Decluttering your home can feel like a huge task, but with a plan in place, it becomes much more manageable. This 30-day decluttering challenge will guide you through the process of decluttering your home step-by-step, with one task per day. By the end of the month, you’ll have a cleaner, more organized home that feels refreshing and calming.
Day 1: Set Your Intentions
Task: Take a moment to set your intentions and goals for decluttering. Write down why you want to declutter and what you hope to achieve (e.g., more space, less stress, a more functional home). Set a goal for each area you want to tackle and remind yourself of your motivation.
Day 2: Create a Decluttering Plan
Task: Break your decluttering into smaller tasks. Decide which areas to start with (e.g., living room, kitchen, bedroom). Set realistic expectations for how much time you’ll need each day to declutter. Create a timeline for the next 30 days and schedule the tasks on your calendar.
Day 3: Start with the Entryway
Task: Begin with the entryway or hallway, as it’s the first area people see when entering your home. Clear out shoes, coats, keys, and any miscellaneous items. Organize and declutter your coat closet or shoe rack to create a welcoming space.
Day 4: Declutter the Living Room
Task: Go through the living room and clear out any unnecessary items such as old magazines, toys, or unused electronics. Organize pillows, throws, and any other items that are not in their proper place. Dust and clean the area once decluttered.
Day 5: Declutter Your Bookshelves
Task: Go through any bookshelves in your home and remove books you no longer read or need. Donate or sell them. Sort the remaining books by genre or type, and arrange them neatly.
Day 6: Declutter Your Kitchen Countertops
Task: Clear off your kitchen countertops. Take everything off the counters, wipe them down, and only put back the essentials (e.g., coffee maker, toaster). Store unused items in cabinets or drawers.
Day 7: Go Through the Junk Drawer
Task: We all have a junk drawer. Take everything out, sort through it, and throw away anything you don’t need. Organize the remaining items into small containers or dividers to keep it neat.
Day 8: Clean and Declutter the Pantry
Task: Check the expiration dates on food and dispose of anything outdated or unopened that you no longer need. Organize canned goods, boxed items, and spices. Use baskets or bins to store smaller items for easy access.
Day 9: Declutter the Bathroom Countertops
Task: Clear your bathroom countertops. Remove any expired beauty products or medications. Organize the essentials, such as toothpaste and soap, and store the rest in cabinets or drawers.
Day 10: Declutter the Medicine Cabinet
Task: Go through your medicine cabinet and discard any expired medications or products you don’t use anymore. Wipe down the shelves and organize the remaining items in a way that’s easy to access.
Day 11: Declutter Your Closet (Clothes)
Task: Go through your closet and remove any clothes you haven’t worn in the last year or that no longer fit. Donate or sell these items. Fold and organize the remaining clothes neatly, and consider using storage bins or organizers to keep things tidy.
Day 12: Declutter Your Shoes
Task: Go through your shoe collection. Donate any shoes you don’t wear or that are in poor condition. Arrange the remaining shoes neatly, either on a shoe rack or in storage bins.
Day 13: Declutter Your Bedside Table
Task: Empty your bedside table and go through the items. Remove anything that doesn’t belong or that you no longer use. Organize the essentials (e.g., books, lamp, phone charger) and keep it simple.
Day 14: Organize Your Jewelry and Accessories
Task: Go through your jewelry and accessories. Donate or sell any items you no longer wear or that are damaged. Organize the remaining pieces in a jewelry box, drawer organizer, or hanging rack.
Day 15: Declutter Your Desk or Workspace
Task: Clear off your desk and go through any paperwork, pens, or office supplies. Throw away anything you don’t need and organize the remaining items into drawers or storage containers.
Day 16: Declutter Your Electronics and Cords
Task: Go through your electronics (e.g., old phones, tablets, chargers) and dispose of or donate any items that are outdated or unused. Gather all cords and organize them using cord organizers or Velcro straps.
Day 17: Go Through Your Sentimental Items
Task: Sort through sentimental items like old photos, letters, or keepsakes. Consider keeping only the most meaningful items and finding creative ways to display or store them. Digitize photos or letters if needed to reduce physical clutter.
Day 18: Organize Your Storage Space
Task: Declutter your attic, basement, or storage closet. Go through bins or boxes of stored items and assess whether they are necessary. Donate or discard things that are just taking up space.
Day 19: Declutter Your Laundry Room
Task: Go through your laundry room and remove any excess laundry products, detergents, or fabric softeners that you no longer need. Organize the space, and ensure cleaning supplies are stored safely and efficiently.
Day 20: Sort Through Your Craft Supplies
Task: If you have a collection of craft supplies, go through them and sort out any unused or excess items. Donate or sell supplies you no longer need, and organize the remaining materials into containers or drawers.
Day 21: Declutter Your Garage or Carport
Task: The garage is often a hotspot for clutter. Go through your garage and sort through tools, sporting equipment, and old items you may not use. Donate, sell, or dispose of what you no longer need, and organize the rest for easy access.
Day 22: Clean Out Your Refrigerator
Task: Check the expiration dates in your fridge and discard anything that’s past its prime. Wipe down shelves, drawers, and containers, and organize items in a way that makes them easy to see and access.
Day 23: Organize Your Linen Closet
Task: Go through your linens—towels, sheets, blankets—and donate any worn-out items. Fold remaining linens neatly and store them in an organized manner. Consider investing in storage bins or baskets for smaller items.
Day 24: Tidy Up Your Entryway
Task: Declutter your entryway by organizing shoes, coats, and bags. Use hooks or a coat rack for easy storage. Add a decorative tray or bowl for keys and small items, keeping the area tidy.
Day 25: Declutter Your Dining Room
Task: Clear the dining room table of unnecessary clutter. Organize your placemats, napkins, and tableware. Donate or store extra table settings that you don’t need.
Day 26: Tidy Up Your Hallway
Task: Go through any items stored in your hallway, such as shoes, coats, or bags. Organize or move them to more appropriate areas to keep the hallway clear.
Day 27: Organize Your Kitchen Drawers
Task: Go through your kitchen drawers and remove items you don’t use regularly, such as extra utensils, expired gadgets, or old sponges. Organize the remaining items to make them easily accessible.
Day 28: Declutter Your Books and Magazines
Task: Go through your bookshelves and remove any books, magazines, or catalogs that you no longer read or need. Donate or recycle them, and organize the remaining books neatly.
Day 29: Declutter Your Kids’ Toys
Task: Sort through your children’s toys. Donate or discard broken toys, and organize the remaining ones into bins or storage containers. Encourage your kids to get involved in the process.
Day 30: Celebrate Your Success
Task: Take a moment to appreciate all the hard work you’ve put into decluttering. Celebrate the progress you’ve made! Enjoy your newly organized home and reflect on how the process has made your space more peaceful and functional.
By following this 30-day decluttering challenge, you’ll be able to break down the task of decluttering into small, manageable steps. Whether you’re preparing for a move, organizing for better functionality, or simply wanting a cleaner space, this plan will help you achieve a clutter-free, organized home.