“One can furnish a home very luxuriously by taking out furniture rather than putting it in.” —Francis Jourdain
Many people will miss the joys of minimalism because they are afraid to begin. Often, they fear if they “minimize” an item from their home, they will regret it in the future if they need it again.
While that rarely happens (you need so much less than you think), if this fear is preventing you from getting started, try this alternative method instead.
Begin by simply reducing the excess things in your home. For example, your family needs towels so you will never remove them completely—but you could simplify your life by reducing the number of towels you own. This approach removes all risk.
Once you take that first step, you will start to experience the benefits of minimalism. You will enjoy the refreshing feeling of a less-cluttered linen closet or bathroom drawer.
Soon, you will notice countless other things that can be reduced in your home. Before you know it, you will have made significant progress in your journey towards a more simplified life.
To better understand the potential of this simple, risk-free step, I compiled a list of 101 Things That Can Easily Be Reduced In Your Home.
Just below the written list in this post, you can also sign up to have a printable PDF of my Declutter Your Home Checklist. I’ll send you a
This minimalist list is not meant to overwhelm or frustrate you, it’s simply meant to give you an idea of how significant a step this can be–just choosing 10 things on this minimalist checklist to start with would result in a noticeable difference in your home.
The Declutter Your Home Checklist: 101 Things That Can Easily Be Reduced In Your Home
- Kitchen Glassware
- Cookbooks
- Kitchen gadgets
- Kitchen appliances
- Pots / pans
- Mixing bowls
- Tupperware
- Water pitchers
- Coffee mugs
- Glass jars
- Magazines / Newspapers
- Books
- Over-the-counter medicine
Make up - Hair accessories
- Personal beauty appliances
- Toiletries
- Photos
- Photography supplies
- Sewing supplies
Scrap-booking supplies- Other craft supplies
- CDs
- DVDs / VHS tapes
- Wall Decorations
- Candles
- Candle Holders
- Figurines
- Crystal / China
- Vases
- Audio/visual components
- Audio/visual cables
- Computers equipment
- Computer peripherals
- Old cellphones
- Furniture
- Video game systems
- Video game accessories
- Video games
- Shirts
- Pants / Shorts
- Dresses / Skirts
- Hats
- Clothes hangers
- Shoes
- Ties / belts / accessories
- Coats
- Winter gear
- Socks / Underwear
- Sleepwear
- Jewelry
- Purses
- Pillows
- Linen sets
- Duvets / Comforters
- Blankets
- Towels
- Televisions
- Items on your bulletin board
- Magnets
- Home office supplies
- Coins
- Pens / pencils
- Rubber bands / Twist ties
- Cleaning supplies
- Old batteries
- Tools
- Hardware
- Coolers
- Manuals
- Phone books
- Coupons
- Board games
- Puzzles
- Decks of cards
- Unused gifts
- Baby clothes
- Baby supplies
- Old schoolbooks/papers
- Toys
- Stuffed animals
- Kid’s artwork
- Suitcases
- Pantry food
- Paper goods
- Wrapping supplies
- Pet supplies
- Plastic bags
- Party supplies
- Seasonal decorations
- Sporting goods
- Sports memorabilia
- Automobiles
- Automotive supplies
- Scrap pieces of lumber
- Brooms
- Rakes
- Shovels
- Garden tools
- Plant containers / Pots
- Empty cardboard boxes
If you’d prefer a physical copy of the Declutter Your Home Checklist, fill out your email below for a high-quality, printable PDF:
If you are just beginning your personal journey towards simplicity, I recommend our book: Simplify. 7 Guiding Principles to Help Anyone Declutter Their Home and Life.
In it, you will find principles of simplicity that are encouraging, uplifting, and entirely within your reach.
For more ideas on how to “minimalize” your life, visit this article on comprehensive decluttering tips.
If these are listed in order of “importance” the soda, #97 and Processed foods, # 99 should be first. Neither of these are necessary or even vital for a good life. In fact, they are necessary and vital for a sad, unhealthy life.
We’ve just finished with an estate sale (no body). We reduced our possessions by more than half (some categories by 90% or more) and raised some “capital”. We downsized from over 3000 sq ft to 1200. We’ve been Victorians for four generations, but due to absolute necessity had to become minimalists. Your site and others has helped immensely with this process. Thank you.
I found myself “stuck” without being able to part with anything more but still unhappy with how much I had. I took a physical inventory of everything that was strictly mine (6 people in my house, and 3 glasses. I can’t get rid if household items easily), and i found that while I might get the emotional response while making my list, its MUCH easier to make a practical decision to keep or get rid of something when it’s jyst words on a piece of paper. Ive become a big fan of lusts, whether as guidelines like above or inventory.
I tried to imagine what the list is, before starting to read. Its a great list and it is everything that we can be rid of but are mostly invisible to the regular eye. loved it.
Great list!
Dishes/coffee mugs/utensils should be on there too! Kitchens are the worst!
I am having a MASSIVE de-clutter, in preparation for emigration. I go through the house and garage culling over and over, then selling the items on a Car Boot Sale/Garage Sale. I have turned my unwanted things into money, and made my household chores so much simpler. No stone has gone un-turned, and I haven’t missed a single thing. So liberating!
I notice that most things on the list are desired items for women and children. Why does the list not include items found in a man-cave or garage workshop?
So right!!!
Hello! I’m always looking for ways to shift the stagnant energy in my house by adding, REMOVING, reorganizing, and rearranging stuff in my house. I have culled many of the items in your list, and I measure my progress in ‘cleared space’ and cubic feet of ‘stuff removed from my house.’ While I appreciate and respect how much you all embrace the minimalist lifestyle, I wish that you could be a little bit more respectful of the choices that your friends and family have made about their respective relationships with ‘stuff.’ Our ‘stuff’ helps us define and communicate our ‘self’ to the people we interact with on a daily basis. When facilitating space clearing for a friend, it is important to respect the existing relationship with ‘stuff’ and remember that your friend is making the choices that best accommodates their internal landscape. Congratulations on releasing items that you no longer need. Please be accepting and forgiving of the people you know who are making different choices than you.
This makes the most sense to me – get all of one thing in your home together – like bring all your pairs of scissors to one place, all your candles, hammers, whatever. Then pick your favorite(s) and get rid of the rest. All decluttering books I’ve read just say: get three boxes, and start in one room, making decisions. That doesn’t seem very practical. Joshua – your book may be different, I haven’t read it yet. :)
I always make a goal of decluttering after Christmas. So far, I have thrown away three garbage bags of junk from the kitchen. Unfortunately, much of it was expired food products, which I could have donated. Shame on me. I have organized things by purchasing plastic containers and now I love to look in my pantry. I also lined my refrigerator shelves with place mats, which makes cleanup so much easier. I learned this on Pinterest. Your list sort of makes me go into a panic because I think I would be dead before I got through the list. I love to read books and magazines, and although my thought was a Nook, etc. would help me declutter, I love to feel the book/magazine in my hand. My main problem is all of the paperwork that arrives in my home. When I worked, I kept all of my bills and files at work, and now I seem to wallow in piles of paper. How was I ever a secretary for 42 years? I HATE PAPERWORK. Wish me luck in organizing. If I leave this earth with piles of junk still in my house, my daughter, who is OCDC, can deal with it.