Clutterfree is more than a project, it is also a process.
It is one thing to declutter your home one time. But keeping it clutterfree requires healthy habits going forward.
One of the most simple and effective rules for getting your life under control and keeping your home clutterfree is the “one-minute rule” introduced by Gretchen Rubin.
Complete any task that can be finished in one minute immediately.
Followed consistently, this rule will make an amazing difference in your home and life. It has for me. Here’s a list of places where you can begin implementing this rule right away—I call them one-minute clutterfree habits.
21 One-Minute Clutterfree Habits
These micro-habits will definitely help keep your home clutterfree.
1. Make Your Bed
First thing, right away, as soon as you get up.
2. Put away your coat and shoes.
Also scarves and gloves and hats. In the coat closet where they belong.
3. Recycle the junk mail.
In fact, I throw it into the recycle bin in the garage and don’t even let it enter my home.
4. Put clean dishes away.
Don’t leave them out—on the counter, in the sink, or the dishwasher.
5. Don’t leave clothes on the floor or furniture.
Dirty clothes in the laundry pile. Clean clothes back in the closet/drawer.
6. Put away your keys and change.
Wherever your drop-zone is (ours is a drawer), use it always. Bonus: You’ll always know where your keys are. :)
7. Don’t leave out your bathroom toiletries.
In the morning after getting ready and at night before going to bed. Twice/day. Keep your bathroom counter clear.
8. Put kids’ school items away.
Teach/Show your kids where their backpacks belong and get them trained early.
9. Empty the car entirely when you arrive home.
Whatever you brought into the car that day, take out when you return home. You’ll love driving a clutterfree vehicle!
10. Wash your snack dishes/cups immediately.
Pots and pans can take longer than one minute. But the bowl you used for ice cream won’t. Wash snack dishes quickly with a dishwand.
11. Store those kitchen appliances.
Toaster, coffee pot, blender… store them all out of sight (even if you use them every day). Trust me, you’ll love it.
12. Pick up toys.
There is no age too early to teach your children how to clean up after themselves.
13. Tear down cardboard boxes.
Even if you’re going to keep them, flatten and free up space.
14. Put away the remote controls.
Don’t leave remote controls scattered all over the living room. Put them back where they belong after each use.
15. Return chargers and cords to drawers.
Especially if you charge electronics in shared spaces.
16. Fold your blanket after use.
Wadded up on the couch or folded nicely? Choose folded every time.
17. Empty full trash cans/bins.
Someone has to take out the trash. If the bin is full, remember the “one-minute” rule and get it done.
18. Return reading materials to their designated home.
Magazines, newspapers, books, Sudoku, whatever.
19. Throw out any expired leftovers/food.
Clear up the space in your fridge or pantry.
20. Put away your tools.
You know who you are…
21. File those papers.
Few things clutter a room quicker than piles of paper.
Followed consistently, these micro-habits will make an amazing difference in your home. And who doesn’t love a clutterfree home?
Ros says
I find that time is my biggest concern in getting things done – thinking of how long something takes (which is almost always quite a short period of time) helps me to do tasks.
Connie says
I was excited to see that that these habits have been started without even thinking about it because I live having a tidy house.
Liz says
Thank you Joshua for inspiration. I love the idea of flattening the cardboard boxes. This is the first time that I have read this in relation to minimalism. I am going straight away to flatten all of the cardboard boxes that I have saved for taking my surplus stuff to auction. It will free up a lot of space.
Lea says
This is a wonderful list Joshua. We are currently staying with friends but when we had our home I/we did everything on this list.
I especially like junk mail not getting in the door. We kept a shredder in the garage, right by the door the entered into our home. Junk went there immediately.
I’ve always made my bed first thing in the morning. Doing it right away means, it’s done!! And the room always looks much better.
Filing away those papers is a big, and important one. Once I got this organized it was life changing for the better.
And I love the look of clean, uncluttered countertops. I put all those kitchen items hidden away. It looks so much cleaner, brighter and lighter. I can’t stand a sink full of dirty dishes either. This is something I’ve always taken care of right away. Rarely does so much as a coffee cup sit in the sink.
All of these things together makes life so much cleaner and nicer.
I used to keep a cute chalk board on a kitchen wall. Every week I wrote down the meals I was planning. This way none of those things in the fridge got forgotten when they were hidden behind other things in the fridge. It looked cute on the wall too.
Julie says
Your bed should air for at least one hour after waking because we sweat at night. Don’t make allergies worse by making your bed first thing.
Sun says
You can make your bed but then fold the linens neatly down to the bottom which will air out the bed and still have the bed looking made. I make my bed upon waking and pull the covers back neatly to the bottom so it can air out, and then all I need to do is pull the covers up after a shower or breakfast. My children have seen this so much that their way of making the bed is to make it and fold the bedding back down to the bottom of the bed neatly and leave it like that. :)
dee says
YES! I do this as well. We live in a high humidity area, and I like a well aired bed.
joshua becker says
Thanks for the comment. I don’t struggle with allergies and think that airing out your bed is overrated. I much prefer to make it right away when I get up.
Jane says
I’m retired so have the luxury of one coffee and while the second cup is brewing I can make the bed (everything is aired).
Michele says
This is the best email I have received from you. Most of your emails are so long and wordy that I don’t have time to read them. I receive too many emails. ( I am decluttering my in-bin by ‘unsubscribing’ to many sites…not yours.) I would appreciate it if your decluttering suggestions could be changed from Tolstoy novels to Shakespeare sonnets At 76 years old, I am still in the process of downsizing. Thank you!
Mari says
I’m wIth you! Nothing so freeing as a little downsizing.
Ann says
Great ideas, Joshua.
Clean counters really do make a difference!! It’s really amazing how small steps make our homes more peaceful.
I never thought of this one:
“13. Tear down cardboard boxes.
Even if you’re going to keep them,
flatten and free up space.”
Great idea! Removes visual clutter!
Thanks for sharing.
Laurene Nason says
I was surprised at how many of these I practice. Have to pick up after my husband, he’ll do it eventually but I don’t like things lying around. Since retirement I’ve made him a coffee set-up, much easier than spread around the cupboard.
Kallisto says
I agree with everything on this list except the ‘make your bed: First thing, right away, as soon as you get up’ rule because your bed needs 15-30 minutes to air out.
joshua becker says
Thanks for the comment. We make our bed right away and will continue to do so.
mianz says
Same, if I didn’t make the bed straight away it wouldn’t get done!
As soon as I’m up, I pray, go to the bathroom, then make the bed, so it would have a few minutes to dry out I guess. But i’ve never bothered airing it specially and it hasn’t affected me at all :).
Great suggestions Josh, could you do a list for tiding up office desks.
Martha says
Am with you on this mianz . What’s the habits to learn at the office desk…can be good to learn. I can hardly have an empty out desk and can’t remember where I put my files, when I need to find it. Too many organizing tools to use and still can’t find things nor keep my desk empty. Help.
Sun says
I like to make the bed right away and also need to air it out because I’m a hot sleeper. So I do a combo of bot. As soon as I stand, I make the bed. Wait! There is more to it. I fluff the pillows, stand them up, pull up bedding to the top, and neatly fold it back down to the bottom of the bed. This leaves the top 2/3 of the bed exposed to air out which is more than if I just left it all a mess. The bed looks neat and “made” and inviting; so if for some reason I don’t get back to make it fully right away, the room appears cared for and neatly done up. After getting ready, I pull the covers up and neaten them so the bed is fully made. Voila! My children leave theirs in the made but turned back stage, probably because when I had the youngest, that was as far as I ever got for a while. ;)
Melinda Cook says
I agree with the airing out of the bed necessity, body perspiration needs time to evaporate and its far more hygienic than broiling in your own bodily fluids the following evening.
Bonnie says
To my surprise my husband did the bed after seeing for awhile that I always did it first. It is very rewarding .
Linda Sand says
I was thrilled to learn we already do most of the things on that list. A visiting friend once asked me if our house was always that tidy. :)
A fairly new one is put your used face mask in the laundry bin as soon as you remove it.