My Top 3 Simple and Effective Methods for Decluttering Your Home

The Minimalism Challenge

The Minimalism Challenge is a 30-day challenge created by The Minimalists. How it’s traditionally approached is for one month you declutter the number of items that corresponds to the day of the month so that by the end of the month you’ve decluttered 465 items.

However, I like to approach it a bit differently. Instead of decluttering 1 item on the first day of the month, 2 items on the second day, etc. I will pick an area to declutter and however many items I declutter, I will mark off a calendar. I like to print off and use the calendar templates below or you could also track it digitally through a Google Calendar or Notion template. This way I don’t limit myself if I declutter more or I don’t pressure myself if I don’t find much to declutter for that day.

If you’re ready to give the minimalism challenge a try, check out these Calendar Printables by printabulls!

Reverse Hanger Trick

For this method, you get to choose what period of time you would like to use. Some people find it helpful to do this per season if they change out their wardrobe each season. Others find it helpful to do monthly, especially if your wardrobe is smaller in size because you will rotate through clothing faster. And lastly others, like me, prefer to do it yearly if their wardrobe contains items for all seasons. This way they have a weather-appropriate opportunity to wear all of their items.

At the start of your chosen time-frame, you are going to turn every hanger for every item backwards in your closet. As you wear your garments, you will rehang your clothes hangers the proper direction. By the time you’ve reached the end of the time frame, you will declutter any items that remain on hangers facing backward. For me, it’s important that I do this yearly since many of my items do not get warn until cooler temperatures mid-winter.

Sometimes it can be hard to let go of those unworn items so if you’re really struggling another tip I have is to add a ribbon or some kind of identifier to items that weren’t worn once time is up. Go through one more round of the reverse hanger trick and if that ribbon adorned hanger is still backwards, it’s time to say goodbye.

$20 | 20 Minute Rule

The $20, 20 minute rule makes decluttering incredibly simple. The basic idea behind it is if an item is less than $20 and you could replace it in less than 20 minutes, declutter it. Of course you only want to use this for items that are no longer serving you, don’t use this for your cutlery you use every day or your favorite blanket. However, this method can be incredibly helpful for decluttering items that you find yourself holding on to just in case you need them some day.

And there you have it, my top 3 favorite decluttering techniques. Keep in mind that decluttering is not a sprint. It takes time, but that doesn’t mean you have to set aside hours upon hours or even days. If you’re feeling overwhelmed, set a timer for yourself (maybe 30 minutes) and start somewhere small like a drawer or surface that’s currently home to random objects. If you finish before the timer is up, congrats! Enjoy the last few minutes as me-time. If the timer finishes but you still have work to do, you can either set it aside until you have another 30 minutes to spare or keep going if you feel motivated.

Because I know you’re going to work hard to accomplish your decluttering goals, I encourage you to treat yourself to some flowers or a sweet treat to celebrate. What other decluttering techniques have you found helpful? I would love to hear your ideas in the comments below.