Room-by-Room Decluttering Challenge: Your Guide to a Simpler Home

Ready to simplify your home and refresh your space? This room-by-room declutter challenge is your step-by-step guide to transforming your home into a sanctuary of calm and order. From common problem areas to overlooked spaces, we’ll share unique and unusual decluttering tips to make the process easier—and maybe even fun!

Why Decluttering Matters

Decluttering isn’t just about making your home look tidy. It’s about creating space for what truly matters, reducing stress, and making daily life more manageable. A clutter-free home can boost productivity, enhance focus, and even improve mental health.

So grab your favorite playlist 🎶, a few boxes for sorting, and let’s get started!

A Simple Algorithm

Step 1. Use Two Boxes for Sorting

Grab two boxes or baskets before starting in any room:

• Box 1: For items you haven’t used in a long time. These items often just take up space, collect dust, and disrupt the overall atmosphere. Evaluate each item—donate, recycle, or discard anything unnecessary.

• Box 2: For things that don’t belong in the room you’re decluttering. Return these items to their rightful place once you’re finished.

Step 2. Target “Hot Spots”

Identify clutter-prone areas, also known as “hot spots,” where items tend to accumulate. Common examples include:

• The coffee table in the living room.

• The hallway shelf for keys and small items.

Dedicate 5–10 minutes daily to tidying these hot spots. Consistency will prevent clutter from building up again.

Step 3. Assign Ownership to Every Item

Decluttering becomes easier when each item has a designated owner and place. Here’s how:

• For shared spaces, ensure each family member knows which items belong to them. This simple rule encourages accountability and helps keep common areas tidy.

• Teach children the importance of returning items to their designated spots. A fun tip: Implement a rule where misused items are temporarily off-limits to reinforce good habits.

Once ownership is clear, assign specific storage spots for everything. Label shelves, drawers, or boxes to make tidying up simple and intuitive.

Step 4. Declutter Systematically and Set Time Limits

Avoid burnout by working systematically:

• Spend 1–1.5 hours daily or on weekends decluttering specific areas.

• Make it a habit to get rid of 10–20 unnecessary items each week. Adjust the number to fit your comfort level.

• Use a timer to stay focused. When the time is up, stop and shift your energy to other tasks.

In just a couple of months, you’ll notice a dramatic improvement in your space.

Step 5. Organize with Purpose

Every surface in your home should serve a function—either practical or aesthetic. Here’s how to approach this:

• Aesthetic Spaces: Keep only items that spark joy or hold meaningful memories. Eliminate anything that feels like visual clutter.

• Practical Spaces: Use organizers to make storage efficient. Examples include:

• Fold T-shirts vertically in a drawer to easily see and access them without disrupting the stack.

• Use office organizers in the kitchen for small items like spice packets or utensils.

• Store loose items like remotes and chargers in baskets or bins.

Step 6. Store Items Where You Use Them Most

Save time and energy by organizing items near where they are most frequently used. Examples include:

• Charging Stations: Keep chargers by your bed if you use them there often.

• Living Room Essentials: Use a decorative basket with a lid for frequently used items like books, magazines, remotes, and glasses.

• Kitchen Tools: Store utensils or small appliances close to their primary workspace to streamline cooking and meal prep.

Room-by-Room Decluttering Tips

1. Entryway: Welcome Simplicity at the Door

The entryway is the first impression of your home. Decluttering here sets the tone for the rest of the house.

Tips for a clutter-free entryway:

• Use a “one-touch” rule: Everything you bring inside should go directly to its designated place.

• Repurpose a shoe organizer: Use it for winter hats, scarves, or dog-walking essentials—not just shoes.

• Create a “launch pad”: Dedicate a basket or tray for daily must-haves like keys, wallets, and sunglasses.

2. Kitchen: Streamline Your Cooking Space

The kitchen often becomes a catch-all for unused gadgets and expired items.

Tips for Decluttering the Kitchen:

• Zone out your drawers: Assign a specific purpose to each drawer (e.g., baking tools, utensils). Stick to it!

• Magnetize the undersides: Install magnetic strips under cabinets to hang measuring spoons or spice jars.

• Declutter your fridge “digitally”: Take a photo of your fridge before grocery shopping to avoid duplicates.

3. Living Room: Clear the Hub of the Home

This shared space can easily accumulate everything from books, toys to forgotten remote controls.

Decluttering Tips:

• The “2-cushion rule”: Only keep throw pillows that fit within 2 cushions’ worth of space.

• Audit your décor: Take a picture of your living room, then review it. Items that don’t stand out or serve a purpose can go.

• Bundle your cords: Use a cord-management box to keep chargers and remotes neat and tidy.

4. Bedroom: Create a Sanctuary for Rest

Your bedroom should feel peaceful and clutter-free, promoting better sleep and relaxation.

Creative Bedroom Decluttering Ideas:

• Declutter your nightstand weekly: Keep only 3 essential items (e.g., a lamp, book, and water glass).

• Flip your hangers backward: After wearing an item, turn the hanger the right way. At the end of 6 months, donate unworn clothes still hanging backward.

• Downsize your bedding: Rotate and store extra sets of sheets elsewhere to prevent linen overload.

5. Bathroom: Simplify Your Self-Care Routine

Small bathrooms often overflow with half-used products.

Rare Decluttering Tips for Bathrooms:

• Use the expiration sniff test: Unsure if something’s expired? If it smells “off,” it’s time to toss it.

• Declutter by categories: Focus on one type of item at a time—like hair care, skincare, or first aid supplies.

• Repurpose jars for storage: Old candle jars make perfect holders for cotton balls, hair ties, or travel-sized products.

6. Home Office: Maximize Productivity

A clutter-free workspace can help you stay focused and productive.

Smart Home Office Decluttering Tips:

• Digitize as much as possible: Scan papers and store them in cloud-based systems like Google Drive or Dropbox.

• Set a limit for office supplies: Only keep what fits in a single organizer or drawer.

• Adopt the “end-of-day reset” rule: Spend 5 minutes tidying your desk at the end of every workday.

Bonus Tips for a Successful Declutter Challenge

• Declutter with a timer: Set a timer for 15 minutes per session. Short bursts prevent overwhelm and keep you motivated.

• Adopt the “one in, one out” rule: For every new item you bring into your home, remove one old item.

• Practice gratitude: Reflect on the value each item brought before letting it go—this can ease the letting-go process.

Stay Committed to Simplicity

Decluttering is a journey, not a one-time event. By tackling your home room by room, you’ll build momentum and see real progress. And the best part? The sense of calm and satisfaction that comes with a simplified home.

Are you ready to take on the challenge? Share your decluttering journey in the comments or tag us on social media with your before-and-after photos! Let’s inspire each other to embrace simplicity and create homes we truly love.