For many families, clutter isn’t just an eyesore — it’s a constant source of stress. Piles of laundry, scattered toys and overstuffed storage spaces create a mental burden that makes it difficult to relax at home. Melissa Welch, a professional home organizer and founder of Happy Home Decluttering and Organization in Omaha, has built her practice around a simple premise: an organized home leads to a calmer mind and a happier family.
In an episode of Omaha Mom Talks, Welch shared the decluttering strategies that have helped countless families reduce stress and create more functional living spaces. Her approach combines practical organization techniques with an understanding of the emotional barriers that keep people surrounded by things they don’t need.
Why Clutter Creates Mental Overload
The Connection Between Physical Clutter and Anxiety
The relationship between clutter and mental health is more significant than many people realize. Welch explains that visual clutter contributes to overstimulation, making it harder to focus and be present with family. The constant background noise of disorganization takes up mental bandwidth that could be used for more meaningful activities.
Research supports this observation. Studies have shown that cluttered environments can increase cortisol levels and make it more difficult for the brain to process information. For parents already managing multiple responsibilities, this additional cognitive load can push stress levels from manageable to overwhelming.
How Disorganized Spaces Affect Children’s Behavior
The impact extends beyond adults. Welch has observed that children surrounded by too many toys and chaotic spaces are more prone to tantrums and frustration. Parents in cluttered homes tend to be quicker to snap at their kids, creating a cycle of stress that affects the entire household.
When children have access to too many options, they often struggle with decision-making and become overstimulated. A more curated environment with designated spaces for toys and belongings can help children develop better focus and learn responsibility for their possessions.
Minimalism for Families: What Actually Matters
What New Parents Really Need (and What They Don’t)
Welch discovered minimalism about a decade ago, and it transformed her approach to organization. She emphasizes that minimalism isn’t about living in an empty home — it’s about keeping what adds value and letting go of distractions.
“Babies really don’t need a lot,” Welch explains. “Focus on the essentials first and add as needed.”
This philosophy is particularly relevant for new parents, who are often bombarded with marketing messages disguised as essential advice. The pressure to purchase every new baby product creates unnecessary clutter and financial strain before a child even arrives.
Making Intentional Choices About What You Keep
The minimalist approach encourages families to make conscious decisions about what they bring into their homes rather than accumulating items based on trends or societal pressure. This shift in mindset can prevent clutter from building up in the first place.
Welch suggests asking three questions about any item before keeping it: When was the last time I used this? Would I buy it again today? Is it worth taking up space in my home? If the answer to any of these is no, it’s likely time to let the item go.
Where to Start When Everything Feels Overwhelming
The Quick-Win Approach: Start with Easy Wins
One of the most common questions Welch receives is “Where do I start?” Her answer: build momentum with easy wins. She recommends grabbing a trash bag and walking through the house, filling it with items you know you don’t need — expired products, broken toys, old papers and obvious trash.
This approach creates immediate visible progress and helps break through the paralysis that often comes with large decluttering projects. The psychological boost of seeing results quickly can motivate people to tackle more challenging areas.
Tackling High-Stress Zones First
Another effective strategy is to identify the space that causes the most daily frustration — whether it’s kitchen counters, the laundry area or the kids’ playroom — and address it first. Decluttering a high-stress zone can have an immediate calming effect and make daily routines significantly smoother.
The key is choosing a starting point that will have the most noticeable impact on your daily life rather than trying to organize the entire house at once.
How to Declutter with Kids (Without the Drama)
Teaching Children About Space Limits
Rather than secretly removing toys while children are asleep, Welch advocates involving kids in the decluttering process. This approach teaches them valuable lessons about space limits and the importance of making choices about what they keep.
It also introduces the concept of donating toys to others who need them, helping children understand that unused items have more value when they’re being used by someone else. This lesson in generosity can reduce the anxiety some children feel about letting go of possessions.
Setting Up Systems That Work for Growing Families
Children outgrow clothes at a remarkable pace, making it essential to have a system for managing this constant turnover. Welch recommends keeping a designated bin in the child’s room or laundry area where outgrown items are immediately placed.
Decide upfront whether these items will be donated, stored for a younger sibling or passed on to a friend. Having this system in place prevents outgrown clothes from creating piles that linger for months.
Another key principle: give every item a specific home. Welch teaches clients to “put it away, not put it down.” When everything has a designated place, tidying up becomes faster and clutter is less likely to accumulate.
Breaking Through Emotional Decluttering Barriers
“What If I Need It Someday?”
The fear of future need is one of the most common reasons people hold onto items they don’t use. Welch acknowledges this concern but points out that the cost of storing something “just in case” often outweighs its potential future value.
Most items people worry about needing again can be borrowed, rented or repurchased if necessary. The mental freedom and physical space gained by letting go usually proves far more valuable than keeping things for hypothetical future scenarios.
Letting Go of Expensive Purchases and Gifts
Another emotional barrier is the sunk cost fallacy — keeping items because of what they cost, even when they no longer serve a purpose. Welch reminds people that holding onto something out of guilt doesn’t bring the money back. The purchase decision is in the past; the question now is whether the item adds value to your present life.
Similarly, many people struggle with gifts, feeling obligated to keep them regardless of whether they’re useful or meaningful. Welch encourages separating the gift from the giver. The item has already served its purpose by showing that someone cared. Keeping it out of obligation only clutters your home without honoring the relationship.
Managing Sentimental Items Without Guilt
Sentimental items — children’s artwork, baby clothes, inherited objects — present unique challenges. Welch suggests setting physical limits: keep one labeled storage bin per child for sentimental items. If it doesn’t fit in the bin, it’s time to reconsider whether it’s truly worth keeping.
This constraint forces thoughtful curation rather than indefinite accumulation. It also makes the kept items more special because they’ve been actively chosen rather than passively retained.
Sustainable Organizing: Less Buying, More Reusing
Why You Don’t Need More Storage Bins
The organizing industry often promotes the idea that clutter problems can be solved by purchasing more storage solutions. Welch challenges this assumption, advocating instead for reducing what you own before buying containers to hold it.
She suggests reusing containers from around the house, borrowing items when possible and repurposing what you already have. This approach is both more sustainable and more cost-effective than constantly purchasing new organizing products.
The Under-Consumption Mindset
Welch emphasizes sustainability in her organizing philosophy, encouraging clients to resist the constant pressure to upgrade their belongings. Small choices — like bringing a reusable cup to coffee shops — reflect a broader mindset shift away from disposable culture.
This under-consumption approach aligns with minimalism but goes further by questioning the environmental and financial impact of constant purchasing. It asks families to consider whether they truly need new items or whether marketing has convinced them they do.
Daily Habits That Keep Clutter from Coming Back
The 15-Minute Evening Reset
Decluttering creates space, but daily habits maintain it. Welch recommends an after-dinner reset: 10 to 15 minutes when the entire family puts away toys, dishes and items that belong in different rooms.
This brief daily practice prevents small messes from accumulating into overwhelming clutter. It also teaches children that maintaining order is a shared family responsibility rather than a task that falls solely on parents.
Creating a Home for Everything
The most effective organizing principle is simple: everything needs a designated place. When family members know where items belong, returning them becomes automatic rather than a decision that requires thought.
Labeling storage areas makes this even easier, particularly for children who are learning to help maintain household organization. Clear systems reduce the mental load of managing a household and make it possible for everyone to contribute.
Welch also emphasizes being intentional about what comes into the home in the first place. Resisting impulse purchases and carefully considering new items before bringing them home prevents clutter from reforming after the hard work of decluttering is done.
A Message to Parents: Decluttering Is Not Your Fault
One of Welch’s most important messages is that clutter is not a personal failure. No one teaches us how to manage the sheer volume of possessions that modern life encourages us to accumulate. Between advertising, societal expectations and the demands of parenting, it’s no wonder that clutter builds up.
Instead of feeling shame or embarrassment about a cluttered home, Welch encourages parents to view decluttering as an opportunity to reclaim their space and mental energy. The goal isn’t perfection — it’s creating a home that supports well-being rather than adding to daily stress.
For families in Omaha looking for personalized support, Welch offers in-person organizing services and virtual consultations for those outside the area. She works alongside clients to develop sustainable systems and personally handles donation drop-offs so items don’t linger in the home.
By starting small, letting go of guilt and embracing habits that maintain order, families can transform their homes into spaces that reduce stress rather than create it. The result is more time, more peace and more capacity to focus on what truly matters.
This article is based on an interview from the Omaha Mom Talks podcast. Omaha Mom Talks creates connection for moms in Omaha, Nebraska through conversations about motherhood, mental health and local community.
