The Art of Decluttering Best Of: What's Your Problem?...Quantity
If you’ve ever looked around your home and felt that something just isn’t working, you’re not alone. So many people tell me they’re frustrated with their space, but they can’t quite put their finger on why. And when you don’t know what the real problem is, it’s almost impossible to find a solution that actually sticks.
That’s exactly why I’ve created a simple, three-part framework I call What’s Your Problem? It’s designed to help you diagnose what’s going on beneath the surface so you can finally move forward with confidence, clarity, and a whole lot more breathing space.
Over years of working with clients, I’ve noticed that clutter almost always comes back to one of these:
1. A Quantity Problem – there’s simply too much stuff.
2. A Systems Problem – things don’t have clear homes or logical flow.
3. A Habits Problem – the daily rhythms that keep things running just aren’t in place yet.
Most of the time, the first layer we need to peel back is quantity. And I want to encourage you gently here: if you’re not sure what your problem is, start by assuming it’s this one. It usually is.
A quantity problem doesn’t mean you’ve “failed” or that your home is too small or too messy. It simply means you have more items than your space, your routines, or your season of life can comfortably hold.
Maybe your kids’ toys spill across the floor every day and the room never feels tidy, no matter how much you organise. Maybe your wardrobe feels overwhelming or your kitchen benches never seem clear. Those are classic signs of too much inventory — not a lack of containers, not “lazy kids,” and not poor habits.
And the Solution? Decluttering — Gently and Intentionally
When you reduce quantity, everything else becomes easier. You don’t need to declutter your entire house in one go. Just start with the space that’s bothering you most and ask:
What’s rubbish? What can I donate? What can leave my home and lighten my load?
You don’t have to get it perfect. You don’t even have to finish it. Every little bit of reduction creates more calm, more space, and more breathing room for your life to happen.
But for now, start here: If your home feels overwhelming, it’s very likely a quantity problem. And the good news? Quantity problems are absolutely solvable.
Next week, we’ll move into systems — the part where everything starts to click into place.
You may also like to listen to these episodes:
What's Your Problem?... Systems
What's Your Problem?... Habits
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