Bobby Berk Gives His Best Advice For Decluttering And Organizing In The New Year

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In a recent Instagram post from HGTV, democratizing designer Bobby Berk of "Junk or Jackpot?" and "Queer Eye" fame offered viewers a simple but surprisingly effective piece of advice when it comes to decluttering and organizing in the new year: start small. The new year often brings a renewed sense of inspiration to finally get your home in shape once and for all. But whether it's decluttering your workshop or organizing your small kitchen, according to Berk, your boundless initial enthusiasm is likely to wear off quickly if you start with a major project. It's happened to all of us, including the HGTV star himself. "We will often say, 'I'm gonna organize the garage.' And it's too much. And you start, and you get through one shelf, and you're overwhelmed, and you give up, and it kinda, like, takes the wind out of your sail, and you don't, sometimes, go back to finish it," Berk explained on Instagram. 

Neuroscience and psychology research suggests that organizing and decluttering benefits mental health, particularly as persistent clutter has been linked to increased stress, anxiety, emotional dysregulation, and even disrupted sleep. Doctors and mental health experts agree that starting small is the best way to reach even your most ambitious decluttering and organization goals. That's why Berk's advice, albeit simple, carries serious weight. Completing a modest, manageable task gives your brain a sense of progress and control that builds momentum instead of reinforcing those pesky feelings of overwhelm and frustration that can cause so many decluttering efforts to quickly stall out.

Bobby Berk went on to offer a practical suggestion to HGTV fans, highlighting a spot most of us struggle with year after year. "Start with your junk drawer. Start with something small. You get those endorphins ... that sense of accomplishment when you have cleaned out that teeny, tiny little drawer," he explained. It doesn't take long to conquer the dreaded junk drawer once and for all. Start by emptying it completely before giving it a good scrub down with your favorite cleaner. Unless those random bread ties and weirdly sticky rubber bands are truly making you feel joy, throw them out. 

Consider investing in a set of adjustable trays — such as the SMARTAKE 13-Piece Clear Drawer Organizers from Amazon — to hold your must-have junk drawer items, like a sharp pair of scissors, a lighter or matches, and a few (working!) pens. Lining the drawer with a pretty paper may help you stay motivated to keep it organized as the temptation to chuck those half-burnt birthday candles or mystery tangle of cords in it returns down the road. This one small win can be all it takes to turn a new year goal into a lasting routine where you declutter your home every week.

Soon, you'll be riding high on the sense of accomplishment from successfully decluttering and organizing a small space. According to Berk, "That catapults you to a closet or a bookcase, and then, you can really tackle the large ones. But don't, don't start out with a really big project because you're not gonna have enough time to finish it, you're gonna get discouraged, and it's sometimes gonna prevent you from really tackling other things."