oudl I'm a bit nervous about this post because I think what I have to say might be a little controversial, LOL!  So much of the popular decluttering advice says to do it a little at a time, 15 minutes a day, one thing a day, etc., to avoid overwhelm.

I have to be honest– this is NOT how I do it most of the time!  I would say this works for maybe 70% of people, but for the other 30% of us, it is just not going to go well!  Whether the slow method will actually work for you depends a lot on your personality type.  I even created a quiz here to help you figure out your decluttering personality. If you want to know why the slow and steady declutter is not my cup of tea, keep reading, or check out the video here.

I'll first talk about why the all-at-once method tends to work better for me, and then to be fair, I'll talk about some of the flaws in that method so you can decide which is right for you!

Benefits to Faster Decluttering:

Faster Results

If I spend three hours a day for a week decluttering, thats 21 hours.  If I spent the same amount of time in 15 minute daily chunks, it would take me 84 days (or about three months!) to declutter for the same amount of time.  That's a loooong time, LOL!  I just don't think I could keep going that long without seeing immediate progress in my home.  I'm just too impatient for results, and I know I would get distracted and move on to other goals if I felt like my efforts weren't making a difference.

It's Necessary Sometimes

Even if you prefer the slow and steady approach, sometimes you just don't have a choice.  Maybe your home is a disaster zone, and you have company coming over, or your hosting a major event.  There could be mental health issues at stake, or what if you're moving?  That can happen with about 30-60 days notice, or even less!

It's More Motivating

It's really hard for me to stick with something for a long time without any noticeable progress.  I was cleaning out my craft room the other day, for example.  If I had worked for just 15 minutes a day, it would have taken me weeks to see a difference.  I would have walked in day after day with it looking relatively the same.  I know myself.  Giving up would have happened around 5 days in!!

It Lets You Capitalize on Positive Momentum

In the first 15 minutes, I'm really just getting started.  For me, getting started and that first 15 minutes are the hardest!  But once I'm going, I get into the project and just want to do more.  I might as well take advantage of my desire to keep going!  I'm more productive when I'm really engaged with the task, and this always happens for me about 15 minutes in.  That's the last time I should be stopping– I'm at my most productive!

It Takes Less Time Overall

A lot of time gets eaten up in the starting/stopping of a task.  If you're only spending 15 minutes on something, you might use 5 minutes getting started, and then you really only get 10 minutes of productive declutter time.  You're also afraid to pull out too much or dig too deep into something because you only have 15 minutes.  You're much more efficient (usually) if you can reduce the number of starts and stops.

I Enjoy it More

This is definitely personality dependent.  However, I always enjoy the big projects.  I get excited about accomplishing something big.  The prospect of seeing a huge change is so exciting for me, so it's easy for me to want to jump in with both feet!

The Flaws in the All-At-Once Method

Despite the fact that it works so much better for me, there are some negatives to this method.  It's only fair to talk about those as well:

1.  It can create bigger messes.

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If you pull out a ton of stuff and don't have enough time to put it back, this can definitely create stress.  Be realistic about your chunk of time.  Only pull out what you can put back in the time you have.  Also consider where the “mess” will be.  If I do this in the storage room and have to leave it for a few days, no one will really notice.  But if I do this in the kitchen, it will drive my family crazy, LOL!  So I'm much more careful with heavily used or shared spaces.

2.  It can be too overwhelming.

Does the prospect of a huge project make you not even want to start?  It energizes me, but if it overwhelms you, this is not the right approach.  If the promise of 15 minutes a day is something you can manage, but 1+ hours makes you not even start, then a little is always better than nothing!

3.  Maybe you're more productive in 15 minute chunks.

How do things actually play out for you?  I'm more productive after the first 15 minutes because I get energized by the project.  But some people are more productive in the first part of the work.  If that's you, then you would be better off in smaller “sprints” than in longer, “marathon” sessions.  Do you slow as you get tired when time goes on?

4.  Slower methods help you build lasting habits.

If you actually do stick with a daily habit for three months or longer, then you really have built it into your routine, and it's likely a habit that will stick with you.  A lifetime of habitual decluttering will get you a LOT farther than several intense projects a year.  If you declutter super fast, all at one time, you haven't really built any habits; you've just completed a project.

5.  Limits may prevent you from doing it all at once.

• Physical– you may not be able to handle longs sessions.  This was me recently.  I didn't know when my pain was going to flare up, or if I was going to have a good or a bad day.  It was so unpredictable that I couldn't commit to a long project or pull a lot out because I didn't know if I'd be physically able to put it back.
• Lifestyle– are you in a crazy busy season of life?  Are you traveling a lot and not home?  Are your work hours flexible or not?  You may not have three hour chunks of time during the day, or you're already exhausted by the time you get home from work.

If you don't already know which method would work best for your personality, be sure to take my quiz here to find out!  Even if you know which method is best for you, sometimes we may have to use the other method instead.

Even though I'm an all-at-once person, I had to go slower and do smaller chunks when I was so ill the last few years.  If you're a slow and steady type, you may be moving or have an event coming where you just have to get things done ASAP!  It's still doable, but recognizing that it goes against your natural inclination can help a lot!  I wish I had a scientific way to figure out what percentage of people were better off slow and steady or all-at-once…let me know which type you are in the comments!