Discover Your Why to Achieve an Organized Home

Welcome to Day 1 of the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge. Over the next month we’ll declutter, reorganize, and create more calm in our homes. If this is your first time visiting, consider starting from the beginning of the challenge for full context.

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My “I’ve Had It” Moment

One afternoon last fall I finally reached my limit. The clutter felt overwhelming—every surface had something on it, and I couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t one single cause: my kids had been home sick for a few days, I was in the middle of pulling out Christmas decor, and both girls’ birthdays were coming up. All of a sudden I could see the avalanche of toys and stuff headed our way and I knew I had to act.

Yes, those are toys strewn across the living room. What you can’t see are the piles covering counters and my office floor.

I picked my copy of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up back up and returned to its principles with renewed determination. I had already worked through clothes and shoes before, but clearly everything needs ongoing attention. Clutter creeps back if you don’t maintain it.

Anything that’s meant to stay healthy—our schedules, relationships, and homes—needs regular pruning. When we keep saying “yes” to more commitments or more purchases without letting anything go, our lives and spaces become crowded. We either stop bringing more in or we deliberately remove items so we can keep a home that supports our well-being.

My sanity—and my relationships—are more important than holding onto excess stuff. I decided to clear the clutter before the holiday rush and begin the new year with a calmer, more organized home. You deserve that peace too: a home filled only with what you value and that genuinely brings you joy.

Consider this your 30-day gift to yourself: a deliberate effort to make your living space work better for your family and your life.

Defining Your Why

Before you start any meaningful change, you need a plan and a clear goal. I’m guilty of grabbing a trash bag and tossing things without a follow-up plan—then a day later the clutter is back. That’s why a strategy matters, and why the most important step is defining your why.

Knowing why you want to declutter gives you the motivation to keep going when it gets tough. Your why could be simple: to stop wasting time tidying every evening, to come home to a peaceful space after a long day, to find things when you need them, or to avoid buying duplicates. Whatever it is, make it specific to you and your family.

If you blog or run a small business, you might think of your why in terms of income and opportunities. For me, blogging supports my family—allowing my kids to attend activities, take trips, and create memories. That underlying purpose is what pushes me to finish even when I’m tired. Your decluttering why should serve the same role: a steady reminder of the reward at the end.

Today’s task: write down your why. Be honest and precise. Then make it visible—tape it to the fridge, pin it to your planner, or place it on your desk where you’ll see it daily. This small act keeps your intention at the forefront and makes decisions easier when you’re tempted to keep things for the wrong reasons.

Three simple steps:

• Define your why.
• Write it down.
• Make it visible.

When the challenge feels hard, read that statement. Let it guide your choices and remind you why a less-cluttered life is worth the effort.

See you tomorrow!

In the mess with you, Laura

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