Feeling stressed out after decluttering? The STOP method will help you restore emotional calm in 4 simple steps

We have all been there – you finish a big decluttering session and are left feeling on edge, stressed, and overwhelmed. That’s where the STOP method can come in to save the day.

This simple four-step approach, created by career expert Dan Bruce, was originally designed to stop work stress from infiltrating your downtime, but it works wonders for disconnecting from tricky household tasks, too.

Here, professional home organizers explain what the STOP method is and how to use this unique approach to unwind after tough decluttering methods.

What is the STOP method?

The STOP method stands for:

• Shut down ritual
• Track your wins
• Offload mentally
• Plug into the present

When used at the end of a decluttering session, especially after decluttering ruthlessly, Lisa Cantu, professional home organizer and owner of An Organized Home OC, says it can help to manage the mental and emotional fatigue that often comes along with it, ‘ensuring you feel refreshed and motivated to declutter the next time, rather than completely burnt out.’

Used correctly, this wind-down tactic can help you to avoid decluttering resentment in the future, too.

1. Shut down rituals

The shut-down ritual is the first thing you do when the final basket is tucked away, or the last of the ‘to-go’ pile has been neatly stacked by the front door, ready to be loaded into the car. It separates decluttering from your downtime to make your home more relaxing after a period of heightened stress.

Lisa explains, ‘This step is about creating a deliberate transition from the work of decluttering to a period of rest. Just like you would close your laptop at the end of the workday, a shutdown ritual signals to your brain that the decluttering is over for now.’

She suggests that this could be as simple as putting everything away in their proper homes, like a closing shift routine, taking a shower and changing into more comfortable clothes, or lighting a candle (we suggest the P.F. Candle Do. candles, from Amazon, as they are made with 100% soy wax) and playing relaxing music or a TV show.

To make the clean up easier, have some heavy-duty trash bags from Walmart to hand to quickly bag up and categorize items that need to be removed from your home to avoid messy piles. Some woven water hyacinth baskets from Target can also help to corral items you have yet to make a decision on without them looking out of place.

2. Track your wins

One of the most valuable decluttering lessons I have learned is that any progress should be classed as a ‘win’. Tracking these wins at the end of a tough chore is a fantastic way to set yourself up for a successful decluttering session in the future, helping you to feel more confident and motivated.

Lisa agrees, saying that this is a ‘crucial step for motivation and self-care. Decluttering can feel like an endless task, and it's easy to get bogged down by what's left to do. Tracking your wins helps you celebrate your progress and acknowledge the hard work you've put in.

‘You can do this by taking and comparing a "before" and "after" photo, making a list of all the bags of donations or trash you've removed, writing down the specific areas you've completely transformed, or simply sitting in your newly cleared space and enjoying the feeling of calm.’

Creating a ‘ta-da list’ or using a beautiful gratitude journal from Etsy can also be a great way to track your progress.

3. Offload mentally

If you have been struggling with decision fatigue throughout the decluttering process, this next step is vital.

Lisa explains, ‘The mental burden of decluttering can be as heavy as the physical one. You've made countless decisions and faced difficult memories. "Offloading mentally" means releasing those lingering thoughts and worries.’

How you do this will vary from person to person, although Lisa suggests getting your thoughts out of your head and onto paper through journaling about your feelings and the decisions you made, or making a to-do list for the next session to reduce mental load in the present.

The idea is to ‘give yourself permission to let go of any guilt or indecision about things you got rid of,’ Lisa says. Talking to a friend or family member about your experience can also help with this, she adds.

4. Plug into the present

The final step is to reconnect with your downtime, shutting off from your to-do list entirely.

For this step, Lisa urges you to change tasks to something unrelated to decluttering, cleaning, or tidying. ‘This is about mindfully experiencing your newly decluttered space and the feeling of accomplishment,’ she says.

For this, Lisa says, ‘Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee in your clean space, read a book or listen to music without distractions. Do a calming activity, like a simple meditation or deep breathing exercise, and actively notice how the lack of clutter makes you feel more relaxed and at ease.’

Before you start, consider preparing your home for a self-care evening by dimming lights (using the Phillips Hue Smart Bulbs, from Best Buy, makes setting the right mood quick and easy) and getting comfortable to truly shut down and break the stress cycle.

What to shop

FAQs

Why do I feel worse after decluttering?

Some people can feel worse in the moments after decluttering, rather than relieved. This is often because the task involves lots of decisions, usually in a very short amount of time, putting strain on your brain. On top of this, decluttering is a very physical task, meaning it is easy to feel completely drained by the time you’re finished.

Using adaptive pacing when decluttering if you suffer from chronic pain or fatigue will help reduce the physical impact.

Using shutdown rituals and blocking out time to rest and recharge after decluttering can help to mitigate these effects and prevent hatred of the task in the future.

Meet the experts

Lisa Cantu

Lisa Cantu is a certified professional organizer and the founder of An Organized Home OC. She now oversees a team of organizers who help clients across Orange County downsize their homes and develop a custom plan to keep their spaces in order.

Sometimes, you can stop stress before it has the chance to build. Slowing down and making your chores more mindful, whether working bit by bit or with a friend or family member, can help you to declutter your home when you feel overwhelmed.