Easy 30-Day Declutter Challenge with a Printable Roadmap!
If random crap is weighing you down, try this 30-day declutter challenge! Easily declutter your home with the free printable roadmap.
About two weeks ago I dropped off two SUV loads – large SUV loads – of crap at the local Goodwill. My studio was a mess and I was tired of it, so I decided to try out my own “decluttering challenge.”
I was able to declutter my home and it changed my life, so now I want to you to change your life too by getting rid of your excess crap!
Let me give you a little background on where I’m at with “stuff” in my life these days.
In 2012 I packed up all of my items into a storage pod and moved across the country for a very short period of time.
2012 was a rough year for me personally, so I didn’t do a lot of purging then – I did a lot of just throwing stuff into boxes.
When I returned from across the country, I got an apartment and a storage unit and stuck the stuff in both.
When I moved – 2 years later – I STILL had boxes in the corner of the apartment that I never opened. Who does that? Me, apparently. In 2014 I moved into an even smaller space and kept the storage unit.
In late 2015 I finally got rid of the storage unit and migrated that stuff to my studio. And two weeks ago? The clean out that should have happened four years ago finally did. And I feel FREE.
The clothing I never wear? Gone. The craft supplies I had good intentions of using? Gone. The toiletries I saved because I thought they might still be good? Double gone.
It made such a big different in my life! It’s easier to find stuff, it’s cheaper because I don’t have to store stuff. I find that especially for me, “things” weigh me down. Not just physically, but emotionally.
Do you want to be free from crap too? I’ve put together a 30-day decluttering challenge that breaks up the process into something manageable.
Decluttering Methods
If you want to declutter, there are a lot of popular methods to try. Read through the methods below and start with one that works best for you and your personality.
You can always try one of the other methods if you’re not seeing the results you want! Not all of these span 30 days, but I wanted to give you some options in addition to my challenge. Pick what works best for you!
KonMari Method
Instead of focusing on what to ditch, this method is based on what you should keep based on what sparks joy in your heart.
I like this method because it forces you to explore your connection to physical items a bit more than the others. Which, even though I’m not a very emotional person, somehow strikes a chord.
Pros: You get rid of those items that have been weighing you down in one fell swoop. It also reduces guilt, in my opinion.
Cons: It’s going to take a lot of time to do it, because technically you need to hold each item. Also my husband would say that everything he owns sparks joy, even his first cassette deck from the 80s that no longer works.
I think that, to a certain extent, this method takes the right personality to execute appropriately.
Closet Hangers Method
If you haven’t tried this decluttering method before, you’re in for a treat – it’s REALLY easy. It’s a method that’s been around for a long time, and you don’t have to buy/watch/read anything special to make it happen.
All you’ll do is place your items in the closet with all of the hangers facing one way. After you’ve worn an item, place it on the hanger and then turn the hanger the other way on the rack.
After a certain time frame, you’ll know what you’ve worn and what you haven’t in one glance.
Pros: Simple – no investment – you can start today. Well, maybe you need to buy more hangers.
Cons: This is really just for clothing, and it doesn’t necessarily work for items in drawers. I feel that you can modify this method easily though.
Packing Party
With a packing party, you’ll simply put everything you own (within reason) into clearly labeled boxes.
You’ll set a time frame, and remove stuff from the boxes as you need it. If you don’t touch it within your time frame, you can simply take the box to the Goodwill. It’s already packed.
Pros: It’s a very straight forward method to declutter your home that makes sense – and everything’s already in the box!
Cons: I like this method for everything but clothes. I’m definitely an “if I can see it, I’ll probably wear it” person. Just because it’s still in the box after a month doesn’t mean I’m not going to ever wear it.
Four Bag Method
You may have heard this method also referred to as the “four box” or “four pile” method. It’s a classic that professional organizers have used for years.
You’ll simply organize your items into four piles (or bags, or boxes): Donate, Keep, Recycle, Trash. Every single item must go into one of four piles to declutter your home.
Pros: It works for every item in your home (very thorough), and it’s simple to understand.
Cons: You need the room to make your four piles, and essentially make a big mess. If you choose to use this method by room, I recommend leaving yourself time (a few hours?) at the end of each room so that you can dispose, recycle, donate, etc.
One Method
If you aren’t sure where to start with decluttering or are intimidated by the whole process, this is the method to start with.
All you need to do is get rid of one item a day, whether it be into the trash, recycle, or donation pile. Not only is this method great for beginners, it’s great for those doing maintenance as well.
Pros: Probably the easiest to understand and abide by out of any of the methods. It’s one item a day, no rules. It can get you into the habit of normal decluttering so that you never have to do a huge purge.
Cons: You have to be disciplined for this method – potentially setting up notifications on your phone/watch. It’s also going to take awhile.
Those are the methods to declutter your home. Are you ready to get started on the 30 day declutter challenge?? You can start to declutter your home today!
Grab your free printable HERE.
What do you think? Are you ready to declutter your home? Of course you are! Let me know how your challenge is going in the comments . . . I can’t wait to hear how you feel!
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This is so awesome! I’m DEFINITELY going to pin this and use it so that I can actually get my house clean before spring gets here!
Paige
https://www.thehappyflammily.com/
Thank you for the great printable!
I liked the fact that it was a 30 day challenge, so it’s a small chore every day and you don’t get burned or overwhelmed.
Thank you for this idea!