Try 'Pile Cleaning' When Your Mess Is Overwhelming

There are all kinds of cleaning and decluttering methods out there and each is suited for a different kind of person or mess. But what do you do when a mess is truly overwhelming? How do you even know where to begin, regardless of what technique you're using or what you're trying to do? That answer will likely be different for everyone, but I am a big fan of this approach I found on TikTok called the "pile method."

What is the pile method?

This idea comes from Sharon.a.life, a TikTok user who vlogs about motherhood, cleaning, and mental health. She recommends her pile method for anyone who feels overwhelmed, but has to tackle a "total disaster" of a room or home.

To start, you simply pick up everything and toss it into a big pile. That's it. You can use a basket to gather things up and dump them into the pile, or just toss them one by one into the center of the room, but make sure you get it all. If something is out of place, if it's in your way, or if you just want to overhaul everything, toss it all in. At first, it's going to look even worse: It is, after all, a massive pile of stuff. But similar to the feeling you get when you take before-and-after photos of a big project, you're going to be motivated by the visual of the ever-shrinking pile. As it gets smaller and smaller, you'll feel more accomplished and keep going. This differs from other methods, like the ski-slope technique, because it doesn't require you to keep zipping around your room. Once you make the pile, you work right there in the middle.

How to use the pile method

Obviously, you start with your big pile. From there, you'll start making smaller ones. (It's a good idea to pick up some storage baskets for this, so you can bring each basket with you into its corresponding room when you're ready to put things away.) The piles should each represent a room or focus area, so consider one for kitchen items, one for each kid's room, one for laundry, etc. Don't forget a trash pile and a pile for donating or selling, too, if you have anything in those categories.

As you sort, you'll see your giant pile shrinking, which will help you feel less overwhelmed. Once you've made your smaller piles in the baskets, take each basket to the room where its contents belong and put everything away. Here is where you'll call on some organizational techniques, making sure everything has a designated place and you're storing similar items together.

Even though it starts out with a big mess in the middle of the room, this technique is ultimately much less overwhelming than trying to go around the room and pick up items, bring them to their proper place, and return to the scene of the crime over and over again.