How To Declutter Your Home: 5 Tips To Make it Easy
As the new year begins, many of us are dealing with the aftermath of the holiday season – a cluttered house overflowing with new items from Christmas. Finding space for these new belongings may seem impossible, and you may be looking for ways to declutter your home to make room. If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by the clutter in your home, you’re not alone. According to PR Newswire, 54% of Americans are overwhelmed by the amount of clutter they have, and 78% have no idea what to do about it.
In this post, we’ll guide you through 5 easy decluttering tips for tackling your clutter to make it more manageable, even for the super-busy. The 20-day declutter challenge is a strategic plan to revitalize your spaces without exhausting your time. It’s time to bid farewell to chaos and embrace the feeling of a decluttered home – one small area at a time. Roll up your sleeves, print out your free 2024 Declutter Checklist, and dive right in!
Declutter Meaning
Decluttering extends far beyond just tidying up or organizing, it’s a transformative practice that redefines the relationship between you and your space. At its core, decluttering embodies the intentional act of simplifying and streamlining your surroundings by letting go of excess items that no longer serve you or bring value to your life.
Beyond the physical act of removing clutter, decluttering is a mindful process that encourages a shift in perspective. It’s about consciously evaluating belongings, identifying what truly matters, and creating a harmonious environment that fosters peace and productivity.
When you declutter your home, you aren’t just clearing physical space, you’re freeing mental space as well. It’s an opportunity to liberate yourself from the burden of unnecessary possessions, allowing you to focus on what brings joy, purpose, and functionality to your life.
5 Decluttering Tips To Make It Easy
When seeking to declutter your house, implementing these practical, yet effective tips can make the process simpler for you.
Start Small and Specific
Overwhelm often creeps in when faced with how to declutter your home. Begin with a specific area, like a drawer or bookshelf, rather than tackling an entire room at once. This approach not only makes the task more manageable but also provides a sense of accomplishment, spurring motivation to continue.
Set Time Limits When Decluttering the House
Time is precious, you’re busy and have little time for yourself, let alone for a decluttering project. Allocate 15-30 minutes each day for decluttering tasks. Setting a timer creates a sense of urgency, helping you stay focused and avoid spending too much time on one area. It’s surprising how much can be achieved in a dedicated half-hour session.
Check out this large display timer on Amazon that I use.
Sort Items Into Categories
Designate three categories, keep, donate/sell, and discard. This method simplifies decision-making as you evaluate each item. Ask yourself if it’s genuinely necessary, if it brings joy or serves a purpose. Items that no longer hold significance can find a new home through donation or recycling.
And, it’s absolutely okay to part ways with that gift your great aunt gave you over a decade ago, even if it holds sentimental value. While the thought and love behind the gift are cherished, keeping an item unused for years doesn’t diminish the gratitude felt. Passing it along through donation or regifting can give it a new purpose and meaning, benefiting someone else. Remember, honoring the memory and sentiment attached to the gift doesn’t necessarily mean holding onto the object indefinitely, sometimes the act of letting go can carry its own sense of appreciation and gratitude.
Involve the Family To Help Clean Up
Decluttering your home can be a team effort. Enlist the help of family members. Older kids and teens can make take on their own closets and dressers to make decisions on what can be kept and what can be removed. This not only lightens your load, but also teaches valuable lessons about organization and responsibility.
Commit To a Declutter Challenge
Engaging in a declutter challenge, such as the 20-Days To Declutter challenge outlined in this article, can be a game-changer. Committing to a challenge not only offers a structured roadmap but also provides a supportive community, essential for staying motivated and on track. Grab a few friends and invite them to join you. Joining a challenge with your friends introduces accountability, as you’re not alone in your decluttering journey.
By implementing these declutter tips, decluttering becomes a more approachable and less daunting task, allowing even those with busy schedules to transform their spaces while juggling your everyday responsibilities.
20-Day Declutter Challenge
Welcome to 20 Days To Declutter with The Daily DIY! This transformative journey is designed to revamp your spaces in manageable 15-minute daily tasks. This decluttering challenge isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress. Each day you’ll focus on a specific area to help declutter your home, investing just 15 minutes. Remember, if the timer buzzes and you’re not finished, that’s perfectly fine. You’ve made strides toward your goal, and that’s something to applaud. However, if you’re eager to continue after the 15 minutes, feel free to do so. The key is to embrace the process and celebrate every step forward.
Daily Checklist To Declutter Your Home
Be sure to download the free printable pdf 2024 declutter checklist so you can mark off each day as you go along this journey to declutter your home. Here’s a breakdown of the 20 daily tasks included in this challenge to guide you through decluttering your house:
Day 1: Clothing In Closets
Sort through clothing items, identify what to keep, donate, or discard. When figuring out how to declutter clothes, a general rule of thumb is that if you haven’t worn it in a year, or it no longer fits, then it’s time to get rid of it.
Day 2: Clothing In Dressers
Apply the same method to clothing stored in dressers, cabinets, or drawers.
Day 3: Accessories & Jewelry
Organize accessories, jewelry, scarves, etc., and declutter as needed.
Day 4: Belts & Purses
Evaluate and organize belts, purses, or bags.
Day 5: Shoes & Hats
Tidy up shoe storage and hats, deciding on items to keep, toss or donate.
Day 6: Nightstands
Declutter nightstand drawers, shelves, and surfaces.
Day 7: Kitchen Pantry
Organize and declutter pantry shelves, tossing expired items. If you have food items that are still good but you won’t be using them anytime soon, consider donating them to the local food pantry.
Day 8: Fridge & Freezer
Go through your entire refrigerator and freezer, including the garage fridge and deep freeze. Check for expired food and organize shelves.
Day 9: Upper Kitchen Cabinets
Sort through and reorganize upper kitchen cabinets.
Related Post: 10 Awesome Organizing Finds For Your Home
Day 10: Lower Kitchen Cabinets & Drawers
Apply the same method to lower cabinets and drawers. Don’t forget wet bars, dining buffets, and coffee nooks.
Day 11: Coat Closet
Tidy up coats, shoes, mittens, scarves, and other accessories stored in the coat closet.
Related Post: Best Way To Organize Your Coat Closet
Day 12: Linen Closet
Organize towels, sheets, and other linens.
Day 13: Media & Cables
Sort through media storage like movies and music, and go through that box of cables you keep adding to every year.
Day 14: Desk
Declutter and organize your desk area, drawers, and paperwork.
Day 15: Bookshelves
Tidy up and declutter books or decorative items on shelves. Be sure to do any wall shelves too.
Day 16: Kids Toys
Involve the kids in sorting toys, donating or discarding unused and broken items.
Day 17: Pet Supplies
Organize and declutter pet supplies and toys. Discard expired medications, food, and/or treats and toss broken toys.
Day 18: Bathroom Cabinets & Drawers
Sort through and organize bathroom essentials. Don’t forget the medicine cabinet.
Day 19: Makeup
Evaluate and declutter makeup and skincare products. Toss any that are expired, broken, or empty.
Day 20: Hobby & Crafts
Organize hobby materials and craft supplies. Discard unused items.
Remember, this challenge is about progress, not perfection. If you don’t finish the daily task in 15 minutes, celebrate the progress made and continue if you have more time, or move on to the next task the following day. The goal is to declutter your home to create a more organized and peaceful living space, one small step at a time. Feel free to download the printable PDF 2024 Declutter Checklist (there’s even a digital copy too if you prefer) to track your journey through the 20-day challenge, and send this article link to a friend to join in on the fun!
More more information on organizing your home, check out Organize Like a Pro With 4 Simple Steps.
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