31-Day Home Declutter Challenge

Did you ever start a massive home declutter project and get halfway through it only to wonder why you started this overwhelming task in the first place? It’s too big, too time-consuming, and too exhausting. You’re not alone. This happens to all of us from time to time. What seems like an insignificant chore turns into a huge mess that takes weeks to finish – if you finish it at all. If that sounds like you, try this Home Declutter Challenge!

As a result, you stuff everything back into a closet or the garage and quit because you’re no longer motivated. The thought of taking this huge chunk of time out of your very busy day seems counterproductive when you can easily hide everything and walk away. Out of sight, out of mind. This leaves you with a feeling of defeat that leads to a nice long nap and a pile of clutter that grows with every passing day.

It doesn’t have to be this way. With the abundance of decluttering challenges available, you should be able to find one that fits your needs and your level of motivation. A good method that is simple, time-saving, and effective is the 31-day detox decluttering challenge. It takes only 15 minutes to get rid of at least 10 items per day. I know. It’s hard to believe that it can be done in that short amount of time, but you’ll have a framework to keep you on track.

Below is a schedule from The Household Organization Diet to help you get started. Before you dive in, remember to lease a safe, affordable, self storage unit. You may have items that you want to donate or pass on to a friend or family member. You can store them and think about how to distribute or donate them later. This way you won’t be distracted from the task at hand. Handy Storage has a variety of units in the right size to fit your needs and your budget.

Start Your 31-Day Home Declutter Challenge

To get started on this task, you need some garbage bags for trash and a few bins for items that will go to your self storage unit. Remember to work quickly and stay focused. This is not a cleaning project; you’re decluttering to prepare for the bigger tasks.

Day 1: Paper: Go through bills, receipts, and any other miscellaneous piles of paperwork. Toss or shred what you no longer need.

Day 2: Entry, Mudroom, Coat Closets. Get ready to donate what you no longer use and stash seasonal items in storage.

Day 3: Handbags. Empty all of your purses and sort through receipts and random bits of paper. File what’s important and dispose of the rest. Put all make-up and other essentials into a small cosmetic bag that can be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use, and dispose of any in poor condition.

Day 4: Cleaning Supplies. Get rid of all products you no longer use. If you have multiple, partially-filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Dispose of cleaning rags and that are no longer useful.

Day 5: Refrigerator: Dispose of anything that you won’t use or has expired. Minimize packaging to save space.

Day 6: Pantry. As with the refrigerator, dispose of expired items and anything you won’t use.

Day 7: Free for All. This is your catch-up day. If you’re all caught up, choose the most cluttered area in your home and dispose of a few things there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets. Get ready to store any items that you don’t have room for. Kitchen gadgets that you never use, non-essential small appliances, and duplicate utensils can go into your storage unit.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinets. Expired medications should be destroyed. Return them to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.

Day 10: Dining Room: Commit to keeping your table free of clutter. Find storage for the items that frequently end up on the table. Donate or store any dishes or flatware that you seldom use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area. Videos and music are easily accessible through mobile devices and streaming services. Nevertheless, if you’re still using CDs and DVDs, be sure that they are in the proper cases and keep only what you regularly use.

Day 12: Books and Magazines. Magazines and books are easily available digitally. If you are an avid reader and don’t want to let go of your treasured books, put them in storage until you can build or buy bookcases or shelves. If you change your mind, you can donate them later. As far as magazines, dispose of them. If there is an article or recipe that you can’t live without, look for it digitally or cut it out and file it later.

Day 13: Junk Drawer. We all have one. Sort through it, trash what you don’t need, rehome items that belong elsewhere and use divided containers for the remainder.

Day 14: Free For All. (Same as Day 7)

Day 15: Desk. File necessary paperwork, sort small office supplies, and keep only what you use.

Day 16: Bathroom Cabinets. Sort through toiletries and keep only what you use.

Day 17: Linen Closet. Toss or donate any items that you no longer use.

Day 18: Makeup. Organize your makeup and dispose of anything that you don’t like or don’t want.

Day 19: Jewelry. Discard or donate any costume jewelry that you no longer wear. If any of your valuable pieces need cleaning or repair, take them to a reputable jeweler.

Day 20: Bedroom Closet. If you haven’t worn it for a year, it’s doubtful that you’ll ever wear it again. Store these items and decide later whether to donate or discard them.

Day 21: Free For All. (Same as Day 7)

Day 22: Socks and Underwear. Only keep what is in good condition. Toss any stray socks.

Day 23: Nightstand. Clean off the top and keep only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Toys. Sort through all the toys and think about what the kids still enjoy. You can involve them if they are old enough to understand that there are things they no longer use. Donate toys that have all of their parts and are in working order.

Day 25: Kids’ Closets. Donate what no longer fits unless you’re saving items for younger children. The items you keep for this purpose go to the storage unit.

Day 26: Craft Space. Only keep what you really need. You may be able to donate some supplies to your local schools.

Day 27: Laundry Room. Sort through cabinets for outdated and unused laundry supplies and trash them.

Day 28: Free For All. (Same as Day 7)

Day 29: Basement. This is undoubtedly a huge source of clutter. Get rid of as many items as possible in your allotted 15 minutes. Eventually, this can be one of your major projects, and you’ll be happy to have that self storage unit.

Day 30: Garage. This is another source of clutter. Attack this in the same way that you did your basement. Down the road, this will be another huge project.

Day 31: Your Car. Get rid of the garbage and return any items that belong in the house. Put everything that is returned to the house in its proper place.

You’re Finished!
Remember to set a timer so that you don’t spend too much time on any one decluttering task. It’s important to keep this simple so that you don’t lose motivation and give up. After a few weeks, you can go to your self storage unit and sort through your stored items to eliminate even more clutter.

Now that you’ve completed this challenge, you can move on to the next round of major projects. You’re definitely going to need that self storage unit for this one.