One of the hardest parts of decluttering is deciding when and where to start. Enter the 30-day declutter challenge, where we’ll have you decluttering (at least a little bit) every space in your home. Who’s ready to get a jump start on decluttering and tackle it once and for all?! Well, not really, because clutter tends to multiply, so it’s a persistent battle. But anyway, let’s kick off this declutter challenge, shall we?!
I feel like I’ve been slowly decluttering for months, if not years. I see the progress I’m making, but it’s slow, and I’m ready to step it up a notch. We simply have too much stuff. Enter the 30-day declutter challenge, stage right. Instead of decluttering just a little bit here or there, this method is structured so you see big progress fast. Because progress is motivating, and decluttered homes feel like peace.
Personally, I’m tackling this challenge in May, aiming to complete it before the kids are out of school for summer vacation. I know how crazy summer vacation feels, and if the home is decluttered and more peaceful before it begins, the better I foresee our summer going.
Declutter Challenge Ground Rules
Before we dive into the challenge headfirst, here are a few ground rules. These parameters will help you succeed in your challenge to achieve a clutter-free home (or mostly clutter-free) by the end of the month.
Physically Remove The Items From Your Home Every Day
We do not want items piled up awaiting a trip to the thrift store. If it’s still in the house, even if it’s in a box or a bag, it is still clutter. After you complete your daily declutter challenge task of the day, physically remove the items from your home. Take the trash out and take items in good condition to the thrift store or charity shop. If you can’t make it to the trip, at least put them in the trunk of your car and schedule a donation day-trip.
Set A Time Limit
This challenge isn’t meant to be super time-consuming. It’s designed to get you decluttering the maximum amount of items from your home as quickly as possible. None of us wants to devote a lot of time to tasks like these when we could be reading in the hammock with a glass of lemonade. Give yourself a time limit for every single task. This not only helps you schedule the task, but it also makes it seem less daunting. Decluttering can get overwhelming quickly (here are tips for that); make it less so by setting a time limit.
I highly suggest a 20-minute time limit for each of these tasks. There may be a category here or there that you know is a big problem area. If so, maybe set it for a little longer. Just don’t leave time open-ended. Set a specific start and end time.
Don’t Rely On Other Family Members
This is your challenge, not your kids or your husbands. Treat it as such. If other family members want to help and join in, great! Let them join in. Besides, one of the best ways to get children into decluttering is for them to see you doing it.
Dealing with kids’ things is a little tricky and a decluttering gray area. Try to involve them in decluttering the kid stuff, but also know you gotta do what you gotta do. No need to keep those old pajamas that are too small just because kids are attached to them.
The 30-Day Declutter Challenge Checklist
Now let’s go through the daily tasks, tackling one specific area each day. The goal is to get rid of any unnecessary items in that day’s space as quickly as possible. We’re striving for progress, not perfection. Don’t worry about organizing or rearranging, and keep your eye on the prize…decluttering! Some of these steps seem so small, and that’s on purpose. Build some momentum for larger steps later. Plus, little steps add up to a big difference over time. Let’s go!
And don’t forget to scroll down to the bottom of this post for the 30-day declutter challenge PDF checklist. Print it out and keep it somewhere you’ll see it.
Day One: Trash Sweep
Think decluttering meets Supermarket Sweep. Grab a trash bag and a timer, and go! Go room by room and try to get as much obvious trash out of your house as possible. Don’t worry about perfectly sorting through all the pantry items. We’ll get to that later. For now, just remove all the trash you can find. Canvas the bedrooms and bathrooms, sweep through the kitchen, and whisk through the other main living areas. Anything that’s obvious trash goes. Gone is the broken lamp that you haven’t fixed in seven years, along with the three boxes of cereal that everyone hates.
Day Two: Junk Drawer
Today, we’re tackling the junk drawer, or the messiest drawer in the house. Ours is in my husband’s office. Everyone has them, and the first step for you might be admitting it. First, take out the trash, like pens that don’t work, broken clothespins, and non-working batteries. Then take out anything you don’t need and add it to the donation pile. Do you really need six flashlights in this drawer? Nope.
Day Three: Refrigerator
It’s amazing how good it feels to clean out the refrigerator and how it makes everyday life so much easier. Haul the kitchen trash bin close by and go to town. Toss anything expired, any condiments you don’t love, and the fruit turned science experiment from the way back corner. If you have time after you finish, give the shelves or drawers a wipe down.
Day Four: Bathroom Cabinets
Let’s clear out the bathroom cabinets. And by bathroom cabinets, I’m talking about the towel storage, toiletries, beauty products, medicine cabinets, drawers, etc. Basically, anything and everything that’s stored in your bathroom. Trash anything that’s expired or you don’t love, and donate anything you don’t use. If you have multiple bathrooms, start with the most cluttered first and work your way through the others.
Day Five: Linen Closet
Before you begin, decide just how many extra sheets, pillows, and blankets you need. It helps to make this decision before you’re in the middle of a linen closet cleanout. Toss items that are stained or full of holes, and donate anything that doesn’t fit your needs anymore.
Day Six: Spice Cabinet
The first place in the kitchen we’re going to tackle is the spice cabinet since it has a tendency to get unruly. Be honest with yourself, which spices do you use all the time, and which have been sitting unused for too long? Be ruthless in your decision-making and make cooking easier by paring down to your most-used spice cabinet essentials.
Day Seven: Kitchen Pantry
We’re ending the first week of decluttering with a big one, the kitchen pantry. Start by looking at all those expiration dates and tossing anything that’s no longer good. Anything that’s shelf stable but you don’t want anymore, box up to take to the local food pantry. And those half-eaten boxes of crackers or tortilla chips that have been sitting untouched for months? Toss them. This is the way. Now pat yourself on the back for making good progress during week one. And rest up because tomorrow is a doozy!
Day Eight: Kitchen Wares And Gadgets
Today we’re tackling the kitchen wares. All the small appliances, dishware, cookware, glasses, etc. We’re opening up all the kitchen drawers and cabinets and removing what no longer serves us. The sixteen extra water bottles in the cabinet, when you reach for the same two every time? Donate them. The overflowing crocks of spatulas and serving spoons sitting on your kitchen counters? Pare down. Don’t overthink it, keep what you use and pass on what you don’t.
Day Nine: Dining Room
Onto the dining room, which tends to house lesser-used, occasional items. Sort through your collection of fancy service ware, napkins, and table runners, etc. Keep your favorite and most used items and donate what no longer fits your needs or style.
Day Ten: Books And Media
When it comes to media, to each their own. Some of us own too many books (guilty), and others have old DVDs and VHS tapes. Pick your poison, and whichever category of media is out of control for you, work on decluttering it. This is a great time to remind you that many of these items we don’t need to own because we have access to them elsewhere. For example, we can borrow books from the library instead of owning them. Or watch a streaming service with our favorite vintage show, so we don’t need the DVD box sets. Here are some extra tips about decluttering books.
Day Eleven: Living Room
Today is living room time. Toss anything that’s worn past the point of no return, remove extra knick-knacks, and pare down the number of throws in the room. It’s also a great time to address the potted plants that have been killed by “the cat,” when in reality it was our lack of watering. Sweep what’s on the coffee table, side tables, and in any storage cabinets in the space. Keep moving through and decluttering the room, making sure to pass over each section.
Day Twelve: Laundry Room
Onto tackling the laundry room. Many laundry rooms hold more than just laundry cleaning items. Depending on the size, some house cleaning products and supplies, home goods items like lightbulbs, and more. Think about what you use the space for, only keep what makes sense in there for you and your family, and remove the rest.
Day Thirteen: Cleaning Closet And Supplies
And speaking of cleaning supplies, if you didn’t already tackle this with yesterday’s laundry room declutter, today’s the day. Toss any broken items (I see you broken duct-taped-together broom) and things you don’t use. Cleaning items can be pared way down. You don’t need a specific product for each cleaning task. Many multipurpose cleaners suffice. Get rid of anything you don’t use or don’t love, and see if you can combine any.
Day Fourteen: Entryway And Coat Closet
Another potential biggie is decluttering the entryway and coat closet (or wherever you store your coats, shoes, hats, mittens, etc.). Start by removing anything that no longer fits or anything you don’t use anymore, like the pile of mittens missing their mates. If you haven’t found them by now, toss them. Along with broken umbrellas, worn-out shoes, and anything else that’s worn beyond repair. Now, do you really need three winter coats? Be honest. Donate anything that no longer fits or serves you to the local charity shop.
Day Fifteen: Your Closet
You’ve made it to the halfway point. Congratulations! I’m so proud of you and all the work you’ve put in these last couple of weeks; it’s not easy. And neither is today’s task, cleaning out your closet. So pop on Eminem’s “Cleaning Out My Closet” and get to work. Toss the stained, ripped, and damaged items first. Then move on to donate anything you haven’t worn in the last year. I’m sure there are exceptions, but this is a great starting point to help you clear out alot of clothes quickly.
Day Sixteen: Kids’ Clothes
Onto the kids’ clothes. Go through every closet and drawer and pull out anything that doesn’t fit them anymore. Bonus points if you involve your children and have them pass items to you that they don’t love to wear. Be mindful of how many shirts, dresses, leggings, etc., they actually need. If your daughter has 17 dresses and doesn’t like dresses, you know the assignment. Reduce the number of items in their wardrobes to what they actually wear and love. It will make getting ready for school each morning so much easier.
Day Seventeen: Primary Bedroom
Since we already tackled decluttering your clothes closet, let’s finish your primary bedroom. Sort through the remainder of your bedroom closets, trunks, nightstands, etc. Find homes for things that don’t belong, especially on that bedside table. Anything you don’t need while in bed or winding down at night should not be there. Bedrooms tend to accumulate things that don’t belong, so start by moving those items out. Donate any decor or items you no longer love.
Day Eighteen: Games And Puzzles
Games and puzzles have a habit of multiplying and getting out of control, so today we’re going to rein them in. Start by tossing any games or puzzles you don’t play anymore because they’re missing important pieces. If you haven’t found them by now, you probably won’t. Then, realistically, look at what’s left. Which are your ride or dies? Which did you use once and are now done with? Box up anything you don’t want anymore to donate. And please don’t donate anything with missing pieces. That’s just mean.
Day Nineteen: Kids’ Toys
One of the top five hardest tasks on the list is decluttering the kids’ toys. Personally, it’s my least favorite task because it involves kids who want to keep everything. By this point, hopefully, your kids have noticed the work you’ve done, including the clearer spaces and more relaxed feel to other rooms in the home. Talk to them about this and encourage them to donate what they no longer love to play with. Incentives help, and so does talking about who will receive and love these items. Do your best, and even decluttering just a few kids’ toys can make a big difference. This is a great category to revisit decluttering often, since a big purge may be overwhelming for kids.
Day Twenty: Kids’ Rooms
With the first pass of kids’ toys decluttered, take a sweep through the kids’ rooms with them. If they have art hanging on the walls they don’t love, remove it to make room for something they love. Go through everything in their room and have them help declutter anything they don’t want. From books to craft supplies, blankets and pillows, stuffies, and more. Donate what you can and toss what you can’t.
Day Twenty-One: Important Documents And Papers
This might be the least fun category to declutter: all the paperwork. An easy start is the pile of junk mail, tossing as much as you can. Go through the other piles of papers and ruthlessly toss as much as you can. When it comes to the things you need to keep, like the dog’s rabies certificate or W-2s that came in the mail, digitize them so you no longer have to hold on to the physical copy. Sort through the filing cabinets, important papers in the safe, and all the random paper piles in the house. If you need to, make an inbox system for the bills and bank statements you’re currently working with.
Day Twenty-Two: Desks
With the paperwork decluttered, let’s move on to the rest of the desks. Are the items stored in your desk necessary? Do you really need 29 pens, of which only three you use regularly? Is there another place to store the pile of kids’ toys in need of repair? Or do you even need them at all? Go through everything in your desk(s) and keep in mind how you use it and what you actually need. Anything else needs to go.
Day Twenty-Three: Home Office
And now for the remainder of the home office, which may also include a guest room, as many home offices do (ours does…hello sleeper sofa). A home office can become a catch-all room, so be cognizant of that as you work. Sift through all the remaining storage areas, closets, shelves, etc., and remove what you can. Maybe you’ve collected a few too many rubber bands, and it’s time to donate the extras. Donate the stacks of fancy resume paper that no one uses anymore because everything is digital now. Sort through it all to reduce visual clutter as much as you can.
Day Twenty-Four: Hobby And Craft Supplies
Makers are gonna make, but they don’t always need all the bits and bobs collected in their hobby and craft supplies area. Be honest. What have you been holding onto for years and haven’t used yet? Let it go. Slowly work your way through your supplies, category by category, tossing anything unusable and donating what you don’t need anymore. There’s no need to keep that teaspoon’s worth of paint in the mostly dried-up bottle.
Day Twenty-Five: Hallways And Nooks
If you have cluttered hallways or random nooks in your home, today’s the day we’re addressing those areas. Maybe it’s a reading nook in a hallway or a storage closet under the staircase. Remember the purpose of those spaces and clear out anything that doesn’t belong.
Day Twenty-Six: Holiday Decorations
Oh, the holiday decorations. This step may be a breeze for some and more difficult for others. I happen to fall into the latter camp. What do you put out for holiday decor year after year and absolutely love? Those are your keepers. What are you, “meh,” about? That’s what you donate. Now’s also the time to toss broken light strands or moldy pumpkins. No one needs those. And those wreaths you’ve been saving for twelve years that you’ve never managed to hang on your exterior windows? Maybe it’s time to let those go.
Day Twenty-Seven: Attic
If your attic is half full of holiday decor (guilty), you’re halfway done with cleaning out the attic! Congratulations! Now let’s look at the rest of it. So much of attic clutter is unmade decisions. What to do with that old gaming system, grandma’s vintage dining chairs, or that movable clothes rack? Start working your way through the low-hanging fruit first. Toss those old college materials that are now outdated, donate the baby gear that belonged to your now 14-year old, and declutter as much as you can. Save the hardest things for the end if you have time. The mementos or family heirlooms. Those are harder to let go of, but if they’re not serving you, it may be time to find a new home for them.
Day Twenty-Eight: Basement
Basement time! Similar to the attic, basements tend to be a catch-all for items we’re on the fence about. Start by tossing anything that’s damaged or obvious trash. Then slowly work your way through the easiest stuff first. Like the paint can collection. Toss ones you no longer have a use for. Which pieces of sporting goods do you really use and want? What is outdated that you can easily get rid of? Do you really need a tent if you don’t camp? Work your way through the space and declutter as much as you can, in your allotted time.
Day Twenty-Nine: Garage Or Shed
Another catch-all space that can get cluttered quickly is a garage or a shed. Before you start, think about the space’s purpose and zones. Now go in and remove anything that belongs elsewhere, toss any damaged or broken items, and donate anything you can. Many store their tools and project supplies in these spaces, so give those items a solid clear out to make project work much easier. Do you really need a band saw that you’ve used once in twelve years (true story)? Nope. Onto the Facebook marketplace it goes.
Day Thirty: Sentimental Items
And finally, the most daunting task of the 30-day declutter challenge is sorting through the sentimental items. By now, you should have built up a strong decluttering muscle. Dig deep and access that decluttering mentality, then start in on just one box or category of momentos. Maybe it’s those totes of baby clothes you’ve saved or overflowing boxes of photos. Or all the things from your high school or college days. Decluttering sentimental items is so hard because of the memories the items hold. You can continue to hold the memory without holding the item. If it helps you let go, take a picture before passing it on.
30 Day Declutter Challenge PDF
For those of you taking on the 30-day decluttering challenge, I made a printable to help you on your decluttering journey. Print out the 30-Day Declutter Challenge PDF checklist, place it somewhere prominent (on your refrigerator or in your planner), and refer to each day’s task. Check it off as you go. Ahhh…there’s nothing like checking off a task and making progress on a big project like this.
Congratulations!
And now, some congratulations are in order. To everyone who conquered the 30-day declutter challenge, a big ol’ congrats to you. How much calmer and peaceful does your home feel now? And to those who started, stumbled, and maybe didn’t quite finish? Congratulations to you, too! Progress is progress, and you also took steps to make your home work and feel better for you. That’s something to be proud of!
Pssst…Be sure to follow along as I post weekly updates about how the challenge is going. If you join me in this challenge, be sure to tell me in the comments and keep me updated on your progress. Let’s cheer each other on!
