Hey there, welcome back to Life Organized! Today we’re tackling something that’s been making the rounds on social media—doom piles.

Now, if you’re like me and don’t always keep up with the latest trends, let me fill you in. Doom piles are just a trendy way to describe those random stacks of clutter that seem to appear out of nowhere. You know the ones—old receipts, broken gadgets, loose change, flyers you meant to read but never did. Sound familiar?

But here’s the big question: Why do we let this happen? We’re responsible adults. We know how to be successful. So why do these piles keep showing up? And more importantly—how do we get rid of them for good?

Why Doom Piles Are a Problem

Doom piles don’t just take up physical space—they take up mental space too. Every time you see them, your brain has to work to ignore them. And that takes energy—energy that could be spent on things that actually matter.

That’s why I always say: External clutter creates internal clutter.

The good news? Once we understand why clutter happens, we can stop it before it starts. And it all comes down to one simple truth:

Clutter = Delayed Decisions

Think about it. Most of the time, clutter exists because we put off making a decision. “I’ll deal with this later,” we tell ourselves. But later usually turns into never.

So instead of letting things pile up, let’s take quick action. Here are a few simple strategies to stop doom piles in their tracks:

     1. Make Quick Decisions

When something lands in your space, ask yourself:
– Does this have a home?
– Do I really need it?
– Will I actually use it?

If you can answer those questions right away, you’ll prevent a lot of clutter before it even starts.

     2. Use the “Touch It Once” Rule
Instead of setting something down “just for now,” deal with it immediately. If it takes less than a minute to put it away, do it.

     3. Never Leave a Room Empty-Handed
Every time you move from one space to another, grab something that doesn’t belong and take it with you. It’s a small habit that makes a huge difference.

     4. Create a Temporary Home
Let’s be real—sometimes, you just don’t have time to put things away the second they show up. That’s why I recommend setting up a temporary home in your home base (which we talked about in Episode 2).

This isn’t a doom pile—it’s an intentional space where things can land temporarily until you have time to put them away at the end of the day.

     5. Use a Habit Hook
You’ve heard me talk about habit hooks before (I use them all the time!). A habit hook is when you attach a new habit to something you’re already doing.

For example, you could:
– Put things away right after dinner
– Do a quick reset after family prayer
– Assign a different child to help each night

You’ll know how often to clear your temporary home based on how quickly it fills up. If it’s overflowing by noon, you might need to do this twice a day instead of once.

What If There’s No Home for Something?

This is a common question—what if you want to put something away, but there’s no real place for it?

If that’s the case, it might be time to create a real home for it. We’ll be talking about this more in next week’s episode with Jen Martin from Reset Your Nest, so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, create a temporary home in the room where the item belongs. It’s not perfect, but it’s better than letting it clutter up your main living space.

What About Kids’ Clutter?

Ah, kids. They’re experts at leaving their stuff everywhere, right? The key here is your attitude. If you make it a power struggle, it’s going to be an uphill battle. But if you model good habits and involve them in the process, they’ll start picking up on the routine.

Your Action Step for Today:

Let’s put this into practice!

1. Create a temporary home in your home base for things that don’t have a place yet.
2. Start making quick decisions—ask yourself if something has a home, if you really want it, or if it’s time to let it go.
3. Set up a habit hook to make sure your temporary home gets emptied regularly.

And I’d love to see how you’re making this work! Tag me on Instagram or Facebook (@JLthehappygal) and share your progress.

Want to Go Deeper? Join Clutter Busters!

If you’re ready to tackle even more clutter, check out Clutter Busters! It’s a FREE 3-day decluttering program where we focus on key areas of your home. It’s quick, fun, and super effective—link is in the show notes!

Thanks for hanging out with me today. Remember, when life feels overwhelming, The Happy Gal Way is here to help you get organized so you can focus on what really matters. See you next time!