How to Declutter Your Home: 10 Creative Decluttering Tips (2024)

How to Declutter Your Home: 10 Creative Decluttering Tips (1)

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“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.”—Dale Carnegie

The idea of living a simple life with less stuff sounds attractive to many.

But often, they begin to feel overwhelmed, anxious, and defeated around the idea of owning less. That’s too bad.

Learning how to declutter your home and (and as a result, decluttering your life)doesn’t need to be as painful as some make it out to be. And the benefits are numerous.

The Benefits of Decluttering Your Life

There are many benefits to owning fewer possessions. Even then, it’s tough to move into action. That is… until the many benefits of getting rid of clutter reveal themselves:

Less to clean. Cleaning is already enough of a chore, but having to clean around things you have zero emotional attachment to (or worse, actively dislike) makes cleaning the house much more stressful.

Less to organize. Finding things suddenly become easier. Things don’t just “disappear” anymore. You can actually move around your home and enjoy the space, instead of moving around things that are in the way.

Less stress. Looking around at the clutter is a nausea-inducing sight once your home becomes cluttered enough. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look around and see a home you love?

Less debt. Spending less time shopping for material possessions and adding to the clutter means your wallet and bank accounts remain fuller, your credit cards’ statements are lower, and your home doesn’t get filled with costly things you don’t need.

More financial freedom. Most American households live paycheck to paycheck (59% according to a recent survey done by Charles Schwab) Nearly half of those surveyed carry credit card debt. Decluttering, paired with minimalism, will help you build up savings to keep you protected in case of unexpected emergencies.

More energy for your greatest passions. With less debt, more financial freedom, and a clean home, you can now focus your energy on the things you enjoy instead of worrying about “Keeping up with the Joneses.” This will ultimately make you happier.

Ok, so now you know the benefits of decluttering your life, but you may be getting tripped up by the very next question… where in the world do you begin?

10 Creative Decluttering Tips

If you’re struggling and need guidance on how to declutter, you’ll need toget creative with your plans. Here are several interesting decluttering tips to get you started on decluttering your home:

  • Start with 5 minutes at a time. If you’re new to decluttering, you can slowly build momentum with just five minutes a day.
  • Give one item away each day. This would remove 365 items every single year from your home. If you increased this to 2 per day, you would have given away 730 items you no longer needed. Increase this number once it gets too easy.
  • Fill an entire trash bag. Get a trash bag and fill it as fast as you can with things you can donate at Goodwill.
  • Donate clothes you never wear. To identify them, simply hang all your clothes with hangers in the reverse direction. After wearing an item, face the hanger in the correct direction. Discard the clothes you never touched after a few months.
  • Create a decluttering checklist. It’s a lot easier to declutter when you have a visual representation of where you need to get started. You can use our decluttering checklist.
  • Take the 12-12-12 challenge. Locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home.
  • View your home as a first-time visitor. It’s easy to “forget” what your home looks like to a new visitor. Enter your home as if you’re visiting the home of a friend. Write down your first impression on how clean and organized the home is and make changes.
  • Take before and after photos of a small area. Choose one part of your home, like your kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clean off the items in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.
  • Get help from a friend. Have a friend or family member go through your home and suggest a handful of big items to throw away or give to someone else. If you defend the item and want to keep it, your friend has to agree with your reason. If they don’t agree, it’s time to get rid of it.
  • Use the Four-Box Method. Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a single item, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take days, weeks, or months, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.

No matter which decluttering tip you choose to get started – whether it be one of these ten or one of countless others – the goal is to take your first step in decluttering your life with excitement behind it.

There is a beautiful world of freedom and fresh breath hiding behind that clutter. Deciding how to declutter your home is up to you.

For more decluttering tips, watch this short video we put together. In it, I provide 10 quick decluttering projects, each completable in just 5 minutes or less:

***

General FAQ About Decluttering Your Home:

How do I create a decluttering checklist?

Creating a checklist is one of the easiest ways to keep track of what can and still needs to be reduced from your home. We’ve put together a Declutter Your Home Checklist you can use to instantly make a noticeable difference.

Just pick any 5-10 items from the list to start and you will be amazed with how quickly momentum builds up.

Do I need a professional organizer to help me get rid of clutter?

Absolutely not. Getting rid of the clutter in your home can be done by yourself. It can even be a fun family activity when using the decluttering tips found in this article.

How can I declutter quickly? Can it be done in a day?

Removing clutter from our homes and our lives doesn’t need to be rushed or done in a single day. It’s something that can be done over time and may even need to be done on a semi-regular basis. As long as you start the process today, you’re further along than you were yesterday.

Will owning less make my home look empty or boring?

Simple doesn’t mean sparse or boring. The opposite is true. With fewer mess and distractions, your home can become more peaceful. You can view your home as a space for rest and comfort, instead of a source of stress.

What’s the difference between declutter and unclutter?

They’re both interchangeable, though I prefer using “declutter.” The “de-” hints at being complete and permanent. I like to think of decluttering as something that solves the problem forever.

When should I declutter?

This is a personal question. When you find yourself overwhelmed by your possessions and tied down, it usually means you’re ready to start making a change. Note that this feeling is just a broad litmus test. The feeling of overwhelm can be different for everyone.


How to Declutter Your Home: 10 Creative Decluttering Tips (2024)

FAQs

How to Declutter Your Home: 10 Creative Decluttering Tips? ›

The 12 12 12 rule is a decluttering strategy that involves three simple steps: finding 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to return to their rightful place. This method helps reduce clutter while promoting a sense of accomplishment by achieving small, manageable goals.

What is the 12-12-12 rule for decluttering? ›

The 12 12 12 rule is a decluttering strategy that involves three simple steps: finding 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to return to their rightful place. This method helps reduce clutter while promoting a sense of accomplishment by achieving small, manageable goals.

What is the 5 second rule for decluttering? ›

The five second rule is picking up an item, and making the decision as to whether it stays or goes within this amount of time. 'The basic premise behind this rule in decluttering is that you should know within five seconds whether you should keep something or not,' explains Amanda Wiss, Founder of Urban Clarity.

What is the 20 rule decluttering? ›

And during our last book tour, we made sure we didn't pack anything just in case. Then we tested our hypothesis: the 20/20 Rule. Anything we get rid of that we truly need, we can replace for less than $20 in less than 20 minutes from our current location.

What is the rule of 5 decluttering? ›

The 5 year rule

If someone hasn't used an item in five years, they will probably never use it. It is important to note that this rule is helpful for people who are stuck or have a hard time letting things go. ' This rule is good when organizing attics and basem*nts where clutter builds up over time.

What is the 333 decluttering method? ›

The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number.

What is the golden rule of decluttering? ›

Take it room by room: Start decluttering one room at a time to avoid feeling overwhelmed. Focus on a specific area before moving on to the next. Sort methodically: Divide items into categories (keep, donate, sell, discard) and work through each category systematically to prevent decision fatigue.

What is the core 4 method of decluttering? ›

The Core 4 Organizing Method, created by professional organizer Kayleen Kelly, breaks down the daunting task of decluttering and organizing into 4 simple steps: Clear Out, Categorize, Cut Out, and Contain.

What is the 90 90 rule for decluttering? ›

Have you used that item in the last 90 days? If you haven't, will you use it in the next 90? If not, then it's okay to let go,' write Joshua and Ryan on their blog. The 90/90 rule isn't limited to the wardrobe (in fact it's applicable to many areas of the home) but it's definitely a good place to start.

What should you not do when decluttering? ›

What NOT to Do When Decluttering
  1. Avoiding decision making. ...
  2. Taking on too much at once. ...
  3. Getting stuck on the details. ...
  4. Letting your emotions control the process. ...
  5. Organizing Before You Declutter. ...
  6. 4 Comments.

What is the 3 second rule for decluttering? ›

In this TikTok video, Kelly, who's known for her decluttering methods, like the Core 4 Method, and tips, explains that the three-second rule helps people make “quick and confident decisions when they are decluttering.” When applying her method to an item, you decide in three seconds to either “yes, you keep it” or “no, ...

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