The 50% Method: A Simple Mindset Shift to Declutter Your Home Fast
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Ever open a drawer and feel like you’re suffocating under the sheer volume of stuff? You’re not alone. What if I told you that cutting just 50% of your belongings in certain categories could radically change how your home feels, and how your brain functions? Today, we’re diving into the 50% Method, a game-changing mindset shift that helped me finally breathe again. And mama, it can help you too.
The Real Problem Isn’t Organization (It’s Volume)
So let’s talk about something that always seems to come up with my clients. Moms ask me: “Why does my house always feel cluttered no matter how much I clean?” or “How do other moms keep their spaces organized when I can barely keep up?” I get these questions all the time, and honestly, I’ve been there too.
Here’s my take: most of us don’t have an organizing problem. We have a volume problem. We simply own too much stuff. And until we address that root issue, no amount of bins, baskets, or cleaning schedules will create lasting peace in our homes.
Today, I want to introduce you to a tool that changed everything for me: the 50% Method. Now I want to be clear from the start. This is not about deprivation or forcing you to become a minimalist if that’s not your style. Rather, it’s about creating breathing room in your home and in your mind. Because when your spaces are lighter, your days feel lighter too.
My Lightbulb Moment with Coat Hooks
I still remember the moment it hit me. I was standing in our dining room, which also happens to be where our front door is, and thus, where alllll the things are dumped and stored. I was staring at the hooks on our wall, and they were stuffed. Like exploding. We’re talking three to four jackets per person, all crammed together. Bags and backpacks. Nobody could find anything.
The kids would ask, “Mom, where’s my raincoat? Where’s my umbrella?” and I’d be digging through this massive pile thinking, “Why do we have so much stuff?”
Then I started looking around the rest of the house. Eight pairs of shoes per person. Drawers overflowing with towels. Kitchen cabinets packed with duplicate containers. Everywhere I looked, we had multiples and duplicates of everything.
And that’s when the lightbulb went off: What if I just cut these categories in half?
Now, it sounds almost too simple, right? But when I started actually doing it, when I looked at those four jackets and kept the two we actually wore, it was challenging, but it was freeing. So much freedom. Not only did the physical space get room to breathe, but my brain could finally relax. I didn’t have to look at all that excess every single day. I didn’t have to manage it, wash it, organize it, or feel guilty about not using it.
This Isn’t About Deprivation
Now again, let me be really clear here: this method is not about deprivation. I tried using the 50% Method on our homeschool books, and it didn’t work. Why? Because I love books. As homeschoolers I’ve collected a whole reference library that we actually use and enjoy. Those books serve us. They’re not clutter, they’re tools we use.
This isn’t about just tossing things in the trash for the sake of hitting some arbitrary number. The 50% Method is a mental tool, a lens to help you evaluate your space and ask, “Do I really need four jackets, or would two serve me better in this season of life?”
That shift alone changed everything for me.
Where the 50% Method Works Best (Start Here!)
If you’re thinking, “Okay, Laura, this sounds great, but where do I even start?” I hear you. And here’s my advice: start with the easy stuff.
Pick categories that don’t have a lot of emotion attached to them. Low-stakes, high-impact zones. Think:
- Storage containers and Tupperware
- Kitchen towels
- Bath towels
- Jackets and raincoats
- Shoes
These are the kinds of items we tend to accumulate without even realizing it. And they’re perfect for building your decluttering muscles.
My Shoe Revolution Story
Let me tell you what happened when I tackled my shoes. I think I had eight pairs at the time, maybe more. I wrote a whole blog post about it years ago because it was such a revelation. I got rid of most of them and only kept a couple. And since then? I’ve pared down even more.
Now I have sneakers, winter boots, a dressy sandal, flip-flops, and a dressy boot. Five pairs of shoes. That’s it.
For my little kids, they have sneakers, sandals, and rain boots. My older daughter has a few more because she collects hand-me-downs from friends, but if I can control it, we keep it minimal. Because here’s the truth: that’s all you really need.
The mindset shift that helped me make peace with less is this: less is more. We’ve bought into this lie that if one is good, then more must be better. But it’s not true. Less is more because it literally helps your brain function better. And any other moms out there who want their brains to function better? I know I do.
Your First Simple Step
So start simple. Try kitchen towels or food storage containers. Count how many you have. Pick your favorites, the ones that actually work, that you actually reach for, and let the rest go. Then notice: does your drawer close easier? Do you feel a little lighter when you open it?
That’s the power of this method.
Where It Gets Harder (But You Can Do It)
Now, I’m not going to sugarcoat it. The 50% Method gets a lot harder when you move into categories with higher emotional value. Books, toys, games, hobby materials, curriculum, these are tough. There’s more attachment. More “what ifs.” More guilt.
And that’s exactly why I don’t recommend starting there.
If you try to tackle your homeschool curriculum or your kids’ toys before you’ve built up those decluttering muscles, you’re going to feel overwhelmed. You’re going to second-guess every decision. And you’re probably going to give up.
Work up to it. Start with the neutral stuff, and as you build confidence, you can tackle the harder categories.
Making It Work with Emotional Items
But here’s the thing: even in those tougher areas, the 50% Method still works, it just takes more intention. For example, I went through all our homeschool curriculum recently, and I really pushed myself to ask: “Am I actually going to use this again for my second child, or is this just a maybe?”
Because if it’s a maybe, I can let it go. If I really need it someday, I’ll figure it out. But if it’s a definite yes, if I know I’ll use it, then it stays.
And with my kids, I’m learning that teaching them the cost of clutter is a daily conversation. My older daughter has a habit of keeping everything, and I’m constantly trying to help her see how her stuff is costing her. Lost pencils, misplaced sharpeners, stress when she can’t find what she needs. It’s hard. The older they get, the harder it is to change those patterns.
But with my youngest, who’s only three, I’m starting early. We keep his stuff minimal now, so that becomes his norm. And as soon as he gains that awareness, I’ll teach him the skills of curating his own belongings, so we don’t end up with chaos.
Breaking Free from the “What If I Need It Later?” Trap
Okay, let’s talk about the biggest objection I hear: “But Laura, what if I need it later?”
I have a whole post on this (Letting go of Someday), because this trap is huge. And here’s the truth: someday never comes.
Now, there are legitimate reasons to save certain things. If you’re planning to reuse curriculum for a younger sibling, great. Pick one box, one bin, one shelf. Put those books there and move on. I’m actually doing this right now. But if it’s a “maybe I’ll use this,” let it go.
You Have Options (And They’re Not Scary)
Because if you do end up needing it, you have options:
Borrow it from someone — a friend, a lending library, a neighbor.
Buy it used for a fraction of the price.
Repurchase it if it’s truly essential.
Use an alternative — find something else you already have or that a friend has.
None of those scenarios are life or death. And honestly? Most of the time, if you let something go, you won’t even remember you owned it in the first place.
Yes, I’ve had to replace a couple small items over the years. That’s okay. Because here’s what I know: most of us are replacing way more items on a regular basis because we lose them in our cluttered houses.
I know moms who have to buy scissors and staplers multiple times because they keep getting buried. My own daughter lost her pencil sharpener and I had to buy another one, and guess what? A couple weeks later, she found the first one. Now she has two.
If she didn’t have so much clutter in her room, she wouldn’t have lost the first one. These are lessons we’re learning, and lessons we’re trying to teach our kids.
The Hidden Emotional Weight of Your Stuff
Let’s talk about something we don’t give enough credit to: the emotional weight of our belongings.
Every time you look at that stack of “good towels” you’re saving for company but never actually use, how do you feel? Every time you see those sandals you never wear or that jacket that doesn’t quite fit, what emotion comes up?
Most of the time, it’s negative. We feel guilty. We feel wasteful. We feel like we’re not getting our money’s worth. And that feeling compounds every single time we see those items.
I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to feel crummy about myself. I want to feel calm, confident, and peaceful in my home. And that only comes when I have peace with my stuff, and way less of it.
And this is why simplifying isn’t just about organization. It’s about emotional freedom.
Why Decluttering “Didn’t Work” Before
Now, if you’re sitting there thinking, “I’ve tried decluttering before and it didn’t stick,” I want you to hear this with grace, but also with truth: you probably didn’t get rid of enough stuff.
I know that’s hard to hear. But the reality is, if clutter keeps creeping back, you still have too much. And the only way out is to keep chipping away, slowly, gently, but consistently.
The Onion Method of Decluttering
I’m a big proponent of what I call the Onion Method of decluttering. It’s this idea that we go through our stuff in layers.
The first time through, we get rid of the surface-level things: trash, obvious duplicates, stuff we clearly don’t use. A few months later, we go through again and think, “I haven’t used this in months. I guess I don’t really need it.” And then maybe a year later, we look at what’s left and realize, “I used this once or twice, but I could use something else instead. I’m in a different season now.”
Time changes our perspective. We outgrow stuff. Our kids outgrow stuff.
Letting Go as You Grow
So this is what I do. For baby, toddler and preschool items, as my kids outgrow them, I have one bin of very special, nice items for guests, family, and hospitality reasons. Some baby blankets, burp cloths, baby toys and books. But outside of that one bin, once they’ve outgrown an item, it goes. Because you can’t keep bringing in new stuff for birthdays and holidays and new stages without letting go of the old.
And the same goes for you, mama. If you pick up a new hobby, you need to let go of some old hobby stuff. We can’t just keep layering new interests and new phases on top of old ones without releasing what no longer serves us.
Final Thoughts: Your One Next Step
So here’s what I want you to take away from today: the 50% Method isn’t about perfection. It’s about progress. It’s a mindset shift that helps you see your space, and your stuff, with fresh eyes.
Start small. Pick one simple category this week: kitchen towels, food storage containers, or shoes. Count them. Pick your favorites. Release the rest. And then notice: does your space feel lighter? Does your brain feel clearer?
That’s the power of this method. And that’s how you create simplicity that sticks.
Ready to Take the Next Step?
If you’re ready for more guided support, grab my free Homeschool Simplicity Staples guide. It’s got my go-to tools to calm the chaos and make your space work for you, not against you.
Let’s declutter your home, organize your space, and simplify your schedule, starting today. Because your homeschool deserves more peace, and so do you.
