Maybe start from a trim and if you still find it messy then shave it all off? Personally I'm not a big fan of shaving it all off because of the itch that follows when the hair grows back. If you want an almost shaved-like look you could always opt for a close trim.
And please don't trim with a pair of scissors. That doesn't really work out well. Get yourself a decent trimmer/shaver if you don't already own one.