluttering techniques, and you might find it helpful to try one out. For instance, you could try the 30-day minimalism challenge, where you eliminate one item on day one, two on day two, and so on, until you've eliminated 30 items by day 30. Bear in mind that this does mean you'd be aiming to let go of 465 items in total (gulp) - so, it definitely won't be for everyone.
Another way to use the snowball method is to apply it to the 1-3-5 decluttering technique, where you choose one large area, and split this into three medium-sized tasks and five micro tasks. Start by ticking off the five smallest tasks first, then use the momentum to move on to the three bigger tasks.
There's no right or wrong when it comes to decluttering, but the more methods you try, the better - so you can get a clearer idea of what works for you.
5. Let it happen naturally
One of the best things about the snowball method is that it should feel easy. Often, decluttering can feel like trying to swim upstream - the harder we try, the more stuff we end up pulling out and helplessly staring at, wondering what to do.
The snowball method is the ideal antidote to this, as it's focused on using momentum. If the momentum goes, take a break and come back to it when you feel ready.
"Some days the snowball will roll further than others, and that’s fine," Rebecca agrees. "Progress doesn’t need to be dramatic to matter."
These five expert tips will you help you get the most from the snowball decluttering method so you can successfully use it to reset your home this January.
Happy decluttering.
