Learn practical ways to create margin in your life when everything feels like it’s spinning out of control.
Getting organized and staying organized can feel overwhelming—especially when life throws curveballs. You may be caring for sick family members, managing a crisis, juggling work, keeping a household running, and trying to stay on top of bills and stress. It’s a lot. The good news is that small, consistent changes can create real breathing room.
Welcome to Day 27 of the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge! We’re decluttering, reorganizing, and intentionally creating a home that feels calmer and more manageable. If you’re new to the challenge, consider beginning with the first day to get the full framework. Affiliate links were used in the original challenge for convenience.
I recently heard from many readers who shared the real-life struggles they’re facing—thank you to everyone who reached out. Your messages reminded me that many of you have a lot on your plates. I get it: I run two businesses, have two small children and a husband, and I’ve learned the hard way that sleep and margin matter. When life gets busy, creating structure and simplifying priorities is the fastest way to reduce daily overwhelm.
This challenge was designed to be an accountability tool—short, realistic tasks that help you declutter and organize a little bit each day. But if you truly have no time for a full declutter right now, focus on the basics that create immediate margin. When your schedule allows, you can return to deeper projects like organizing the pantry.
How to Create Margin When Life Feels Crazy
1. Nail down simple routines. Identify the most stressful parts of your day and design one or two small routines to ease that stress. For me, mornings and the late-afternoon dinner scramble are the hardest. Creating a few consistent habits—like a short morning routine and a simple dinner plan—reduces decision fatigue and stress instantly.
I use three short morning tasks (devotion time, unload the dishwasher, and plan dinner) and a few evening tasks (load the dishwasher, pick up the living room, and jot down tomorrow’s to-do list). Your routine might look different—make lunches the night before, go to bed earlier to wake up for an exercise session, or prep a few grab-and-go breakfasts. Write your routine down and place it somewhere visible so it becomes part of your day.
2. Make a Daily Essentials List. Household chores can feel endless. Instead of trying to do everything, choose 3–5 essential chores you can realistically maintain each day so your home stays clean enough and functional. For me that includes clearing and wiping the kitchen counters each night, vacuuming the main living area every couple of days, handling a portion of laundry daily, picking up toys in the main room each evening, and sweeping the kitchen frequently.
Once you have those essentials in place, tackle deeper cleaning tasks gradually or consider hiring help for monthly deep cleans if your budget allows. Outsourcing occasional deep cleaning can be a worthwhile investment in your time and sanity.
3. Create a place to download your brain. If your mind is constantly cluttered with reminders and tasks, designate one physical spot for a to-do list or a “brain dump.” Writing things down—from appointment times to grocery items—reduces mental clutter and anxiety. Use a planner, a notebook, or a pad of paper kept near your computer or kitchen counter. Offloading thoughts onto paper creates emotional and mental margin.
4. Learn to say no. Take an honest inventory of your commitments and prioritize what truly matters—your people and your health. Saying yes to the most important relationships sometimes means saying no to otherwise good opportunities that drain your time and energy.
Evaluate extracurricular activities, volunteer roles, and social events. Does your child need to participate in three activities that leave your family exhausted and eating out frequently? Could scaling back create more relaxed family dinners and better connection? Protecting those family moments—no TV or phones at the table—can be a simple, powerful boundary.
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Cut down email overload by unsubscribing from lists that don’t serve you. When your inbox contains only a few important messages, your day instantly feels less chaotic. Be selective with volunteer roles—limit your commitments to the few that align with your priorities. When friends host product parties or events and you want to support them, ask if you can order online instead of attending in person. That way you support friends without adding another item to your calendar.
In short: set a few non-negotiable routines, identify daily essentials, create a single spot for your thoughts, and give yourself permission to say no. These practical steps build a foundation of margin. As you reclaim small pockets of time and order, you’ll be able to tackle clutter little by little—and the margin will grow. It really can become a positive cycle.
Today’s Action: Say no to one commitment that’s draining you. It might be the small thing you’ve been avoiding—take the step and notice the relief.
In the mess with you, Laura
More posts you might enjoy:
- Organized Paint Storage | Day 29: 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess
- How to Organize a Pantry | Day 18: 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess
- How to Organize Your Day | Day 3: 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess