14 TINY DECLUTTERING PROJECTS TO MAKE DECLUTTERING FEEL EASIER
Decluttering can feel overwhelming if you don’t know how or where to start. Try these tiny decluttering projects to help you clear your clutter and create space without stress or hassle.
TINY DECLUTTERING PROJECTS
When we talk about decluttering, we often think in terms of big stuff. Big projects that will make an equally big difference to what our home looks like and feels like to live in.
As a result, decluttering can seem daunting, difficult and off-putting, especially when you don’t know where or how to start or you don’t have much time or motivation.
I wanted to write this post to let you know that decluttering doesn’t have to be big. Little things count too and, when added together over time, they can make a big difference.
Many of us don’t have the time, energy or emotional capacity to spend a whole weekend clearing our clutter. A decluttered home gives us calm, peace and space but achieving that isn’t always easy!
When we’re juggling work, family and daily life, it’s just not realistic for many of us to put life on hold whilst we declutter our entire home.
So, if you’re pushed for time, don’t feel inclined to tackle the bigger decluttering projects in life or simply want to dip your toe in the water and make a little start today, this post is for you!
Here are some tiny decluttering projects that you could try when you feel like it!
DECLUTTERING PROJECTS TO GET YOU STARTED
These tiny decluttering projects will help you begin to clear your clutter in small, bite-sized chunks. Where you have the time or motivation, I’ve included links to helpful posts or suggestions for how you can carry on.
Starting something is often the most difficult part so if you manage to declutter one book or one email and would like to carry on with all your books or all your emails, then do just that! If not, one book or one email still makes a difference!
TINY DECLUTTERING PROJECTS
Here are 14 tiny decluttering projects to make decluttering feel easier.
- An app on your phone: If you get rid of one, perhaps sort through the rest and organise what’s left.
- Unsubscribe from an email newsletter: Read more about how to do a digital declutter.
- A book on your bookshelf: A book you’ve read but won’t read again or a book you’ve never read and won’t ever read. Can you find any more books like that?
- A kitchen utensil, appliance, plate or mug: You don’t need to tackle the whole kitchen in one go. Just one item, cupboard or drawer at a time.
- Out-of-date cooking spices and herbs: Keep a list of anything you need to replace. If you still have time, why not try another type of food or section of your pantry?
- Socks with holes: Read my post for more tips on decluttering clothes.
- Expired medicine: Make a list of what you need to replace or if you’re running low of anything.
- The top of your bedside table: Read this post on making your bedroom a sanctuary.
- The front of your fridge: Photos, lists, kids’ artwork. Keep what you need and you like to look at, get rid of the rest or, perhaps better still, find another place for all of it?!
- Your computer desktop: Remove distractions, get organised and be more productive by limiting the icons and saved files and closing those multiple tabs.
- Make-up you don’t like: If you don’t like it, you probably don’t wear it, so do you really need to keep it?
- A broken toy or toy that’s never played with: Read more tips on decluttering toys.
- Your purse/wallet/bag: Sort through old receipts and the random stuff which we collect in our bags and carry around with us every day.
- Recycling: This still counts as decluttering in my book!
HOW TO START DECLUTTERING
The great thing about these tiny decluttering projects is that they’re quick and easy to do – right now. They’re deliberately tiny to begin with but, if you want to carry on, then you can.
- One app may lead to all your apps
- One email may lead to all your emails
- One book may lead to all your books
The psychology behind this is that tiny actions are easier to do. We don’t feel overwhelmed or that we don’t have time or energy.
Tiny decluttering projects that give quick wins are great for our motivation and enthusiasm. Whereas deciding to declutter our entire home over the course of one weekend might seem unrealistic and hard work!
Knowing how and where to start decluttering is the key to successful decluttering – however big or small your intended decluttering project.
With these tiny decluttering projects, I asked you what to do and it was probably pretty easy to carry them out. However, what about if I asked you to go and declutter your kitchen or your garage? A little bit more daunting? Probably yes for most of us!
TIPS TO HELP YOU START DECLUTTERING
Here are some tips to help you start decluttering:
1. Start somewhere easy
Start decluttering in an easy place such as the bathroom. If you read this post on how to declutter your bathroom, there’s a free printable you can use to help guide you.
2. Break it down
Break decluttering down into small chunks, either by area, type of item or by a specific window of time. Too big a project or too open-ended the time you allocate to it, may make decluttering feel off-putting.
3. Prepare beforehand
Get prepared before you start decluttering. Have all the decluttering supplies you need to hand so you don’t have to stop and start. Once you’ve started, ideally you want to carry on until that project is complete.
4. Get rid of your unwanted items
Know what you’re going to do with the items you don’t want to keep. Are you going to donate, sell, recycle or throw them? Think about your options before you start decluttering and get rid of your stuff as part of the decluttering process.
FURTHER READING
I hope you enjoyed this list of tiny decluttering projects. Drop a comment below and let me know which was your favourite!
There are plenty of tips to make decluttering easier and I’ve included some links to further reading and resources which you might find helpful.
- Decluttering as self-care
- 5 life-changing benefits of decluttering your home and life
- 10 ways to make decluttering easier
- How to declutter sentimental items
- Declutter Starter Kit – a free workbook to help you start clearing your clutter and create space and calm right now!