“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.
Pamela says
I am glad I found this link I really need to purge and get rid of years of stuff I have collected over the years . That is my goal to clear all in every room . Less is more!
Sabrina says
Great list. I will share. Though being an organizer, I know many people would be intimidated by this list. Printing the list out and using it as a weekly minimize list would give people a goal for each week to complete a list. Thanks for the post.
Shelly says
It would help me to have some explanation with the items on the list. Why “ponytail holders”? Sometimes I need my hair kept out of my way and they take up almost no room. Are items on this list because they are examples of what we often have way too much of and you’re suggesting that they be pared or gotten rid of completely? That’s the big unknown–what is the list of items that a household like mine (adult male, adult female, and a boy? that does some cooking, some yard work, a lot of home improvement DIY actually need. And I, the female, go to work in a corporate environment where the standard is to fix your hair and wear a little make-up and to drive your car because the job is far away. I’ve freelanced and looked for work in my open neighborhood and it just ain’t happenin.) I need info in what actually is needed. And, by the way, I really appreciate your FB posts!
kathy b good says
hi Shelly, I looked up top before the list and it says 101 things we can reduce, so I think it’s just to look & see what can be pared down. I imagine someone like me who rarely wears makeup better start throwing it out or giving it away : ) The hairbands I keep – I wear them & the cats love to toss them around. I have a really hard time getting rid of anything, I have tried to tackle the big and bulky stuff first. as you said, hairbands don’t take up much space. but I do notice I have a gazillion tiny things that don’t take up a lot of space, but do make my brain crazier than it already is…
Shelly says
You are right Kathy–good to look everywhere and consider nothing too small. I guess I want to cut to the quick–tell me what I do need cause I’ve got so much to wade through to get there. Which reminds me, I shoud take these few minutes I have right now to weed my stuff! Thanks for the feedback!
Kristi says
Shelly, it all boils down to your life. If it’s not beautiful or useful then don’t let it clutter your life.
Carmell says
As part of a massive life change, jumping off the edge of having any plan at all, I rented out my home last year. This required me to go through and clean out 20 years of stuff. I did do it. When I had finished that phase, I had only a single storage POD with everything I owned. I thought this was significant. When I finally landed after traveling for a bit–single backpack–and then living out of a friend’s attic bedroom for a few months with only 3 boxes and my clothes, I simplified even more. I moved into 500 sf with vintage open cupboards, high ceilings, big windows, and original hardwood floors. I wanted the light more than I wanted stuff. It is phenomenal. I let things go all the time now. I am simplifying more. When I read the list, I realized how much of this list I have already done. And it feels extraordinary. There is always more I can simplify. I tell people: live small and simply, eat excellent food, know great people, and travel.
Tara says
I’ve been aggressively decluttering for a couple of months with a move happening in weeks. People are shocked to hear that I removed 70 boxes of ‘stuff’ from my home and brought it to goodwill. I’m not a hoarder, and I thought I’d thoroughly decluttered 3 years ago. People ask, what was in the boxes. I will refer them to your list (though there were no automobiles). Of the 70 boxes I will miss nothing. In place of the stuff I have space – space that I don’t have to clean, care for, store, organize or move! Freedom!
Sandra Moise says
I do not have one pony tail holder!!!
Katie says
I wish I did!! My pony ties end up everywhere!
Stephanie says
If you want to keep some of them, they will stay organized on a carabiner clip or larger hair clip. ;) This way you can find them when you need 1.
Teddy says
This is a great list! I think everyone can eliminate extra stuff in some of these areas. I’ve been slowly working toward minimalism because I realized if I had the chance to get up and leave, to pack up my car and go somewhere new right now – it would be too hard. I have too much stuff. I’m slimming down everything I own and instead of getting harder, it actually becomes easier as I get rid of more things I thought I cared about.
Thank you for this list! I’ll use it to simplify my life.
Julie Nicholson says
I’ve been slowly reducing over a number of years. Still not there yet by any means, but one thing which is going to spur me on at home is that I’ve also now got to deal with seven decades worth of stuff at my mother’s house. She has been in hospital and I need to make life easier for her. She’s had way too much stuff for a long time, and she can’t really clean things herself, so it’s a massive undertaking. Took a load away for charity and recycling today, but it’s just the tip of the iceberg. I don’t want to end up in her situation and force my son to go through the same things as I’m going through. Keep going folks!
Bec says
I can relate. 3 solid station wagon loads from my mum’s house last week. There were a few tug of wars, and a few tears, but she is grateful in the end.
Mona says
I can relate, my mom is 88 and from the depression Era, nothing is thrown out, however she is very clean and neat so there are no “nasty” issues, but she will even keep a broke toaster in case she needs a part. I usually get her to part with one or two items each visit or to at least let us pack up a few things for storage, out of sight, out of mind in case something wanders off , wink wink
I appreciate her thrifty ideas, we all waste to much her in the states, but enough is enough. Like my husband said, just let her be, at 88 we need to treasure each moment we have left with her :-)
Daniela says
My grandma just passed away today at the age of 104…88 is just a young chickie -not old at all.
Barbara says
I do hope you asked your mother before you started ridding her home of what YOU think is unnecessary for her. By making life easier for her you also have to respect her wishes. This is about her home not yours.
Tracy says
@ Barbara
It sounds as though Mona is doing a good thing by helping and encouraging her mother to emotionally separate herself from her possessions. While many people consider duplicate or broken items “necessary”, it actually liberating to to be rid of such things (less to clean, somebody else could benefit from your donated things, makes house more inviting).
Mona said she visits her mother and is able to talk with her mom, help her process the emotional baggage attached to the things before she gets rid of them, at least that is what I understand. Her husband reminds her to let the mother “just be herself” so apparently they are not willfully doing harmful…
Often people who hoard grew up poor (or in the Depression) so it is important to deal with the physical clutter as well as the “emotional” clutter.
Denise Johnson says
LOL. Glass bottles? I giggled. Since my little guy started eating baby food, I’ve been hoarding empty baby food jars. This, plus my stupid obsession with Pinterest, has left me with many jars and many ideas…none of which I will most likely get around to doing. So, cute as the jars are and cute as the crafts I could make…as always, Josh, you are right.
Jillian says
OH my goodness, the baby food jars & Pinterest problem….I finally got rid of a big box of them, and I’m already catching myself holding onto new ones. Be free, cute little jars, be free!
Catherine says
Denise, that’s funny and so true! I do that with glass makeup and serum bottles, I think my sister does too. I am looking forward to starting clearing things out tomorrow, if I can wait that long!
Mona says
I find that if I allow only myself to keep 10 items, say jars or plastic wear for a project, I put a slip of paper inside the item with a toss date written down, say 3-6 months,NO longer, to complete the project.I recycle a lot too. That way I don’t feel so bad adding to trash piles.My grand daughter is turning 17 in July, I still have, had, scraps of material put back that I was planning on making her a rag doll LOL, I gave it to a quilter last October.
Leslie says
I have been working on this for the past month. Started with all of the plastic stuff in my kitchen. I had two boxes. One for trash and another for items that the Open Door Mission for the homeless would love to have. Next, I moved to the bathroom drawers, my closet, the front hall closet, and the laundry room. As I have donated and thrown away, it has felt SO GOOD to not have to LOOK at or CLEAN AROUND so much STUFF. And to be honest, I can’t even remember half of what I have gotten rid of, so I DO NOT miss it! I just keep asking myself, “do you ABSOLUTELY LOVE this item? If the answer is “No”, then it goes!
kamlesh says
It’s Lovely! Even, I have joined the club. :-)