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365 Ways to Declutter Your Home in 365 Days

365 Ways to Declutter Your Home in 365 Days

365 WAYS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 365 DAYS

Make this the year that you get clutter-free! Declutter your home and simplify your life one day and one project at a time with these 365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days.

MAKING A PLAN TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME DAY BY DAY

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, energy and space you have available.

If you’re up for this 365 declutter challenge, just try to pick off one way each day. That’s 365 ways to a decluttered home and a decluttered life in 365 days!

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…

To give you some further help and support, some of the ways I’ve listed are links to other resources I’ve written. Click these links if you need further information, support and it’s an area you need a little more help with.

365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days

365 WAYS TO DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN 365 DAYS

Here are 365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days. Daily projects to help you tackle that clutter and keep it away!

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN JANUARY

  1. Clothes you never wear that are just taking up space in your wardrobe
  2. Damaged clothes that can’t be mended
  3. Broken toys that can’t be repaired
  4. Odd socks that don’t have a partner but you’ve been keeping for ages just in case they turn up
  5. Pens without lids that have now dried up
  6. Old magazines that you won’t read and can be recycled
  7. Books you’ve never read and are unlikely to be read so they can be donated
  8. Earrings that don’t have a pair
  9. Broken jewellery that can’t be repaired and it’s time to let go of
  10. Clothes that don’t fit and make you feel bad
  11. Old diaries and calendars
  12. Maternity clothes that you won’t use again
  13. Towels that have holes
  14. New Year Resolutions that don’t feel important enough to try to keep up
  15. Towels that are threadbare and don’t dry you properly anymore
  16. Bath products that you haven’t used in a year which you can use now or pass them on
  17. Cosmetics that you haven’t used in months and you’re unlikely to ever use
  18. Old nail varnish bottles that are nearly empty or you don’t like to wear
  19. Extra sets of bed linen that you no longer need
  20. Bed linen that is torn or worn and can be replaced if needed
  21. Extra towels that you don’t need
  22. Toys that your kids have outgrown
  23. Kids’ clothes that are damaged or worn out
  24. Jigsaw puzzles with pieces missing
  25. Paints and play dough that your children don’t use any more
  26. Apps on your phone you don’t use
  27. Books you’ve read but will never read again and can now be donated
  28. Your kids’ artwork that you’ve scanned or taken a photo of and don’t need to keep the original
  29. Old journals that you wrote in but no longer want to keep
  30. The contents of your bedside table
  31. Kitchen gadgets you don’t use

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN FEBRUARY

  1. Excess mugs you don’t use
  2. Excess plates you don’t use
  3. Excess knives, forks and other cutlery you don’t use
  4. Facebook and Instagram friends you no longer keep up with
  5. Food that’s stale or well past the expiry and use before date
  6. Spices you never use
  7. Serving dishes you never use
  8. Stuff in the freezer that should’ve been used by now
  9. Cleaning products you bought but never use
  10. Scarves you never wear
  11. Excess glassware you don’t use
  12. Recorded programmes and series links for TV shows you don’t watch
  13. Photos on the shelves you don’t really love
  14. Ornaments on the shelves you don’t really like but still dust around
  15. Anything on your bedside table that you don’t need for that night
  16. Bath toys that your kids never use
  17. Hair accessories your daughter never wears
  18. Hair accessories that have bits missing or have lost their elasticity
  19. Old completed notebooks that you no longer refer to
  20. ‘Just in case’ items
  21. Handbags you never use
  22. Pieces of spare fabric that you never get around to using
  23. Spare bits of gift wrap that you’ll never use
  24. Old medicines that are past their expiry date and need to be replaced if you need them
  25. Baby wipes that have dried up
  26. Clothes hangers that you don’t use
  27. Broken tools in the garage or shed
  28. Garden tools that you never use

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN MARCH

  1. DIY tools that have parts missing or don’t work
  2. Arts and crafts supplies that you no longer use
  3. Paint in your garage that’s been there for years
  4. Broken outdoor toys
  5. Flat footballs
  6. Bicycles that your kids have outgrown
  7. Old magazines
  8. Pens that don’t work
  9. Old DVDs you don’t watch
  10. Stained clothes that are beyond repair and could be recycled
  11. Old CDs that you don’t listen to
  12. Instruction manuals for things you don’t have anymore
  13. Pot plants that aren’t very well that you could give to a more green-fingered friend!
  14. Paperwork that you don’t need to keep but haven’t gotten around to shredding or getting rid of
  15. Cables, leads and wires for computers, printers etc that you no longer need
  16. Tights with ladders
  17. Socks with holes
  18. Junk mail that comes through the post
  19. Furniture that you don’t like but takes up space
  20. Storage solutions that you don’t need but which tempt you to organise clutter
  21. Plastic bottles and other recyclable items
  22. Old newspapers
  23. Ironing that needs to be done and you can get done now in just a few minutes
  24. Bad odours by using air freshener or throwing open the windows every now and then
  25. Negative thoughts that journaling or brain-dumping could help you overcome
  26. Things you’ve been meaning to do that take less than 2 minutes and you could get them done now!
  27. Too much screen time and scrolling on social media
  28. Darkness by opening the curtains and letting in the light
  29. Mess by keeping your home clutter-free and resetting it before bed every day
  30. Clutter and stuff on the kitchen counters
  31. Kitchen appliances you don’t use

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN APRIL

  1. The contents of your partner’s wallet (with their agreement!)
  2. Foreign currency you’re not likely to use
  3. Stuff on the floor for clear access and flow through your home
  4. Remove everything off the stairs – they’re not extra shelves!
  5. Curtains that haven’t been washed in years – wash them!
  6. Keys that you don’t know what they’re for
  7. The contents of your purse
  8. The contents of your handbag
  9. Old remote controls you no longer use
  10. Old perfumes that have gone stale
  11. Dirt and dust by keeping up with some minimalist cleaning routines
  12. Old aftershaves that have gone stale
  13. Cufflinks that don’t have a pair
  14. Scooters your kids never use
  15. Bad habits that make you feel unhappy and/or unhealthy
  16. Leaflets and flyers that come through your letterbox
  17. The contents of your car
  18. Your hallway/entrance way
  19. Old mobile phones and accessories
  20. Excess plastic bags
  21. Damp when you could open the window and let in some fresh air
  22. Anything on your calendar that you don’t want to do
  23. Receipts you no longer need
  24. Bank statements you no longer need
  25. Debit and credit cards that have expired
  26. Old glasses that you never wear
  27. Nearly empty bottles from the bathroom
  28. Things that you don’t love in your home
  29. Home office stationery supplies that you don’t use or have duplicates of and don’t need
  30. Glue that doesn’t stick anymore

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN MAY

  1. Dead batteries
  2. Your garage
  3. Unused cookbooks
  4. Food that you’re not likely to use
  5. Storage containers that you’re not likely to use
  6. Tupperware containers that don’t have lids
  7. Shoes that your kids have outgrown
  8. Baby stuff if you’re not going to have any more kids
  9. Reference books if you can find the information on the internet
  10. Old photos that you could scan and store in digital format
  11. Photos that you needed to take at the time but no longer need to recall that memory or information
  12. Hand-me down clothes that realistically you’re not likely to use or wear
  13. Half-finished craft projects that your kids have forgotten about
  14. Desktop icons on your pc that you no longer use
  15. Your loft/attic
  16. Your porch and front door so it’s welcoming for you and visitors
  17. Fuzzy photos or duplicate photos that you don’t want to keep
  18. Games on your phone that you don’t use
  19. Air fresheners and room scents that are no longer smelling of anything
  20. Newsletters that are no longer of interest and which you can unsubscribe from
  21. Half-finished DIY projects which you can make a plan to get done
  22. Your kitchen
  23. Dead plants
  24. Old paint/chemicals in your shed you never use
  25. Broken garden furniture
  26. Outdoor toys that aren’t played with anymore
  27. Bedding that doesn’t fit any of the beds currently in your home
  28. Light bulbs that don’t fit any of your lighting
  29. Excess Christmas decorations that you don’t use
  30. Greeting cards for past birthdays, anniversaries and other events that you’ve been keeping for sentimental reasons
  31. Clothes that you don’t feel right in or are outside of your normal signature style

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN JUNE

  1. Clothes that make you feel sad or depressed
  2. Guarantees for products you no longer own or that have expired
  3. First aid kit items that are past their expiry date
  4. Fire extinguishers past their expiry date
  5. Your evening routine and what you do before bed to wind down ready for sleep
  6. Expired sunscreen that no longer protects you from the sun
  7. Dirty laundry that should be washed
  8. Ironing that needs to be done
  9. Board games that your family never plays with
  10. Old cameras you no longer use
  11. Cushions that aren’t comfy, look nice or serve a purpose
  12. Rugs that trip you up
  13. Old maps because you have a sat nav
  14. Old toothbrushes
  15. Address books if you keep your contacts on your phone (and it’s backed up)
  16. The cupboard under your kitchen sink
  17. Your larder for out-of-date food or food you don’t like to cook with or eat
  18. Cleaning products that you don’t use or like the smell of
  19. Your time that feels like it slips away like water
  20. Your family commitments that make you a 24/7 taxi service
  21. Old travel guides and maps that are out of date or you’re not likely to need
  22. Your wardrobe
  23. Your home office
  24. What you do in the mornings as part of a simple, but effective morning routine
  25. Old candles that are too short to provide adequate light
  26. Torches that are broken
  27. Family heirlooms, memorabilia and other sentimental items to declutter
  28. Things that bring back bad memories
  29. Library books that you haven’t returned
  30. Baby toys you’re never going to use again
365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN JULY

  1. Things that are under the sofa you’ve forgotten about or didn’t know were there!
  2. Arguments that can be resolved through communication and compromise
  3. Tension that arises through stressful situations, a bad work-life balance or other worries that you could create an action plan to deal with
  4. Pet toys that have seen better days
  5. Excess hats/gloves/scarfs
  6. Your bathroom using this free Bathroom Declutter Checklist
  7. Grime on windows
  8. Pots in plants in the garden that need a bit of TLC
  9. Feeling lonely when you could phone a friend, volunteer locally, join a book club or more
  10. Car parts and accessories that you don’t need or don’t know how to use
  11. Unused phonebooks
  12. Unused fitness and home gym equipment that reminds you of how much you’re not using it!
  13. Hallways and corridors that ideally need to be clear for people to pass by easily
  14. Under stairs cupboard and storage spaces
  15. Table linen, napkins and serving ware that you never use but takes up valuable space
  16. Cardboard boxes that you don’t need and can be recycled
  17. Kids’ furniture and highchairs you no longer need
  18. Digital photos stored on your phone or computer
  19. Doubles and duplicates of anything you only need one of
  20. Goals that don’t align with your future plans
  21. Mis-placed priorities that eat up your time, energy and other limited resources
  22. Things that upset you when you could let them go and move on
  23. Recipes you don’t use
  24. Water bottles that you have multiples of or that leak
  25. Kids’ cutlery you no longer need
  26. The contents of your garden shed
  27. General rubbish in the waste bins around your home
  28. Take away menus
  29. Product packaging
  30. Old dressing up clothes your kids don’t wear
  31. Plastic hangers from shops

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN AUGUST

  1. Old make-up brushes and make up applicators
  2. Old pillows that have lost shape, are uncomfortable, give you neck ache or are stained
  3. The glove box of your car
  4. Old mattresses that aren’t good for your back or are uncomfortable to sleep on
  5. Kids that don’t do as they’re told (only joking!)
  6. Things that bring you down so you can learn to find joy in the little things
  7. Stuff that’s lurking under your bathroom sink
  8. Tea towels that are too thin and worn to dry your dishes
  9. Underwear that doesn’t fit your body properly
  10. Sleepwear that you want to replace to feel good!
  11. Unhealthy eating habits such as too many ready meals and other processed foods
  12. Postal bills which you can swap for online ones
  13. Opt out of marketing phone calls
  14. All the drawers in your home
  15. All the cupboards in your home
  16. Uncared for flowerbeds that need weeding and tending
  17. Loyalty cards in your purse for shops and places you don’t go to anymore
  18. Sticker books and colouring books have been used up
  19. Stuffed furry toys
  20. Excess Lego
  21. Kitchen utensils
  22. Things that are stuck on the front of the fridge
  23. Your noticeboard
  24. Laundry room and laundry supplies
  25. Tin foil, baking paper, cling film etc
  26. Baking supplies
  27. Clean laundry – put it away!
  28. Excess blankets that might be cosy but add clutter too
  29. General paper clutter that lies in piles around the home waiting for you to sort through it
  30. Stationery supplies so you know what you’ve got and what you need to replace
  31. Your home office desk so you can be productive and effective

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN SEPTEMBER

  1. Shredded paper that needs to be disposed of
  2. Your living room
  3. Unwanted gifts that you can donate/recycle
  4. Things that don’t add value in your home
  5. Your space so your outer environment is relaxing, welcoming and calming
  6. Your To Do list so it’s not a dumping ground for all your thoughts and stuff you have to remember
  7. Your mind so you’re thinking clearly
  8. TV programmes that you never watch and just waste your time
  9. Unkind words that you later regret saying when you could have been kinder and gentler instead
  10. Christmas presents you bought just in case
  11. Feeling unmotivated through lack of confidence and self-esteem
  12. Old mascara that’s past its best and could cause infection
  13. Plasters that don’t stick anymore
  14. Scissors that no longer cut
  15. Computer accessories you don’t use or know how to use
  16. Elastic bands that have built up randomly and you keep for those ‘just in case’ moments
  17. Watches you no longer wear
  18. Your self-care routine so it’s realistic, practical and enjoyable and fits around your life and lifestyle
  19. Unhealthy snacks that are full of sugar and give you a quick energy rush which quickly subsides
  20. Your morning beauty routine
  21. Things that you don’t want in your home
  22. Your evening beauty routine
  23. The types of food you cook so you can eat simple healthy meals without stress
  24. Smoking and other bad habits that aren’t healthy for your body or mind
  25. Drinking too much alcohol and regretting it afterwards
  26. Overthinking and over-analysing which clutters your mind and causes anxiety and other mental health problems
  27. Your Christmas decorations
  28. Spending too much so you stay within budget
  29. Relationships that don’t serve you or aren’t based on mutual love, respect and support
  30. Things that make you unhappy and replace them with things that make you happy instead

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN OCTOBER

  1. Double-booking yourself with too many appointments that over-run
  2. Keyrings you don’t need but you still carry around every day
  3. Your kitchen junk drawer
  4. The storage drawer under your bed and other sources of hidden clutter
  5. Camping equipment if you’re not likely to go camping again and couldn’t borrow the items again if you needed to
  6. Tools that you don’t use or know how to use
  7. Paintbrushes and decorating supplies that are past their best or you can’t or won’t use
  8. Things that you don’t really need and could give to charity to help others in need
  9. Unwanted gifts that could be donated to others who might benefit from them more
  10. Expired coupons and vouchers
  11. Anything that you haven’t used in the last year apart from high value items it would be difficult or expensive to replace
  12. Feeling inadequate when you have everything you need inside of wonderful, unique you
  13. Pet supplies and pet medicines that are past their best or you don’t use
  14. Seasonal clothes that could be put into storage
  15. Stuff on top of the wardrobe that you’d forgotten about
  16. Old school reports for the kids which you can scan and save electronically
  17. Tax and VAT records that you’re no longer legally required to keep
  18. Debt by sticking to a budget, keeping on top of your finances and getting help and support if you need it
  19. Too many credit cards that take up space in your purse and tempt you to make impulse purchases you often later regret
  20. Memberships to gym clubs that you took out but never use
  21. Subscriptions you never use but still pay out for
  22. Your time by decluttering your schedule, being less busy and more intentional with how you spend it
  23. Things you purchased on impulse which seemed a good idea at the time but you never use
  24. Bad memories and things that make you feel sad and upset
  25. Any information that you can find on the internet if you need it
  26. Time looking mindlessly at social media
  27. Stuff that’s squashed into your wardrobe that you’d forgotten about
  28. Hobby supplies you no longer use or get enjoyment from
  29. Things that waste time in your day such as mindless scrolling of social media or losing things because you’re not organised
  30. Cobwebs on the ceiling
  31. Dust on the skirting board and in those difficult-to-reach places

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN NOVEMBER

  1. Old greetings cards
  2. Kitchen utensils you never use
  3. The kids’ bedroom(s)
  4. Halloween costumes that no longer fit
  5. Spare buttons from clothes you no longer own
  6. Concert or theatre programmes that you bought at the time but never looked at since
  7. Your plans for Christmas and the holidays – keep it simple but special!
  8. Your kids’ school bags and the stuff that’s stuffed right at the bottom since the beginning of term
  9. Things you used to collect but are now sitting in a box out of sight and out of mind
  10. Valuable items you’ve been meaning to sell but haven’t
  11. Plates with cracks
  12. The spare room
  13. Plates and mugs with cracks and chips
  14. Halloween decorations that you don’t love to look at
  15. Excess saucepans and lids
  16. Roasting pans and trays that are rusty or damaged
  17. That one thing on your To Do list that you never get around to doing (or you keep putting off)
  18. The playroom
  19. The corner or area of your home that’s never looked quite right and you want to change the décor or switch around the furniture
  20. Window sills
  21. Excess Halloween sweets you’re never going to eat (or shouldn’t eat!)
  22. Flower vases you don’t like to look at or don’t support your cut flowers
  23. Your partner’s shoes but only if they agree
  24. Your kids’ shoes that don’t fit or they don’t like to wear
  25. Invites, engagements and activities in your schedule that you don’t enjoy and don’t want to do
  26. Blunt razors that need replacing because they don’t work well anymore
  27. Your recycle bin on your computer which you can empty at the click of a button!
  28. Fittings for the vacuum cleaner that you never use or don’t know how to use
  29. All the TVs (try it for a month!)
  30. Glasses with chips and cracks

THINGS TO DECLUTTER IN DECEMBER

  1. Lighting that’s too bright or hard
  2. Colours in your home that you don’t love and feel right living with
  3. Too many conflicting patterns and colours that busy the mind and make your home feel cluttered
  4. Décor items that aren’t really to your taste but you move and dust around them anyway just out of habit
  5. Old furniture that you’ve inherited or acquired that you don’t like
  6. Paintings and pictures on your walls that you don’t love or like to look at
  7. Photos that you don’t love to look at or mean something
  8. Regret for things you haven’t done but you can still do if you put your mind to it!
  9. The coffee table in your living room
  10. The top of the fridge
  11. Old notes that you no longer need but that you’ve kept lying around just in case
  12. To Do lists that hang around not done but add pressure and weight to your cluttered mind
  13. Random phone numbers in your phone or address book that you don’t know what or who they’re for
  14. Baking trays and tins that have gone rusty
  15. Your plans for Christmas that make you feel stressed out and unhappy
  16. Exercise that’s too tough to fit in with family life so you put it off – walk daily instead
  17. Empty beauty and bath product bottles that are sitting on the side of the bath
  18. Old food in the fridge that’s stale and gone off
  19. Mouldy fruit in the fruit bowl
  20. Empty jars and bottles that have gone back into the fridge
  21. Lipstick that doesn’t suit you, that you don’t wear or that’s past its best
  22. Books your children have outgrown
  23. ‘Bags for life’ that build up and you never get around to using
  24. Shoes that don’t fit, feel uncomfortable or that you don’t wear
  25. Bras that are misshapen, seen better days and no longer support you
  26. Knickers that have gone grey and have holes
  27. Your email inbox by deleted unwanted emails, actioning what needs to be dealt with archiving the rest
  28. Toys in every room (try to keep one room that’s toy free)
  29. Your contact list for friends and family so it’s current and correct
  30. Emergency numbers that are out of date and obsolete
  31. Your approach to life so you’re happy with a simple, easier, enjoyable life!
365 ways to declutter your home in 365 days

MAKE A START AND BUILD A DECLUTTERING HABIT

This is a really long list and it’s probably not possible for you to declutter everything on this list perfectly and completely. However, that’s not what successful and stress-free decluttering is all about.

Decluttering isn’t a job you do once and then forget about it. It’s something that requires ongoing maintenance, even as a daily decluttering routine. It’s also quite probable that every time you look at the inventory (the stuff) in your home, you’ll come to a different conclusion on whether it stays or goes. We change, life changes and the stuff we need and love can change too!

My aim with this list is to provide some ideas and raise your general awareness about what might be cluttering your home and life. Remember also that little steps to build a decluttering habit can add up to big clutter-free progress and help you enjoy your home more over the longer term!

RESOURCES ON DECLUTTERING

Here are some helpful articles and resources on decluttering which you might like:

DON’T MISS OUT!

I’m Antonia and on this blog I share practical inspiration to simplify your home, time and life. Follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest! You can also subscribe to Balance Through Simplicity and receive regular simplicity tips straight to your inbox for free. Make sure you never miss an article plus you’ll get a copy of my free Declutter Starter Kit as a welcome gift!

Kitty

Tuesday 9th of January 2024

Thank you for making the 365 day list! Most only take a few minutes and can fit into a busy schedule. And I can feel like I'm accomplishing something!

Balance Through Simplicity

Tuesday 9th of January 2024

Hi Kitty, thank you for your comment and I'm very glad you find it helpful! Thank you for reading!

Erica

Sunday 15th of January 2023

I love these concise suggestions. I wish there was an equally concise printable version

Balance Through Simplicity

Tuesday 17th of January 2023

Hi Erica, thank you for your feedback. I will try to put together a printable list but in the meantime you could either print the list out or head over to my Freebies page which has some decluttering checklists too!

andlivloves

Friday 26th of April 2019

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/

Balance Through Simplicity

Saturday 27th of April 2019

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.