You can sign up to my 7 day decluttering challenge for free here. Alternatively, for the simplified version you can read this blog post.
Before We Start…
What is Clutter?
Clutter is a collection of things in an untidy state. If you have clutter in your home, you’ve come to the right place!
How to do This Challenge
Set some time aside each day to do this challenge. It may take you longer if you have a lot of clutter. You may also find that perhaps you don’t have much spare time to do it 7 days in a row. If this is the case, try doing it one day each week over a 7 week period if this is more manageable.
Day 1 – Tech Decluttering Day
- Gather any wires and technical things. Get rid of anything you no longer use (old wires, etc), and put the remaining things neatly in one area so you can easily find what you need.
- Delete any unused apps on your phone
- Delete any friends off of your social media who you no longer connect with or who do not treat you well
Day 2 – Kitchen Decluttering Day
- Clean out the fridge of anything out of date, including condiments
- Make a list of anything you got rid of that needs replacing for when you next do a food shop
- Clear and clean work surfaces
Day 3 – Bedroom Decluttering Day
- Make your bed
- Go through your clothes and make a pile of the things you no longer wear, to donate or recycle
- Pick up anything that is on the floor and put it away
If you have kids, this can be a particularly challenging one. If there is a lot on the floor, put the items into organised piles (eg: cars, dolls, trains, etc). If you can, put each in a separate box. This will help when it comes to the lounge decluttering on day 6 too if toys have dedicated boxes.
Day 4 – Bathroom Decluttering Day
- Go through the cupboards and dispose of anything you no longer need
- Wipe the surfaces
- Return the items you chose to keep neatly into the cupboard.
Day 5 – Office Decluttering Day:
If you don’t have an office in your house, focus on the area where you keep any paperwork and stationary. If you don’t have a place for all your stationary and it is scattered throughout the house, consider grouping them all together so they are easy to locate when you need them.
- File any un-filed paperwork
- Create a separate pile of paperwork that needs action taken
- Work through that pile until you have completed the pile – no cheating 😉 It’s so easy to think ‘I’ll deal with that later’, but that’s how things pile up and end up feeling perhaps out of control. Take control and take care of it today.
Day 6 – Lounge/Dining Room Decluttering Day
- Pick up anything that is on the floor and put it away. If there is a lot on the floor, categorise and make separate piles so it is easy to put those things away when you have finished sorting.
Day 7 – Garage Decluttering Day
- Pick out what you don’t need or want any more and either bin, recycle or donate it. If you have large items, make a pile for the ‘tip’, or recycling centre as it’s called these days! (Does anyone in the UK still remember the rag and bone man who used to come past in his truck shouting “rag and bone” at the top of his voice?! Then everyone with any junk came running out to throw their big unused items in the lorry! Showing my age now… ;))
- Put things into categories on shelves or in boxes so it is easy to find what you need
If your garage is very full, this may take several attempts before it is finished, but it will be worth it 🙂 I have done this over the last few years. I have gradually chipped away at it, and the organisation now makes me feel much more relaxed when I enter that space.
You’ve reached the end of the 7 day challenge!
How do you feel?! Let me know in the comments how you found the challenge.
If you fancy trying one of my other challenges, here is the link to my mindful eating challenge, and here is my 30 day mindfulness challenge.
You can also access my free course, The Top 10 Mindfulness Questions Answered.