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?
Christine Peterson says
I agree and heartily endorse all the tips here, except the toaster thing. That one always stops me in my tracks, and I suspect is the most controversial. Not all of us have the kind of storage that makes storing all our kitchen appliances feasible. My counter holds a one-cup coffee maker, a Kitchenaid mixer, a breadbox, a food processor, a knife block, and yes, a toaster. My cat iron cookware lives nested on one of my stove burner — possible because the stove has five burners. My kitchen is tiny, and has almost no wall space. An island is out of the question. I use a rolling butcher block cart for much of my prep work. It also holds my Instant Pot and a container of dish towels. The important takeaway here, I believe, is to keep the counters and appliances clean, and the sink empty. A clean kitchen inspires me to cook, and so does a clean refrigerator and stove. Other than the toaster thing, the suggestions are all winners.
Buttons says
Great info! I started making my bed after an article from Martha Stewart years ago and has makes you start your day in a positive mood that you already have accomplished something.
I love the one minute rules.
I also have a 5 minute rule I got from a friend so many years ago To get you started cleaning a room or any task really, start a timer for 5 min and see how much you can get done. The motivation kicks in and keeps you motivated to keep going!
Carol Radi says
I read that you should let your bed air out a bit before making it. True?
Pink Poppies says
Absolutely. If you have any allergies at all, or even if you don’t, airing your bed for an hour or more before making it up again will help reduce moisture/dustmites and keep it fresh.
Karen Trefzger says
My dad always said, “If you can do it in a minute, do it now.” So turning off lights, putting things away, etc. was a habit for me from an early age. Always a good reminder!
Judy says
I have been very motivated to clean and declutter. It’s a great feeling to have a clean/clutter-free home. A little daily effort and the results are great!
Natalie says
Here’s my habit: Whenever you walk from one room to another, take one thing with you that belongs to the room where you’re going!
Susan Zimmer says
I do all of this as well as try to work on a project at least one per week. If anyone walks into my house they ask when I am moving as they think everything must be packed away. Clutter free is stress free for me.
Sun says
This sounds lovely!! I am working on it slowly.
Lucy says
I am literally in tears because, even though I do most of these things, my family members (one adult, one older teenager), do none of them, even though they know the clutter and mess stress me out. I am so beyond frustrated. My dad was a pack rat, bordering on hoarder, who I took care of for 13 yrs. Heaven help me if I tried to straighten up or throw anything away. So now I live with two people who do the same thing. I own the house, so it’s not like I can move out and live by myself…
Taymar says
I am living a similar situation and feel your pain. It is so hard to live with people who actively sabotage your every efforts for having a tidy space. A more practical approach that has worked somewhat for my family is to examine the common habits that they have, and create an organizational system around that. For example, I have shelves for shoes and a coat rack directly next to the front door even though there isn’t a closet there. Other people might have a family capable of walking a few feet to a hall closet, but not mine. I also got an amazing tip from a friend about a stupid thing that was seriously stressing me out – hand towels. She told me that she safety pinned hers so they were attached and couldn’t be pulled off and left on the counter. Now my kitchen and bathroom hand towels are all safety pinned so that my husband and teenage son CAN’T just pull them off and leave them on the counter. It’s a small win, but so worthwhile! Hope this is helfpul.
Mary says
My expansion on number 3 junk mail. If you get your mail at a group box, just sort the junk in an instant and drop back into the delivery slot. The post office will recycle it, I hope!
Vero says
That’s brilliant, I’m going to try that.
I wonder how I can teach my children and husband to put their clothes away.
Beverly says
I taught my kids and husband long ago to put their things away. If they didn’t I got a box put their things that had been left on the floor table etc and packed it away. Didn’t matter what it was. When they started asking where it was I said where did you leave it? Is that where it belongs? Guess the “maid” got rid of it because she was tired of picking it up. It works!
Emma says
Your house your home your rules to be respected x
Td says
I’d like to air my bed out permanently by keeping the covers all thrown to the middle. For allergies.
Merc says
I “make” my bed by smoothing the sheets, fluffing the pillows, and folding the blankets down to the end of the bed for airing out during the day. It looks made but open!
Annie says
For our home I agree with all of these except the toaster. We have a toaster oven we use multiple times a day and no place to store it other than the counter. Our kitchen is very small and has already been de-cluttered and organized to where I don’t have to move one thing to get to another. Putting the toaster away would mean having to move things to get to it. That being said, everything else in the kitchen that has a home gets put away right away. The toaster oven sits against a wall and we just shift it a few inches back in place as soon as we are done with it.
I wanted to mention a site called Catalog Choice that helps get you off mailing lists. (I am not affiliated with it other than as a user.) It has really helped reduce the amount of junk mail and catalogs that used to just end up in our recycling bin anyway.
Bev Gipson says
I used to put the junk mail in the enclosed return envelope and send it back to the company. I wrote, “NO MORE MAIL PLEASE” in big letters on the outside of the envelope. That helped tremendously. I hardly ever get junk mai! Lol
Connie from Oregon says
I recently flattened my boxes because I was having my dehumidifier worked on and wanted area clear for workers. I have a utility table set up in garage and boxes fit under table and garage looks much neater.
I like the new one about masks. I have two containers on top of washer that leads to garage. One with clean masks, one used. All used masks near by so I can add to wash when I do a bit water load. Stay
Thanks for another great article.