The Top 30 Day Declutter Challenge + Free Printable
Contents
- Why declutter?
- How to start when overwhelmed
- Why a 30 day challenge?
- How often should I declutter?
- Questions to ask yourself as you declutter
- Decluttering tips
- The challenge
- You made it!
- Free printable decluttering calendar
Why Declutter?
Do you ever look around your own home and just feel overwhelmed?
You know there’s a bill that came through the post last week that you need to pay but you just can’t remember which “safe place” you put it in?
Or maybe you found the perfect recipe to try for date night but now you’re debating whether you can really be bothered pulling all the pans out to get to the slow cooker?
Or perhaps you have one of those drawers, cupboards, or (heaven forbid!) rooms that you have to keep closed for fear of everything coming tumbling out?
How do those things make you feel? I know I’ve had that feeling of overwhelm and dread. To be honest, it makes me feel out of control and anxious. I dread people coming round and seeing the piles in every room. I find it difficult to stay on top of cleaning because there’s so much stuff to move before I can even get to the surfaces.
Decluttering can help us to take back control. Decluttering will give us back time. When we’re not wasting time searching for things, we have more time to focus on the things that really matter.
Decluttering can lower our stress levels, improve our relationships, and boost our mood and health.
It’s time to start your 30 day declutter challenge today!
How to start when overwhelmed
What should we do when we freeze? We’ve all been there – you know things have got out of hand but you just don’t know where to start! The whole house just feels overwhelming. So what should you do to get out of that rut?
Take the first step. The first step is often the hardest. Just do a little bit. Don’t spend too much time thinking about it or planning it. Throw out one thing. Now throw out another five. Bet you feel better already!
A challenge! It’s the perfect place to start. Each day is set out for you so you don’t even need to think about it. Our challenge is set out to hit the areas that affect us the most, first. Once you start to see a difference the motivation will just keep coming!
Hold yourself accountable. Print out the challenge and mark off each day you achieve. Take before and after photos to keep yourself motivated – it’s the best way to see what a difference has been made.
Share with others. Either in real life or on social media. Instagram can be a great place to find like-minded people to help you on your journey. Rely on your friends and/or followers to bring you extra motivation on your decluttering journey. There’s nothing like someone checking up on you daily to keep you in check!
Do it together. Perhaps you can find a friend or follower to complete the challenge with you. Share your before and after photos. It’s so much more fun and motivating to do things with others and decluttering is no different. Also, knowing you need to share your after photo with someone by 9pm can really give you the boost you need to stay motivated.
Set a time limit. We recommend 30 minutes. But if that feels overwhelming, start with 10. Or even 5. Set a timer, or put on a song or playlist for the length of time you wish and get moving! Really work hard in that time limit. Challenge yourself to see how much you can achieve in the limit. Then pause and relax. Give yourself a pat on the back. Then do it again! Whether that’s immediately or the next day, that’s up to you. But 10 minutes every day will soon begin to add up and I promise you’ll see the difference in no time at all.
Why a 30-day challenge?
It’s roughly the length of a month (okay, okay, I know the majority are 31 but that gives you a day off. And don’t even start about February!) which is just long enough to maintain motivation. The time period gamifies the challenge – you find yourself carrying on, even when you don’t feel like it because you want to win. You will see a big difference in just one month. That in itself is motivating.
Most people will choose January (for New Year), March (for spring cleaning), or November (for a pre-Christmas organise). But you really can choose any month. Except maybe February, unless you’re a true free spirit who doesn’t find themselves bound by the Gregorian calendar. In which case, good for you and go for it, whatever the time of year! There really is no perfect time. If you’re feeling motivated, then let’s get busy.
It is generally accepted that it takes 21 days to form a habit. If you do something every day for 21 days it will become part of your routine and therefore easier to continue. Obviously, some people take a little longer than others to form a routine, and 30 days gives that flexibility. Once decluttering is part of your routine, you’ll find yourself having a 5 minute declutter all the time!
How often should I declutter?
If you really want to stay on top of things, you should spend 5-10 minutes decluttering every day. If you spot a problem area, tackle it. The sooner it’s dealt with, the less of an issue it grows into.
Although, let’s be realistic. We all live busy lives and finding time (and even remembering!) to declutter daily isn’t necessarily sustainable. Try not to give yourself a hard time if things slip. Personally, I try to follow the declutter challenge a couple of times each year. In theory it gets easier every time, but with kids in the mix this doesn’t always ring true. Kids just seem to bring so much clutter. There’s always been a couple of birthdays, or Christmas where clutter tends to peak. I try to have a mini declutter before each big event to minimise the stress.
Questions to ask yourself as you declutter
⁃ Is this something I use regularly?
⁃ Does this item bring me joy? – if not, ask yourself the rest of the questions before getting rid (my iron doesn’t bring me joy, but it’s something we need to keep regardless!).
⁃ Am I keeping this out of obligation? – get rid. Life is too short to keep things out of an obligation.
⁃ Am I saving this “just in case”? – get rid. If you’ve not needed it in the past 6-12 months, you probably don’t need it anyway.
⁃ Do you have multiples? As great as it is, sometimes, to have a spare of something, do you really need 23 tubes of toothpaste? Consider donating what you don’t need, or at least commit to not buying more until your stash is more manageable.
⁃ Is it waiting to be fixed? We’ve had so many things like this! Most annoying kids toy in the world needs new batteries – just admit you’re never going to do it and donate to annoy the next family. Something you genuinely need to fix? Commit to getting it done. Put it in your diary. Do it now.
⁃ Can the space be better used for something else? We have a small gap down the side of our sofa that used to house a million blankets. They never got used and just got stuffed down there for the sake of it. Now our sons Superspace lives there and it makes much more sense (we kept 3 blankets and moved them to a blanket box. Much more sensible!).
⁃ What’s the worst that would happen without it? If getting rid of your coffee machine means you’re going to spend £4 at Starbucks every day, then it’s worth keeping. But, if the worst that happens is that you need to keep a few fancy coffee sachets in for the occasional visitor, then get rid and use the space for something better!
⁃ Could you borrow it in the future instead? We all love the idea of having everything we could possibly need at our fingertips, but unless you live in a mansion, it’s unlikely you have the space to store it all. Do you really need to keep that carpet cleaner, or would you be better off borrowing one the next time you feel the urge to clean all the carpets?
Helpful tips
⁃ Spend just 30 minutes per day decluttering. Set a timer and don’t let anything distract you during that time. You’ll be amazed at what you can achieve, and don’t worry if you don’t achieve it all. You can always repeat the challenge another month!
⁃ Print out the free download at the bottom of the page. Have it pinned up somewhere you will see it each day. Cross off each day you complete and get a real sense of achievement.
⁃ Have a zone identified as your “removal zone”. Have boxes/bags ready to go for donate, throw out, and sell. Get rid of the “throw out” section daily, but allow the others to accumulate.
⁃ The decluttering process is cathartic. By removing unnecessary or excess items from your home, you will feel a sense of joy, order, and control as you gain a visual calmness to your environment.
The Challenge
You’ve made it. You’ve read the tips, you’ve found the motivation, you’ve printed the chart, and now you’re eager to get started. Let’s do it – good luck!
Day 1 – counter tops and open shelving
Let’s get this show on the road in the kitchen! A busy room in most houses, with more and more people having a kitchen/diner rather than separate rooms. “I’ll just pop this down on the side and sort it out later” is a lie we’re all guilty of telling ourselves.
Kitchen gadgets pile up – air fryer, halogen oven, toastie maker, kettle, microwave, blender… the list goes on and on. Where are we supposed to store all of these gadgets so they’re accessible but not cluttering our worktops? Have a serious check-in with yourself about which gadgets you truly need and use regularly.
Now, set your 30 minute timer and remove all the items that don’t belong. Gather them into piles per room they do belong in, place them in those rooms, and we can deal with them on the days you’re focusing on that room. Work clockwise and wipe as you go (okay, I know this isn’t a cleaning challenge! But chances are, if your kitchen counters have been covered in clutter for months, they probably haven’t been cleaned recently!).
Day 2 – junk drawer
Or insert interchangeable storage area here. We all have one. The cupboard of doom, the man shelf, the bag of horrors. That place where we shove things we don’t have time to deal with, or we’re not sure where those things could live. Craft supplies are notorious for finding their way in here.
Ask yourself, how often do you use these things? Next time you’re looking for them, where would it make sense for them to live? Do you really need to hold onto those Peseta’s from your Spanish holiday circa 1999?
Once you’ve sorted between the things you can get rid of (trust me, you can let those dead batteries go!), you can spend the remaining time today putting the things you’re keeping into a better place. Or, if that junk drawer is the best place for them, try to organise it in a way that means you won’t dread opening it up again next week.
Day 3 – pots and pans cupboard
There’s something about pots and pans that just means they get messy. When I last cleared ours out I found we have 4 frying pans. So I gave a couple up. See if there’s any unused pots and pans you can let go of.
If you house your kitchen gadgets here too, then be brutally honest with yourself about how often you use them. Sure, we all have a toastie craze but when was the last time you used the toastie maker? And don’t kid yourself that you’ll use it either. If it’s not been used in the last 6-12 months then sell/donate it to clutter up someone else’s cupboard!
Day 4 – cutlery drawer
Cutlery drawers get nasty quick. We’re in and out of them multiple times per day and things get thrown about. Try to be realistic about how many of everything you need. If you only need the extra sets of special occasions, consider storing them somewhere different to your day-to-day cutlery.
Are you a lover of matching cutlery? I know I am. We donated a load of cutlery but kept the teaspoons because we have a teaspoon fairy who steals them in our house! Other than that we kept just 4 of each implement. If guests come round we just crack out the camping cutlery. No one’s complained yet!
Day 5 – tea towels and cleaning products
Mrs Hinch has a lot to answer for here. It became a trend to have a different cleaning product for every job, but honestly it’s not needed! Spend a moment to think about which cleaning products you really need and which you bought because some cleaning “guru” said you should.
Tea towels seem to go in cycles in our house. Sometimes we have an abundance of them and can’t close the drawer, but another time I can’t find one for love nor money! Decide how many tea towels will work for your family situation and stick to that amount. Then work on a one in one out basis – every time you buy a new one, throw an old one away.
Day 6 – grown ups clothes
Clothes take up so much space and yet they’re a necessary evil. Unless you’re a nudist in which case, skip today!
Still hanging onto those jeans you wore 5 years ago cause you’ve convinced yourself you’ll lose he weight? Give them up! Sell or donate them. If you need that size again in the future you can treat yourself (and get rid of old items at the same time of course!).
Get rid of anything (non-seasonal or sentimental) that hasn’t been worn in 6 months. Pass on anything that doesn’t make you feel great. There is no good reason to keep hold of something that doesn’t make you feel fabulous.
Day 7 – kids clothes
Sometimes I feel like my kids are growing out of their clothes faster than I can buy replacements! Yet, I’m really bad for taking out all the too-small clothes and throwing them on a pile to deal with later. But today is the day those piles get sorted!
Be ruthless, do you really need to keep 32 vests in case you have another baby? With sites like vinted, you can pick things up cheap as chips in the future. Keep hold of some items of sentimental value and consider making a memory box with them in, or even investing in a memory teddy or blanket.
Day 8 – shoes
This includes everybody’s shoes. If you have older children or a partner, encourage them to tackle their own shoe piles. Realistically you need only a pair of trainers, smart/formal shoes, work shoes, winter boots, and summer sandals. Maybe extras if you have hobbies like hiking, football, or boxing where you need specialist footwear.
Don’t forget there is a strong market for good quality second hand shoes. So sell on those old boots that give you blisters. Nobody’s got time for that!
Day 9 – bedding and blankets
How many sets you need will depend on how many beds you have in your home, and how often you wash them. We keep 2 sets (one on the bed, one being washed), then a couple of seasonal sets that are kept in the seasonal boxes – Christmas and Halloween mostly.
I have friends who only have one set and wash, dry, and put the bedding back on in one day. But I can’t commit to that! Too much effort with two small kids. So choose what works for you, but don’t be keeping hold of the double set when you’ve just bought kingsize bed. Or toddler bedding when your children have full sized beds now.
Blankets are the same. Assess your needs and keep only what you need and can store.
Day 10 – makeup and jewellery
Take a deep dive into your makeup bag and jewellery box. I’ll bet there’s things in there you’ve forgotten you even own!
Makeup: did you know it has an expiration date? Generally this can be up to 2 years after opening, however items like mascara should be changed more frequently – every 3 months is ideal. Again, think carefully about what you actually put on your face on a regular basis. Then keep a couple of extras for special occasions. There’s no need to keep hold of the palette you bought for that one fancy dress party 5 years ago and haven’t touched since, though!
Jewellery: of course this doesn’t have a shelf-life, but fashions change regularly. If you like to keep up with the trends, consider selling old pieces to fund new ones. If you prefer classic styles, consider what you truly wear and sell the rest. Unless it’s a family heirloom piece, of course!
Day 11 – windowsills, cupboards, and shelves
These are the places we’re most likely to “dump and run”. You know the drill, you’re in the middle of a good book and your child hands you a random ornament they “found”. You stick it on the shelf thinking you’ll deal with it later, then forget all about it.
This is your chance to deal with those things that don’t have homes. Either find them homes or get rid. In fact, I challenge you to get rid (sell, donate, or throw) at least 50% of the items that are currently cluttering your windowsills, cupboards, and shelves.
Day 12 – recorded and downloaded TV
Before you get started with this one, make sure you take other family members into consideration. You may think it isn’t worth keeping things that have already been watched, but they may feel otherwise.
Freeing up space on whatever you use to record/download TV can be really cathartic. If it’s something that’s readily available on a streaming service you subscribe to, then delete it. If you have the DVD and easy access to a DVD player, delete it. If you’re never going to watch it, just delete it!
Day 13 – items that don’t belong
We all have items that sneak their way into the wrong room and for some reason it’s nearly always the kitchen and living room.
Look at your living room as though it was a clock face. Start at 12 o’clock and work your way around until you meet yourself back at the start. Move anything that doesn’t belong into an open space in the middle of the floor. From there, you can sort it into rooms, or into the decluttering piles to be got rid of.
Day 14 – desk drawers
Another place for throwing things in without a care. Out of sight out of mind. Or is it? Are you hit with frustration every time you open your desk drawer and can’t find the pen you needed? Or the stapler? Or a ruler?
Get everything out of the drawers, sort through it, and put it back with meaning. Remember your decluttering mantras as you go. No, you really don’t need 73 black pens. No, you don’t need 4 hole punches. No, you definitely do not need 5 packs of unopened highlighters. You get the gist.
Day 15 – document folders
Now, there are some documents that need to be kept for life – birth certificates, marriage certificates, copies of wills, etc. But there are also plenty of important documents that we hold onto for an inordinate number of years.
Check here for how long you should be keeping hold of documents.
Once you’ve shredded what needs to be shredded, carefully put back the documents you do need into a folder. Consider separating it into compartments e.g. banking, utilities, car documents, ID, etc. This way it will be easier to find anything you’re looking for in the future, and you’ll find it easier to have an annual clear out of things like bank statements.
Day 16 – towels and washcloths
Ever wondered how long you should keep towels? Apparently every 2-5 years! Definitely take that into consideration when making your choices over what stays and what goes.
Be ruthless, but do bear in mind different uses for your towels. Do you have beach towels? Perhaps you have a dog that needs towelling off after long wet walks? Take your own families needs into consideration before deciding what goes.
If you have managed to let go of some towels or washcloth, why not have a go at up-cycling them before throwing them out? Check out these ideas.
Day 17 – bathroom cabinets
Do you even know what’s in your bathroom cabinets? Bet there’s a few surprises if you dig to the back! The best way to declutter an area like this is to pull everything out. Some people prefer to sort as they go, while others prefer to pull everything into one big pile and sort through it in one go. Whatever works best for you, go for it. Only place back things that truly belong in there – that you or your family need and use.
Don’t forget to check the dates on your first aid supplies and replace items as needed. You never know when something in there could be needed!
Day 18 – medicines and beauty products
If you have a medicine cabinet, box, basket, or drawer or however you store your medications, this is your call to go through, check dates, and have a good old sort through. If you have unwanted medications, make sure you dispose of them safely at your local chemists.
I know you’re thinking “but I’ve already sorted my makeup!” Hold right there. Have you sorted through your hairbrushes? Hairdryer? Curlers? Bobbles? Eye masks? Skincare? You get the idea. Anything else related to beauty, now’s your time to declutter it.
Day 19 – cleaning products
It’s those cleaning influencers again! They promote so many different products and have us believing we need them all. Truth be told, I can usually get by with an all purpose cleaner, washing up liquid, and bleach.
Think carefully about what you actually need and use regularly. Do you really need 16 bottles of it for your “Narnia”? Use up what you have, then make a resolution to stop buying in excess.
Day 20 – boiler cupboard
What’s in your boiler cupboard? Ours has suitcases and holiday bits, extra towels, the summer quilt, and some blankets. Before decluttering it also held outgrown clothes, excess hangers, broken bags, and double bedding despite not having a double bed! It felt good passing on or disposing those things, and now I even have space to dry clothes in the boiler cupboard when needed!
It’s a room we don’t frequent often, which means we often throw things in there and forget about them. So have a good old rummage and get organised!
Day 21 – book cases
Yet another area of the home that seems to accumulate clutter. Deal with everything that isn’t a book first. Anything that doesn’t belong needs to be re-homed or gone. Old magazines, newspapers, and flyers need to be recycled unless they hold a specific sentimental value. In which case, you could cut out the article/page and store it in a memory box.
If you have time left over, sort through the actual books. I’m definitely a book hoarder, but every time I clear the shelves I manage to pass on at least 5-10 that I’ll never read again. Though they are quickly replaced by at least double the amount added to the to-be-read pile!
Day 22 – DVD’s, videos and CD’s
Brutal honesty time. When did you last watch or listen to your collection? Could you do a bulk sale and get rid of them all in one go?
No worries if not, just think carefully about any that you have on a subscription service like Disney+ or Spotify. You don’t need things taking up space that you already have access to online.
Day 23 – mystery cords and cables
We all have them, don’t we! We think “I don’t know what this cable is for” and pop it somewhere just in case. We’re terrified of throwing away a cable we might need one day.
But the way I see it, if we’ve not needed the cable for 6-12 months, the chances are we don’t need it at all. And with modern technology it’s easy enough to have a quick search for a cable and buy it cheaply if you do find you need it further down the line. Chances are you won’t, but it can be easier to throw things out knowing there are options again in the future.
Day 24 – toys
Depending on the age of the children in question you may want to do this without them! Children can find it difficult to let go and will suddenly want to play with those baby toys they’ve not touched in years.
Consider splitting toys into categories and only keeping a few from each category – board games, make believe, construction, etc. Alternatively, set out the most played with toys into the areas you have for display and storage. Get rid of anything that is left.
If you’re finding it difficult to get rid of toys, find great storage solutions and consider toy rotation. It can be overwhelming for children to have too many toys out at once. Research shows that limiting the number of toys available actually helps children to play better.
Day 25 – outside
Depending on your current set up, this could be a big or small job. Don’t get sucked into pulling up weeds or cleaning the patio furniture. That’s a different challenge! Try to stay focussed on decluttering.
If you have any broken or unwanted outdoor furniture, arrange for it to be collected as soon as possible.
Tackle any garages, sheds, or storage units. If you have a lot of stuff, make quick decisions. Don’t linger.
Day 26 – digital products
This will mean different things to different people. If your work is digital based, this could mean organising your computer desktop, folders and files, and running an antivirus check. If you spend a lot of time on your phone, consider deleting unused apps, sorting through photos and deleting duplicates, or even removing old social media friends/followers who no longer bring you joy.
Close down tabs in your browser, delete old notes in your notes app, and cut the fluff from your contact list. Now doesn’t that feel better?
Day 27 – purse and/or wallet
When was the last time you cleared out all the receipts? Or checked the dates of your gift cards?
Today’s challenge should be a quick one, but it’ll feel so much better to take a clutter-free purse out at the checkout. And just think how annoyed you’d be if you missed the date if your gift card!
If you’re feeling up to an extra challenge, why not see if you have any old purses and bags you can sell/donate?
Day 28 – car
Take out any rubbish and throw it away. If you have kids, don’t forget to check down the sides of the seats – they like to stuff their rubbish everywhere! Check your glove compartment, and if you’re feeling brave, the boot.
Throw out any used air fresheners. Check what CDs and wires have made their way into your car and decide if they should really be there or not.
Day 29 – upstairs and downstairs
Have a walk through every room in your house. Is anything out of place? Is there an area you’ve been desperate to organise that hasn’t been on the list? Well, now is your chance!
We all have different houses, with different layouts and needs. Maybe you have a guest room that’s turned into a junk room where you want to spend your time today? Or maybe you’re venturing another floor up and tackling the loft space. Or perhaps you have a conservatory that’s become overrun with bulk buys? Fancy a quick check for any expired food?
If you’re struggling to find a specific room, spend 10 minutes in each of the 3 areas you found trickiest throughout the month and see if you can make a difference. It’s amazing what we can achieve in just 10 hyper-focused minutes.
Whatever you decide to use today for, use it wisely. This is your last day before the end of the challenge and we want your entire house looking its best!
Day 30 – removal day
Time to revisit those piles you’ve been making. Is one disproportionate to the other? Think carefully about your selling pile. These things still need to live in your house while they’re waiting to be sold. Do you have an area where they can sit without cluttering it up?
Are they really worth selling? Sure, we all like to make a little cash (and sometimes this can be a great way to do it!) but think carefully about the time commitment needed to photograph, list, deal with potential buyers, package, and take to be delivered. Decide for yourself whether the profit to be made is worth the cost of your time. Re-sort your donate/sell piles accordingly.
Once your piles are organised, spend the rest of your time listing as many items to sell as you can. Check things are in a good condition then consider places like eBay, Vinted, Facebook marketplace, or even a good old fashioned garage sale.
Then put your “donate” pile into your car and get it to the local charity shop as soon as possible. For larger items, get the collections organised now. Ultimately, get rid of the piles now. Don’t let them hang around causing more clutter!
You made it!
Congratulations! You just completed a 30-day declutter challenge. Give yourself the day off! Take a quick tour of your home and enjoy the fruits of your labour. If you took any before photos, flick back through them and appreciate how far you’ve come. Hopefully, you can see a huge difference in your now tidy home.
Worried that you haven’t had the results you’d hoped? Don’t panic! The joy of this challenge is that you can do it over again as many times as needed. I would recommend taking at least a month off (let’s admit it’s been tough keeping up with the commitment!) to reflect, to regroup, and to reconsider your priority areas. When you’re ready, simply start back at the beginning. It’ll be easier the second time. And even easier the third time. It took me three attempts before I really felt like I’d made a difference, but my house was pretty overwhelming before starting.
In fact, even if you are satisfied with the results, and feel like you have the perfect, clutter-free home, then I would still recommend completing the challenge every 6-12 months to keep on top. It’s amazing how quickly we gather clutter and how quickly things can spiral out of control if we don’t keep an eye on it.
Free Printable
