When you declutter your home, you declutter your mind. Get decluttering tips, tricks and an easy-to-tackle free printable checklist to learn how to declutter, efficiently.

My motto is sometimes simplicity is simply the best. I love the way our clutter free home feels. I find myself becoming overwhelmed when clutter takes over. It’s one of the many reasons I’ve embraced a minimalist lifestyle. Regular decluttering makes your home feel clean and calm.

A neatly organized, decluttered linen closet features folded white sheets on shelves, a wicker basket, and three candles on the top shelf.
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What is Clutter?

Clutter is anything in excess or without a home, that consumes physical and mental space. When you declutter your home, you declutter your mind.

“Clutter is a collection of things lying about in an untidy mass.”

– unknown –

Decluttering is the first and most important step to organize. I have created a free printable Decluttering Checklist and detailed my process to make decluttering effortless! First, a few tips!

A decluttered living room with a white couch and a white coffee table.

Decluttering Tips

  1. Focus on One Area at a Time – If you tend to feel overwhelmed, start small and work your way up! Some areas give you maximum impact for little effort, which will make you feel accomplished and hopefully, snowball into more decluttering! Scroll down for a list of things you can declutter in minutes.
  2. Divide – Create trash/recycle/donate/relocate piles in that proximity to make decluttering quick and painless.
  3. Evaluate Need – Thoughtfully consider if you need each item. This is also applies when shopping to prevent clutter. If you do not, disperse it into your trash, recycle, or donate pile. If the item hasn’t been used in the last 30 days or up to one year for seasonal items, eliminate it. If you struggle to part with items, ask yourself “is it worth the space it consumes?”
  4. Relocate Seasonal Items – Keep seasonal items in a single, central location.
  5. Remove Trash / Recycling and Donations Immediately – Transfer your piles to your trash and recycling bins and place donations in your trunk. It gives you a sense of accomplishment while eliminating the risk that items will re-enter the home. This is essential if you’re going through toys!
  6. Designate a Space for Papers – Create a single location to collect mail, receipts, school papers, etc that you can go through and file as needed.
A white kitchen with a vintage-style stove, gold hardware, and decluttered white cabinets features wood floors and a vase of flowers on the stove.

When You’re Decluttering, Ask Yourself:

  • Have I used it in the past year?
  • Will I really use it?
  • Do I need it?
  • How many do I have?
  • Why do I own it?
  • Do I feel obligated to keep it?
  • Would I buy it now/keep if I moved?
  • If it’s broken, why has it taken so long to fix? Either fix or eliminate.
  • Does it make me happy?
Neatly organized kids closet with shelves displaying pink and white items, folded towels, shoes, and clothes on hangers.
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Closet Decluttering System

  1. Eliminate – Quickly review each piece and eliminate pieces that are the wrong size or no longer fit with your style.
  2. Hang Each Piece in Reverse – Hang clothes on hangers, in reverse (thanks, Oprah for the tip). This helps you see what you’re wearing and what is stagnant in your closet. 
  3. Hang Worn Items in Correct Direction – When you wear an item, return it to the closet with the hanger facing the correct direction. After 1-2 months, remove non-seasonal pieces that you have not worn.
A decluttered pantry cabinet with open doors reveals organized shelves, clear containers of dry goods, and multiple wicker baskets storing various items.

Things You Can Declutter in Five Minutes

  • Counter – Clear the counter with my Kitchen Counter Organization guide that helps you maximize space and convenience.
  • Paper Catch All – Quickly look through filing into trash, recycling and items you need to make a priority.
  • Medicine Cabinet – Remove expired medications, items that don’t belong and combine duplicates.
  • End Table – End tables can become a catch all, but are as quick to de-clutter as they are to collect!
  • Refrigerator – Discard expired items and anything that looks undesirable or hasn’t been used recently. See my detailed refrigerator organization guide for more!
  • Pantry – Remove expired and stale goods, and combine packages, when possible.
  • Nightstand – Pare down to the basics. Remove excess, papers and things you don’t need next to your bedside. See my comprehensive nightstand organization tips!
A laundry room with a decluttered closet
checklist to declutter

Decluttering Checklist

Print this ultimate checklist to declutter every space in your home!

PRINT NOW
A decluttered wooden dresser.

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28 Comments

  1. At one time you mentioned the sweeper/vacuum cleaner or wet vac you like to use. Can you share that with us again? Thank you.

    Reply

    1. Hi! It’s on the to do list – to be honest, it’s so ugly – dark, dated bathroom with mirrored doors and carpet that is probably older than all three of our children combined. We’re renovating this spring and I couldn’t be more excited to get it organized and share with you!

      Reply

  4. Hi Julie!
    Thank you for all the helpful tips! I wondered where you stored your dry goods such as pastas, canned goods and breads? I hadn’t located that in your other blog posts from your pantry organization. You mentioned you have a baking pantry and one that’s for the children’s lunches, so I wondered where the other items would go. Thanks so much!

    Reply

    1. I make pasta and bread from scratch, but otherwise I’d store pasta in the cereal containers. We do on occasion have a loaf of sandwich bread on the top shelf.

      Reply