Declutter Challenges

This month's declutter challenge is to create a daily decluttering routine or ritual to help you make a little progress every single day. I recommend starting with a daily item count or a daily block of time. For instance:

• Declutter 1–5 items per day
• Declutter for 5–10 minutes per day

You can change the item count or time but make this so small that you can't not do it almost every day. Make this easy for yourself by keeping a box or bag in a place where it's easy to drop items to donate.

Here we go, another month to reach towards our goal of being mostly clutter-free by the end of the year (or within a year depending on when you got started). This month, I invite you to focus on a miscellaneous space that not everyone has. For instance, declutter your car, your laundry room, playroom or home office.

When I'm decluttering or making a big change and trying to decide what to do next, I choose either the thing I'm most interested in or the thing that's causing me the most stress. If another space or category of clutter makes more sense to work on, go for it! I'd love to hear what you decide to focus on for the month.

July Declutter Challenge:

This month's challenge is to declutter your living room or main living area. Take a good look at each thing in the room. Do you use it? Does it contribute to you living the way you want in that space? If not, remove it. Put it where it belongs or donate it.

It’s bathroom month for our Declutter Challenge. Use this month to let go of anything in your bathrooms that you don't use. From extra towels to cosmetics and toiletries, consider what you actually use on a day-to-day basis. Start by removing what’s expired (​this chart will help​). Read more about the ​expiration of your skincare here​ (NYT gift link). You probably use the same things every day but you have those free samples, and that eye shadow you bought (to go from day to night) that you never use. Keep your favorite products you use routinely, and let go of the rest.

Bathrooms are generally a small space so take time to go through all of it. If you have unopened travel size products like toothpaste, soap, or shampoo, bring it to a local homeless shelter. If you have medications that are expired, ​dispose of them properly​.

This month, I invite you to turn your focus to your bedroom. When it comes to taking care of ourselves, good sleep is at the top of the list. If you completely declutter your bedroom, you can create a more peaceful space for snoozing.

If you have a bedside table or night stand of some sort, start there. Make that small space your minimalist sanctuary. Clear out anything that doesn't support the restful space you want to create. Let that space inspire the rest of the room.

If your bedroom is relatively clutter-free, consider other steps you can take to encourage better sleep. What's the lighting situation? How much tech do you keep nearby? Consider an experiment for better sleep and see what happens.

This month, as we begin a new quarter in 2025, I'd like to invite you to create your own challenge. You can revisit the challenges from January, February and March if you didn't get a chance to work on them. Or choose a new place that feels just right for April. You might choose this month to close the loop on any current decluttering projects you have going too.

This month, I invite you to focus on your closets. Yes, all of them! With our intention of becoming mostly clutter free by the end of the year, I recommend a gentle/radical approach of removing anything and everything you don't wear.

Here comes the gentle part. Don't donate anything (yet). Instead, box it up and get it out of sight. At the end of the month, you can decide what to do with the excess. You don't have to ask any questions other than, "Do I wear this?" If the answer is "NO" then out it goes.

In January, we worked on the easy stuff and if you want to stay there, please do. February's Challenge is to declutter your kitchen. Here's what I recommend:

1. Stock up on boxes or bags for the items you'll be donating.
2. Schedule time each week through the month for a decluttering pass of the "easy stuff"—you decide how frequently or for how long but get it on your calendar.
3. Start with the extras. I'm looking at you coffee cups, water bottles, measuring cups, wire whisks and wooden spoons. Do you have more than one set of dishes? You may need more than one of some things but be honest about the things you have too many of.
4. Next work space by space, going through each cabinet and counter space. Only keep the things you actually use.
5. At the end of your session, seal the bag or box and donate it.

The kitchen is often where we spend the most time. Make space to enjoy that!

We'll get to room by room and other category suggestions but in the spirit of a Gentle January, your challenge is to declutter the easy stuff. Here's what I recommend:

1. Stock up on boxes or bags for the items you'll be donating.
2. Schedule time each week through the month for a decluttering pass of the "easy stuff"—you decide how frequently or for how long but get it on your calendar.
3. During your scheduled times, turn on music or a movie or podcast that lifts you up and walk around your home with your bags or boxes and fill them up with things you don't care about, the stuff you didn't remember you had, stuff you don't know exactly what it is, does or belongs. Basically, get rid of anything you know you won't miss or even remember.
4. At the end of your session, seal the bag or box and donate it.

I like starting with the easy stuff because there is nothing to overthink.