Decluttering your home can be a huge task if you’ve never done it before, have a lot of stuff, don’t have much time or energy or aren’t in the right mindset to just dig in and get started. To help you declutter your home, one day and one step at a time, check out this post on 365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days.
MAKING A PLAN TO DECLUTTER
This year, let’s get to grips with the clutter in your home and make a plan to tackle it head on. Follow my list of 365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days and you’ll make slow, but steady progress.
By the end of the year you’ll have a much more clutter-free home and an easier, simpler life!
Some of these 365 ways are quick and easy, others will take longer and require a bit more effort and planning. There’s no need to follow the order I’ve laid out so you can pick and choose your own order depending on what suits you and the time and space you have available.
Just try to pick off one way each day. That’s 365 ways to a decluttered home and a decluttered life in 365 days.
To give you some further help and support, some of the ways I’ve listed are links to other blog posts I’ve written. So click these links if you need further information, support and it’s an area you need to spend a bit more time on.
Remember the saying that ‘no pain, no gain’? So, even though it seems like a long list (and it is!), just tick off one way each day and you’ll have a decluttered home and life that’s definitely worth the effort!
So, let’s get started…
365 WAYS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 365 DAYS
- Clothes you never wear
- Damaged clothes
- Stained clothes
- Broken toys
- Odd socks
- Pens without lids
- Old magazines
- Books you’ve never read
- Books you’ve read but will never read again
- Earrings that don’t have a pair
- Broken jewellery
- Clothes that don’t fit
- Clothes that you haven’t worn in the last 2 years
- Maternity clothes that you won’t use again
- Towels that have holes
- Towels that are threadbare
- Bath products that you haven’t used in a year
- Cosmetics that you haven’t used in months
- Old nailvarnish bottles
- Extra sets of bed linen that you no longer need
- Bed linen that is torn or worn
- Extra towels that you don’t need
- Toys that your kids have grown out of
- Old kids’ clothes that are damaged or have holes in them
- Jigsaw puzzles with pieces missing
- Paints and play dough that your kids don’t use any more
- Bedding that doesn’t fit the beds you currently have
- Your kids’ artwork that you don’t want to keep
- Clothes that no longer fit you
- The contents of your bedside table after you’ve decluttered it
- Kitchen gadgets you don’t use
- Excess mugs you don’t use
- Excess glassware you don’t use
- Excess plates you don’t use
- Excess knives, forks and other cutlery you don’t use
- Stale food
- Food that’s past it’s best before date
- Spices you never use
- Serving dishes you never use
- Stuff in the freezer that’s been there for years
- Cleaning products you bought but never use
- Scarves you never use
- Handbags you never use
- Pictures hanging on the walls that you don’t really like
- Photos on the shelves you don’t really like
- Ornaments on the shelves you don’t really like
- Anything on your bedside table that you don’t need for that night
- Bath toys that your kids never use
- Hair accessories your daughter never wears
- Hair accessories that have bits missing or have lost their elasticity
- Old diaries that you’ve kept but not sure why
- ‘Just in case’ items
- Pieces of spare fabric that you never get around to using
- Spare bits of gift wrap that you’ll never use
- Old medicines that are past their expiry date
- Baby wipes that have dried up
- Clothes hangers that you don’t use
- Broken tools
- Garden tools that you never use
- Tools that have parts missing
- Arts and crafts materials that you no longer use
- Paint in your garage that’s been there for years
- Broken outdoor toys
- Flat footballs
- Bicycles that your kids have outgrown
- Old magazines
- Pens that don’t work
- Old DVDs
- Old CDs
- Instruction manuals for things you don’t have anymore
- Old receipts that you no longer need
- Paperwork that you don’t need to keep
- Cables, leads and wires for computers, printers etc that you no longer need
- Tights with ladders
- Socks with holes
- Flyers and leaflets that come through the post
- Furniture that you don’t like
- Storage solutions that you don’t need
- Plastic bottles and other recyclable items
- Old newspapers
- General rubbish
- Bad odours
- Negative thoughts
- Lots of arguing
- Too much screen time
- Darkness – open the curtains and let in the light
- Damp
- Dirt
- Mess
- Clear the kitchen worktops
- Appliances you don’t use
- Foreign currency you’re not likely to use
- Get everything off the floor and clear the floor space
- Take everything off the stairs – they’re not extra shelves!
- Curtains that haven’t been washed in years – wash them!
- Keys that you don’t know what they’re for
- The contents of your purse
- The contents of your partner’s wallet (with their agreement!)
- The contents of your handbag
- Old remote controls you no longer use
- Old perfumes that have gone stale
- Old aftershaves that have gone stale
- Cufflinks that don’t have a pair
- Scooters your kids never use
- Bad habits
- Routines that don’t work for you
- Your car
- Your garage
- Your loft/attic
- Your wardrobe
- Your bathroom
- Your home office
- Your porch
- Your garden shed
- Your living room
- Your kitchen
- Your hallway/entrance way
- Old mobile phones and accessories
- Excess plastic bags
- Anything on your calendar that you don’t want to do
- Receipts you no longer need
- Bank statements you no longer need
- Debit and credit cards that have expired
- Old glasses that you never wear
- Junk mail
- Pens that don’t work anymore
- Glue that doesn’t work anymore
- Dead batteries
- Unused cookbooks
- Food that you’re not likely to use
- Storage containers that you’re not likely to use
- Tupperware containers that don’t have lids
- Shoes that your kids have outgrown
- Baby stuff if you’re not going to have any more kids
- Reference books if you can find the information on the internet
- Old photos that you could scan in and keep in digital format
- Photos just for the sake of it
- Bad memories
- Half-finished craft projects that your kids have forgotten about
- Desktop icons on your pc that you no longer use
- Fuzzy photos or duplicate photos that you don’t want to keep
- Apps on your phone that you don’t use
- Junk email in your inbox
- Unsubscribe from newsletters that are no longer of interest
- Half-finished DIY projects
- Dead plants
- Old paint/chemicals in your shed you never use
- Broken garden furniture
- Outdoor toys that aren’t played with anymore
- Broken Christmas/festive decorations
- Light bulbs that don’t fit any of your lighting
- Excess Christmas decorations that you don’t use
- Weeds in the garden
- Clothes that you don’t feel right in
- Clothes that don’t fit
- Buttons that you keep just in case
- First aid kit items that are past their expiry date
- Fire extinguishers past their expiry date
- Toxic relationships
- Dirty laundry that should be washed
- Ironing that needs to be done
- Board games that your family never plays with
- Old cameras you no longer use
- Cushions that aren’t comfy, look nice or serve a purpose
- Rugs that trip you up
- Old maps because you have a sat nav
- Old toothbrushes
- Address books if you keep your contacts on your phone (and it’s backed up)
- The cupboard under your kitchen sink
- Your larder
- Your cleaning products
- Your time
- Your family commitments
- Old travel guide books that are out of date
- What you do in the evenings
- What you do in the mornings
- Old candles
- Torches that need their batteries changing
- Family heirlooms and memorabilia
- Things that bring back bad memories
- Library books that you haven’t returned
- Baby toys you’re never going to use again
- Things that are under the sofa you’ve forgotten about
- Arguments
- Tension
- Pet toys that have seen better days
- Excess hats/gloves/scarfs
- Grime on windows
- Pots in plants in the garden that need a bit of TLC
- Uncared for flowerbeds
- Feeling unmotivated
- Feeling lazy
- Feeling inadequate
- Feeling lonely
- Car parts and accessories
- Unused phonebooks and accessories
- Unused fitness and home gym equipment
- Hallways and corridors
- Under stairs cupboard and storage spaces
- Table linen, napkins and serving ware
- Cardboard boxes
- Digital photos
- Doubles of anything you only need one of
- Your other half (only joking!)
- Goals that don’t fit in with your future plans
- Mis-placed priorities
- Things that upset you
- Recipes you don’t use
- Kids’ water bottles that you have multiples of
- Kids’ cutlery you no longer need
- Kids’ furniture and highchairs you no longer need
- General rubbish
- Take away menus
- Product packaging
- Old dressing up clothes your kids don’t wear
- Plastic hangers from shops
- Old make up brushes and make up applicators
- Old pillows that have lost shape or are stained
- Old mattresses that aren’t good for your back or are uncomfy
- Kids that don’t do as they’re told (only joking again!)
- Things that bring you down
- Stuff that’s lurking under your bathroom sink
- The glove box of your car
- The boot of your car
- Underwear with holes
- Sleepwear that you want to replace to feel good!
- Unhealthy eating habits
- Postal bills which you can swap for online ones
- Opt out of marketing phonecalls
- All the drawers in your home
- All the cupboards in your home
- Your kids’ bedroom
- Stuffed furry toys
- Excess Lego
- Kitchen utensils
- Things that are stuck on the front of the fridge
- Your noticeboard
- Laundry room and laundry supplies
- Tin foil, baking paper, cling film etc
- Baking supplies
- Clean laundry – put it away!
- Blankets
- General paper clutter
- Stationery supplies
- Home office desk
- Shredded paper
- Unhealthy snacks
- Excess Halloween sweets you’re never going to eat
- Unwanted gifts that you can donate/recycle
- Things that you don’t love in your home
- Things that you don’t want in your home
- Things that don’t add value in your home
- White space
- Your To Do list
- Your mind
- TV programmes that you never watch
- Unkind words
- Christmas presents you bought just in case
- Old mascara
- Plasters that don’t stick anymore
- Scissors that no longer cut
- Computer accessories you don’t use
- Elastic bands that have built up
- Watches you no longer wear
- Your self care
- Your morning beauty routine
- Your evening beauty routine
- The types of food you cook
- Smoking
- Drinking too much
- Overthinking and over-analysing
- Your finances
- Spending too much
- Your plans for Christmas
- Relationships that don’t serve you
- Things that make you unhappy
- Double-booking yourself
- Keyrings you don’t need
- Your kitchen junk drawer
- The storage drawer under your bed
- Camping equipment
- Tools that you don’t use
- Paintbrushes and decorating supplies
- Things that you don’t really need and could give to charity
- Unwanted gifts
- Expired coupons and vouchers
- Anything that you haven’t used in the last year
- Pet supplies
- Seasonal clothes that could be put into storage
- Stuff on top of the wardrobe that you’d forgotten about
- Stuff that’s squashed into your wardrobe that you’d forgotten about
- Old school reports for the kids which you can scan and save electronically
- Tax and VAT records
- Debt
- Too many credit cards
- Memberships to gym clubs etc
- Subscriptions you never use
- Your time
- Things you bought which seemed a good idea at the time but you never use
- Bad memories
- Any information that you can find on the internet if you need it
- Time looking mindlessly at social media
- Hobby supplies you no longer enjoy
- Things that waste time
- Cobwebs on the ceiling
- Dust on the skirting board
- Old greetings cards
- Kitchen utensils you never use
- Empty glass jars you’ve held on to just in case
- Spare buttons from clothes you no longer own
- Concert or theatre programmes
- Holiday brochures
- Your kids’ school bags
- Things you used to collect but are now sitting in a box
- Valuable items you’ve been meaning to sell but haven’t
- Plates with cracks
- Glasses with chips
- Mugs with cracks and chips
- Excess roasting pans and trays
- Roasting pans and trays that are rusty or damaged
- Tea towels that are worn so thin they don’t dry anything
- The kids’ bedroom
- The spare room
- The playroom
- The corner or area of your home that’s never looked quite right
- Window sills
- Your shoes
- Your partner’s shoes
- Your kids’ shoes
- Your partner’s clothes (with their agreement)
- The stuff that’s lurking on top your wardrobe
- The stuff that’s lurking in your partner’s wardrobe
- Fittings for the vacuum cleaner that you never use
- All the TVs (try it for a month!)
- The internet (is it even possible?!)
- Lighting that’s too bright or hard
- Colours in your home that you don’t love and feel right living with
- Too many conflicting patterns and colours
- Décor items that aren’t really to your taste
- Old furniture that you’ve inherited or acquired that you don’t like
- Paintings on the wall that you don’t love
- Photos that you don’t love to look at or mean something
- Regret
- The coffee table in your living room
- The top of the fridge
- Old notes that you no longer need
- To Do lists that hang around not done
- Random phone numbers that could be put into one single contact list
- Chores that stop you having family time
- Exercise that’s too tough to fit in with family life so you put it off – walk daily instead
- Empty beauty products that are sitting on the side of the bath
- Old food in the fridge
- Mouldy fruit in the fruit bowl
- Empty jars and bottles that have gone back into the fridge
- Lipstick that doesn’t suit you
- Clothes that used to suit you but you don’t feel comfortable in anymore
- How many pairs of shoes do you actually need?
- Bras that no longer support you
- Knickers that have gone grey
- Your email inbox
- Toys in every room (try to keep one room that’s toy free)
- Your goals for this year
- Your contact list for friends and family
- Emergency numbers
- Your approach to life so you’re happy with a simple, easy, enjoyable life!
DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING TO ADD?
I love to hear comments and suggestions on other projects and ideas for decluttering. Let me know if you have any ideas to add, or other thoughts and comments on this post! Let me know in the comments section below!
YOUR NEXT STEP…
If you’re ready to dive deeper but need some extra support, guidance and structure to get started and keep you focused, motivated and on track, then check out my complete home decluttering course, Simplify Your Home.
I’ll walk you through decluttering each room and area of your home. I’ll teach you how to rid yourself of the clutter that’s been weighing you down and taking up your time and energy. And, more importantly, I’ll help you learn how to keep that clutter away and create a life that’s full of the good stuff without the clutter.
Simplify Your Home is a complete home decluttering course to help you ditch the chaos, lessen the stress and get control over your home.
Comments 2
I love this! It’s so overwhelming to even think about decluttering one room (let alone a whole home), but you’ve really broke it down into little steps!
-Liv | https://andlivloves.com/
Author
I’m glad you like it. I think we often assume we have to declutter everything all at once but sometimes it helps to do little and often to make it more sustainable! Thank you.