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“People rarely succeed unless they have fun in what they are doing.” —Dale Carnegie
The idea of living a simple life with less stuff sounds attractive to many.
But often, they begin to feel overwhelmed,
Learning how to declutter your home and (and as a result, decluttering your life) doesn’t need to be as painful as some make it out to be. And the benefits are numerous.
The Benefits of Decluttering Your Life
There are many benefits to owning fewer possessions. Even then, it’s tough to move into action. That is… until the many benefits of getting rid of clutter reveal themselves:
Less to clean. Cleaning is already enough of a chore, but having to clean around things you have zero emotional attachment to (or worse, actively dislike) makes cleaning the house much more stressful.
Less to organize. Finding things suddenly become easier. Things don’t just “disappear” anymore. You can actually move around your home and enjoy the space, instead of moving around things that are in the way.
Less stress. Looking around at the clutter is a nausea-inducing sight once your home becomes cluttered enough. Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to look around and see a home you love?
Less debt. Spending less time shopping for material possessions and adding to the clutter means your wallet and bank accounts remain fuller, your credit cards’ statements are lower, and your home doesn’t get filled with costly things you don’t need.
More financial freedom. Most American households live paycheck to paycheck (59% according to a recent survey done by Charles Schwab back in May 2019.) Nearly half of those surveyed carry credit card debt. Decluttering, paired with minimalism, will help you build up savings to keep you protected in case of unexpected emergencies.
More energy for your greatest passions. With less debt, more financial freedom, and
Ok, so now you know the benefits of decluttering your life, but you may be getting tripped up by the very next question… where in the world do you begin?
10 Creative Decluttering Tips
If you’re struggling and need guidance on how to declutter, you’ll need to get creative with your plans. Here are several interesting decluttering tips to get you started on decluttering your home:
- Start with 5 minutes at a time. If you’re new to decluttering, you can slowly build momentum with just five minutes a day.
- Give one item away each day. This would remove 365 items every single year from your home. If you increased this to 2 per day, you would have given away 730 items you no longer needed. Increase this number once it gets too easy.
- Fill an entire trash bag. Get a trash bag and fill it as fast as you can with things you can donate at Goodwill.
- Donate clothes you never wear. To identify them, simply hang all your clothes with hangers in the reverse direction. After wearing an item, face the hanger in the correct direction. Discard the clothes you never touched after a few months.
- Create a decluttering checklist. It’s a lot easier to declutter when you have a visual representation of where you need to get started. You can use our decluttering checklist.
- Take the 12-12-12 challenge. Locate 12 items to throw away, 12 to donate, and 12 to be returned to their proper home.
- View your home as a first-time visitor. It’s easy to “forget” what your home looks like to a new visitor. Enter your home as if you’re visiting the home of a friend. Write down your first impression on how clean and organized the home is and make changes.
- Take before and after photos of a small area. Choose one part of your home, like your kitchen counter, and take a photo of a small area. Quickly clean off the items in the photo and take an after photo. Once you see how your home could look, it becomes easier to start decluttering more of your home.
- Get help from a friend. Have a friend or family member go through your home and suggest a handful of big items to throw away or give to someone else. If you defend the item and want to keep it, your friend has to agree with your reason. If they don’t agree, it’s time to get rid of it.
- Use the Four-Box Method. Get four boxes and label them: trash, give away, keep, or re-locate. Enter any room in your home and place each item into one of the following boxes. Don’t skip a single item, no matter how insignificant you may think it is. This may take days, weeks, or months, but it will help you see how many items you really own and you’ll know exactly what to do with each item.
No matter which decluttering tip you choose to get started – whether it be one of these ten or one of countless others – the goal is to take your first step in decluttering your life with excitement behind it.
There is a beautiful world of freedom and fresh breath hiding behind that clutter. Deciding how to declutter your home is up to you.
For more decluttering tips, watch this short video we put together. In it, I provide 10 quick decluttering projects, each completable in just 5 minutes or less:
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General FAQ About Decluttering Your Home:
How do I create a decluttering checklist?
Creating a checklist is one of the easiest ways to keep track of what can and still needs to be reduced from your home. We’ve put together a Declutter Your Home Checklist you can use to instantly make a noticeable difference.
Just pick any 5-10 items from the list to start and you will be amazed with how quickly momentum builds up.
Do I need a professional organizer to help me get rid of clutter?
Absolutely not. Getting rid of the clutter in your home can be done by yourself. It can even be a fun family activity when using the decluttering tips found in this article.
How can I declutter quickly? Can it be done in a day?
Removing clutter from our homes and our lives doesn’t need to be rushed or done in a single day. It’s something that can be done over time and may even need to be done on a semi-regular basis. As long as you start the process today, you’re further along than you were yesterday.
Will owning less make my home look empty or boring?
Simple doesn’t mean sparse or boring. The opposite is true. With fewer mess and distractions, your home can become more peaceful. You can view your home as a space for rest and comfort, instead of a source of stress.
What’s the difference between declutter and unclutter?
They’re both interchangeable, though I prefer using “declutter.” The “de-” hints at being complete and permanent. I like to think of decluttering as something that solves the problem forever.
When should I declutter?
This is a personal question. When you find yourself overwhelmed by your possessions and tied down, it usually means you’re ready to start making a change. Note that this feeling is just a broad litmus test. The feeling of overwhelm can be different for everyone.
About Joshua Becker
I live in Texas and last winter it was -20 outside and +20 inside my house with no electricity so no heat for 3 days. Once we got electricity back I freaked out and got on line and purchased 7 winter coats, sweaters and lots of blankets/comforters. Spent all the government money sent to me just in hopes of being warm this coming winter.
Finally came to my senses, have given 5 of the coats and a majority of the other “stuff” to Goodwill which has given me an unexpected joy, knowing others will also have a chance of being warmer this coming winter. Yea, I no longer have a ton of clothing but I have enough to hopefully stay warm and that’s just what I was wanting.
Less is really great😍.
Nice information.
nice article
All she wanted was the answer, but she had no idea how much she would hate it.
I loved reading your post on how to declutter your home. One point that you mentioned is the importance of having fewer things to clean. I’m sure it’s not easy at all! Thanks for posting.
I have to strictly follow these tips. I admit that I am very messy. Time to change my life! Thanks for sharing!
Great tips! Please help me 😞 get over the guilt of donating/tossing collectibles we collected on our numerous trips nationwide? It is so hard for me not to reminisce on each item. Once I get over this hurdle, my path will be easy 😃 thx
Hi Fiona. I have a similar problem. Maybe you could take photos of the items, print and mount or frame them, and create a memory wall.
Or put all your photographs into a beautiful scrapbook, writing the story and memory of each item by the picture. This way your family will have your memories and stories as history unfolds, without the clutter. They just have your book – with your handwriting – that’s something most of us forget to give to the future. Think how much you would like to know about your Great Grandparent’s lives. The questions you would have asked them – if you’d ever met them. When I gave birth to my daughter, I bought a simple silver chain bracelet. On each of her birthdays I bought a silver charm that meant something about that year. For example, the year her brother was born, there was a stork, bringing a baby. The year we visited Greece, I bought a very special charm there with a local precious stone.. On her 21st birthday, I sent her the bracelet – she was away at University, along with the letter describing each event and telling her what the charms meant. I didn’t intend for her to cry, but she sobbed for an hour. 21 years of her life, illustrated on her wrist.
Good Point.
It’s just a fact: we all only live once and too many things distract us from it.It is becoming more and more important to concentrate on the essentials!
Love this thought. Thank you.
One of much needed article for me. I am glad I found you. Thank you for so many simple yet effective Ideas. I am going to apply today onwards.
I am glad Kon Marie method works for some of you. It was a overwhelming and messy process that I couldn’t cope.
I am thankful that Becker method caught my attention and it has been helping me over a year. I love the intentionality of why we do what we do. I agree to being a good example; My family started noticing the difference and saw the benefits of it and got on board. Now we have built up muscles of decluttering and every part of the house looks so peaceful and inviting. We have no worries of having anybody visiting without a notice, but to just welcome in with confidence. We could totally relate to all the things like emotional process and benefits of decluttering Joshua shares in his books and vlogs. We are free from the never ending organization of our clutter. Don’t give up fellows out there on decluttering. It’s life changing experience!
Thank you, Joshua! God bless you, your family & your disciples!
I am emptying my in laws house. 10 tons so far!! 66 years worth of hoarding. I’m almost done. Then I will start on my own house. My 93 year old mother needs her storage emptied also!! I am 70 years old and hope I can get it done. You have been an inspiration to me. Wish me luck!
Tere
G’day Joshua I like your 10 tips. I like your video. I have ordered your 2 books from my local library. I have started feeling good after my life fell apart and off the tracks nearly 4 years and then again in March 2020 with the pandemic. However, now I see light at the end of the tunnel and am ready to declutter this flat and and make it mine. I have so much stuff from many years !!!!!Wish you lived closer so you could drop by and light the fire. Thank you
I am faced with having to declutter and pack up my house within a few days. I wish I had found this sooner as it is a big home with room to collect and keep too much. I may have to pack and declutter my possessions later?
Kathleen,
Sometimes that’s necessary. At one time I had to pack, move and clean within a only few hours. I knew I was going to move, but for safety reasons I couldn’t let my husband know ahead of time. So I wasn’t able to do more than my normal levels of regular decluttering beforehand. When moving day came, I jumped into action as soon as he left for work, just throwing my things in whatever boxes I could. Then did more decluttering after the move. Not ideal certainly, but sometimes you don’t have a choice and that’s fine.
My favorite way to declutter is to sell my stuff on an app called “Flyp”. The app connects me with resellers who will sell my stuff for me so I never have to worry about any of it. I’m loving it so far!!
OMG, Flyp is my favorite app to sell clothes too! It really helps me sell everything all at once! I thought it wasn’t as popular, but it seems like I’m wrong :P
I enjoy hearing from you. I try to get rid of more stuff each week. My daughter asked me to go shopping with her a few days ago. She showed me some slacks on the clearance rack. When I pointed out that she had two jobs and couldn’t wear these slacks to either job, she decided not to buy them. Her shoes were falling apart so she got some new shoes. Then we found more stuff for Goodwill.
Check out this website for more tips. It is called 2b-organized.com
and go to the tips link. You can download things like declutter your house room by room, 30 days to organize, and skills for great time management.
Also one of my sisters has now gotten very excited by thrifting. She said she wished she had caught on earlier as she could have saved so much money, but it is never too late to change. That is where living by example is so important.
Thanks Joshua for allowing us to post here. I used to go on a VS chat line and I really miss it. We talked about so many issues and I especially enjoyed the posts about frugality and all the creative ways people cut costs, did diy projects etc. It was a real encouragement for all of us to share these ideas, and also to dispel the thought that VS was about poverty, but we all knew it was about freedom, to be your authentic self, not to keep up with the Jones’s, not to get sucked into the Matrix!
I embraced voluntary simplicity years ago and had the pleasure of meeting Cecile Andrews, author of The Circle of Simplicity-Return to the Good Life. VS and Minimalism for me is whole mind shift to living slower, more deliberately, and living lighter on the planet.
I also caught on to buying second hand early on which I love to this day. Also it is great to purchase something made back when their was more pride and quality of work. It does take ongoing work but the benefits outweigh what may be considered to be a grueling task.
Thanks for your comments. What does VS mean? I don’t think it means versus in your paragraphs. Best wishes
I think it means voluntary simplicity.
Voluntary Simplicity
This is my first time in this blob and web page. Thanks for your comments. What does VS mean? I don’t think it means versus in your paragraphs. Best wishes
Thanks for the great artikel. Yes, less is mostly just more.
Sometimes reading these articles help. Other times, when I read them I realize that although I would like to live simple and only with the items that “spark joy for me”, it is unrealistic for me to go minimal. My wife is totally not into this movement, and she is very materialistic. I can reduce my own things and make a little progress, but really, I do feel I will at some point need the things I have and will be angry when I realize I have tossed them before needing them. For example, it is nice to have extra screws, tools, lubricants, etc. that I will probably need down the line, so I end up saving 90% of the things I come across. Many people likely live like this as well, which is why we have 2 to 3000 sqft homes to hold all of our crap. Even though we have access to stores that have later and later hours (walmart et al.), and all of the online stores in the world, we still would rather have things on hand. We tend to have a lot of pressure to succeed in many areas as well. For example, we fix our cars, so we have all of the tools needed for that. We may golf, fish or play sports, so we have everything needed for that. We have collectables, old memory stuff, photobooks, etc. We have computers and media, televisions and video games. We want to have clothing for any type of weather or level of formality. We want to have specialty coffee, juicers, airfryers, carbonated water makers, kettles, microwaves, appliances, etc. because we want to be able to make any type of food from any culture to show how industriousness we are. I could go on, but even this post is clutter. The end result is that it’s very very difficult for us to live with less. Just my 80 cents…
My older son enjoys baking, cooking, and home repair. He has all the special equipment. I cook to feed people. I have a couple pots, a kettle and a frying pan.
I enjoy paper crafts and making flowers out of fabric scraps. I have a tool box and a small bin of supplies.
Decide what you want to keep. Is the item expensive? Do you use it often? Does another tool you own do the same job?
This is how I feel too. Especially during the pandemic there now are certain things I can’t find to buy which when we find that I have it already I am glad about it. I also find that if I throw something good away I most likely will need to use it not too long after it is gone and get mad about it. Thank you for your 80 cents I think it isn’t to become a minimalist that would be the solution its organizing what I already have which is alot that is the issue for me.
Hi, Jake I realize your comment is over a year old, but maybe you’ll still see this (?).
I’ve had the same problem as you regarding being afraid I’ll need something after I’ve gotten rid of it. I’ve realized a few things, however, that have been helpful. One is that at some point, those things lie around in boxes and drawers so long I don’t even remember they’re there; I can’t use what I don’t know I have (or don’t remember where I put it). Another thing is that if I don’t use it in a certain amount of time then I probably won’t, definitely not enough to justify adding to the clutter. I love homemade ice cream, but having an ice cream maker take up space in my kitchen would bother me far more than not being able to make ice cream when I decide I want to for the first time in a year. Also, you don’t mention if you have family or how old you are, but someone will have to go through everything you own eventually, whether it’s you or someone else. My husband and I learned this the hard way when we had to go through not 1, but 2 houses that family members left behind. Each house took over a year. Maybe something to keep in mind in the long run.
Just my 60 cents!
Thanks. To make the moving and packing and decluttering less painful, you could hire a babysitter to get a few hours of peaceful, child-free decluttering time.
My daughter just handed me another pile of papers and DVD ‘S to get rid of. She hates to sort and clean. A little bit at a time is a lot over a year.
Great tips! Inspires me to declutter more!
Years after a car accident, I still cannot lift and move totes…decluttering in a mindful way over time has helped me so much. I have often felt defeated when told to put it all in one pile. I could never get through it. I move carefully. I now have areas of space and air…with more to go. Thanks to your methods, I stopped feeling bad about taking my time. Bless you.
My daughter moved back with us. One evening I asked her to find 10 books to give away. Last night, I asked for 20 pieces of paper to recycle. In the year she has been hear, doing small tasks like this, she’s gotten rid of 75 cartons of stuff she had in her apartment. Every time she buys something new, she must give away something. Small changes add up.
My rule is one item in means two go out. This really helped me get to a reasonable amount of clothing.
I enjoyed reading your list of decluttering tips and it’s definitely a treasure trove of creative ideas. I’m decluttering at least once a year since we have a lot of stuff at home especially baby clothes and toys. I don’t really have a strategy when I do it so I end up parting away with just a few stuff. I love to try giving one item away each day and by the end of the year I’ll ask a rubbish removal service to get them or maybe I’ll just donate them if the items can still be used. Thanks for sharing these amazing tips, Joshua!
I absolutely love your Creative Ideas to declutter. The 5 minutes a day to start is really a good one. I find clutter also leads to depression. When you find you are no longer in love with where you live because of all the stuff, take action! Very good read and I am personally goinig to put some of this into practice at my own home!
Your article is really motivated. Thanks, Joshua. I love so much the idea of taking 12-12-12 challenge. A few days ago, I thought to clean my house by donating and throwing useless things. After reading your content, I make the decision to do that as soon as possible. I am really looking forward to reading this type of amazing content.
Hi Joshua,
great advice! I love the idea of starting with just 5 minutes a day. Decluttering can quickly become exhausting, if it’s done for hours at once.
I started to take decluttering more seriously after the whole Marie Kondo craze. I’m not perfect at it, but I’m learning. It just feals great after you finished decluttering your belongings. And it becomes easier each time I’m trying to do it.
I’m looking forward to more awesome articles :)
After decluttering house plants may be a good idea. They look good and filter the air. What’s next, zero waste?
Less debt. I believe that. Every time we bought clothes, it’s another thing to pay instead of saving up. But I believe that it’s better to reward yourself a bit sometime. I did give to others my rarely used clothes. I find my cabinet in relief.
Will keep this article in my thoughts, thanks!
Never really thought I had to bad of a “cluttering problem” until I came across this site. Now I know I need to “de-clutter” thanks for all the helpful hints!!
No one is so rich that they can not help others, and no one is too poor to help others in some way
I love how you talked about there being less to organize and you can find things better. My husband and I are looking to get rid of a lot of junk that we don’t need anymore and we wanted to know the best ways and benefits of doing so. We will keep these tips in mind as we find a professional to help us remove a lot of junk.
I closed a business due to health reason some everything i had at studio is at my house. HELP is what i was looking for seems you will be a geeat help. I am looking forward to your advice.
Since I am 70 and my husband is 73, with multiple serious health problems, we are staying home most of the time. I never had much because my mother was a hoarder. Now, I find 20 things a day to put in a bag for Goodwill or the free table at our local food pantry. I gave away buttons in empty pill bottles. Lots of greeting cards I had not used in two years. Then my husband found some books and clothes. Then I found some books to give away. The floor of my closet is empty. I emptied a dresser. We emptied a bookcase. Just a little bit every day leads to big results.
I found I had more china bowls and big trays that we had not used in three years. Usually, if I need a big tray, I cover a cookie sheet with foil or gift wrap. We made two trips to Goodwill and we are filling the
car again. I don’t have much and now I have less. We also donated twenty plastic hangers. I use stainless steel for serving pieces because it doesn’t tarnish or break. After fifty years plus, it is still fine.
I feel so motivated right now to declutter, thanks for this! I think the greatest challenge for me is to convince my wife that some things are meant to be disposed. She is too sentimental to throw off some of our things.
This is such an inspiring blog! You make decluttering seem like a challenge as opposed to a chore. Your four-box method is a brilliant idea – so simple.
Felt great and the house is a lot more empty now. Great article Joshua. The 12-12-12 challenge is actually great. I did clean my house by donating and returning useless things.
I have to thank you, I have so much stuff, going from a house to a trailer, a divorce and now a separation and the death of my dad 5 yrs ago and mom 2 months ago…losing my job. ..my family trying to burn my house down and my 10 yr old grandson…well…reading how easy i hope it’ll be to declutter will be great…I hope I can do it…if send you before and after but Im to embarrassed. ..wish they still had shows that come to your house and get rid of it all and redo it…id so let them in..lol..but thank you so much for the tips…I can do this!!!????????????????
I love the quote saying without trust there are no collaborations. this is true. This is what I learn.
Great article Joshua. The 12-12-12 challenge is actually great. I did clean my house by donating and returning useless things.
Felt great and the house is a lot more empty now.
Have a donation budget per year. Then try to substitute it with giving away your things to charity, instead of money. You will not have to pay $ as a donation if the value of your donated items covers it. Great incentive.
I love these suggestions, thank you
I LOVE this cute little idea! I have a hard time motivating myself to get started, but limiting my time and playing fun music helps. This is an even better idea than mine! It will be a fun and rewarding routine for each time I leave the house. :)
God bless you!
I am too sentimental have just retired and need to decluter 3 rooms
Keep putting it off I think everything I have I will need!!! The plastic tubs keep growing?
very,very,very good! thank you
Always goodinformation!!’
I have read two of your books and since that time have been decluttering my home. If I now buy something new to wear I give four things away from my closet. Living simply has certainly made a huge difference in my life.
I think this is a great idea on decluttering your house! Junk removal can be hard for some people, and decluttering can start with a single item. A minimalistic approach can be very uplifting to the spirit and our health; our lives should not be so burdened with junk.
Thanks for sharing that information!
Good suggestions on decluttering!
I’ve recently come across the KonMari method for decluttering. For so many people (including myself), it seems that “letting go” of their surplus belongings is the biggest hurdle to overcome; stopping many from starting or properly finishing the entire de-cluttering process.
What I like about Marie Kondo’s methodology is her change of perspective DURING the clearing process. Her method involves a simple but very different focus to the de-cluttering process, and seems to involve less angst, less anxiety, & the benefit of a longer-term outcome (ie. When you’re tempted to buy more stuff after your clean-out, you’re more likely to apply the same methodology when assessing new purchases).
It seems to me to be a practical method that helps you to get the job done with the least heartache…& for me that’s huge!
In other words, at the end of your clutter-clearing process, rather than having undergone a monumental struggle to let go of things which leave you feeling that your home is somehow EMPTY, bereft, clinical or without character, you are left with spaces FILLED with selected items you truly love (rather than FILLED with clutter, stagnation & hidden treasures you don’t get to enjoy).
I’ve just gotten a copy of her books for more detail, & to learn how I can effectively maintain my space after I’ve done the hard yards. I think this method is deceptively simple, but very worthwhile & powerful.
I wish you all good luck!