Try “heap Cleanup” When the Clutter Is Too Much
There are all kinds of cleaning and organizing methods , and each one suits different people or different types of clutter. But what if the clutter is truly overwhelming? How do you even know where to start, no matter what technique you’re using or what you’re trying to do? This answer will likely be different for everyone, but I’m a big fan of an approach I found on TikTok called the “pile method.”
What is the pile method?
The idea came from Sharon.a.life , a TikTok user who vlogs about motherhood, cleaning, and mental health. She recommends her pile method to anyone feeling overwhelmed but having to cope with a “total disaster” of a room or home.
To start, you just take everything and throw it into a big pile. That’s it. You can use a basket to collect things and put them in a pile, or just throw them one at a time in the center of the room, but make sure you collect everything. If something is out of place, in your way, or you just want to redo everything, throw it all away. It will look even worse at first: after all, it’s a huge pile of stuff. But just like the feeling you get when you take before and after photos of a big project , you’ll be motivated by the sight of an ever-shrinking pile. As it gets smaller and smaller, you will feel more successful and keep moving forward. This is different from other methods, such as the skiing technique , because you don’t have to constantly rush around the room. Once you get the stack together, you’ll start working right in the middle.
How to use the pile method
Obviously you start with your big pile. After that you will start making smaller ones. (For this, it’s a good idea to pick up multiple storage baskets so you can take each basket with you to its appropriate room when you’re ready to put things away.) Each stack should represent a room or focal point, so consider having one for your kitchen supplies , one for each child’s room, one for laundry, etc. Don’t forget a trash pile and a pile for donation or sale if you have any of those categories.
As you sort, you’ll see your giant pile shrink, which will help you avoid feeling overwhelmed. Once you have placed the small piles into baskets, take each basket to the room where its contents are and put everything away. This is where you’ll apply some organizational techniques to make sure everything is in a certain place and you keep similar items together.
Even though it starts with a big mess in the center of the room, this method ends up being much less frustrating than trying to walk around the room and collect items, bring them to the right place and return to the scene of the crime. again and again.