Too often, I’m asked how to declutter fast because there seems to be ZERO time available to dedicate to keeping things clutter-free. The good news is that I have some tips to help you get your home clutter-free so that you can keep your sanity!
In this post, I’m going to cover two key components that will change your life, if you simply implement them into your routine:
- Preventative measures
- Decluttering Routine
Let’s get into it!
Side note: I’ve created a fun printable to help you keep track of decluttering your home! It is at the end of this post, so be sure you don’t miss it!
Preventative Measures: How to Unclutter Your House
Preventative measures cut down on your clutter BIG TIME! In fact, most of your clutter likely comes from not having easy systems in place, but no worries!
We are changing that today, my friend!
There are eight things you can easily implement today that will help you unclutter your house!
Now you may recognize a few of these tips from my post about how to cut cleaning time in half. However, they are worth revisiting because they don’t just help with cleaning time but, in general, are great ways to keep your home clutter-free.
1 // Use a basket for mail/paperwork
What do you do with incoming mail and paperwork? Do you drop it by the door, pile it up in an office, or place it randomly throughout your home?
Notice where your major pile of neglected incoming mail and paperwork is, and use a basket or three-tier tray to help you keep these things in one place!
Trust me! When you know that everything you need is in this one basket, it makes life much easier!
Just make sure you carve out time in your week to sort through it so that you don’t miss any bill payments.
This is why I recommend a three-tier tray over a basket.
You can have a tray for bills you need to pay, things you need to file, and other things you need to remind yourself about.
Related Post: How to Organize Paperwork in Your Home the Easy Way!
2 // Gather dirty clothes and start a load of laundry every day
Doing this every day will help you stay on top of your laundry and help you keep your home clutter-free!
It only takes five minutes, so if you have to wake up five minutes earlier to accomplish this, I promise you’ll be grateful you did!
3 // Do the dishes daily!
There is something about waking up to a clean and empty sink every morning!
Going to bed knowing the dishes are done helps you rest better because you aren’t thinking about what needs to be done around the house.
You’re already implementing the laundry tip, and adding dishes to your routine will help you relax even more!
If you’re in disbelief, give it a try for a FULL 7 days, then don’t do it for a day and see how you feel.
Related Post: Kitchen Declutter Challenge: Let’s Declutter the Heart of the Home
4 // Keep individual catchall baskets for everyone in your home’s entryway
Having a catchall basket for everyone in your home will help you hold them responsible for their things. You already do enough, so let the people who live with you be responsible for something.
This takes something off your plate and helps keep what could be clutter centralized into one space in a tidy way.
5 // Keep countertops clear
The less you have on your countertops, the better! This makes them easier and quicker to clean.
Plus, it creates a more calming atmosphere in your home that helps reduce anxiety and stress.
Related Post: Decluttering Home: The Easiest Way to Declutter Your Home
6 // Use the One-Touch Rule
The One-Touch Rule is an amazing rule to implement because it helps you keep things in your home when they aren’t in use.
A classic example is needing scissors to cut something quickly. Instead of leaving them somewhere random after you use them, take them back to their home so that when you look for them again, you can easily find them.
This not only cuts down on time searching for something, but it also cuts down on the amount of clutter in your home.
7 // Implement the One In, One Out Rule
For each thing you bring into your home, you need to take something out of it. This prevents clutter from sneaking back into your home.
When you want a new shirt, decide on what shirt you will remove from your wardrobe before purchasing the new shirt.
This will help you decide if that new shirt is worth the investment or if you’re satisfied with what you have already.
8 // Diffuse relaxing essential oils
While it is important to remove physical clutter from your home, you need something to help you relax and enjoy your home.
Diffusing essential oils purify the air you breathe and provide a nice, clean fragrance throughout your home.
Implementing each of these preventative measures into your routine will only take a few minutes. However, it drastically cuts down on the clutter you have, so you don’t have to worry so much about doing major house declutters.
You’ll gain back time by implementing all eight of these tips.
How to declutter fast
Now that you know how to prevent clutter, let’s discuss how to declutter fast so that you can remove the things you don’t want.
1 // Establish a decluttering routine
Having a decluttering routine, even if it is only 30 minutes a week, will help you get your home decluttered!
Here is what your decluttering routine will look like:
Choose a category to declutter fast //
Before you ever start decluttering, you need a plan! What category of things are you going to declutter?
I recommend starting with a messy area that you’ve been avoiding so that you can get through quickly.
Examples of this are paper piles, crafts, books, and clothes.
Whatever you choose, be sure to do so by category versus room because you’ll be far more successful this way.
Gather everything in that category and set a timer //
Once you have everything gathered, set a timer for a minimum of 30 minutes, or however long you have set aside for decluttering.
Having a timer will help keep you focused on decluttering and prevent distractions.
Be quick with your decisions //
One of the biggest mistakes people make when decluttering is not trusting their gut instinct about an item.
They choose to sit in wonder, then later wonder why they kept something they didn’t actually need.
If you pick up an item and you instantly feel like you don’t need it, trust that gut instinct put it in the declutter pile, and keep moving.
Put keep items back in their home //
As soon as you finish, put everything you decide to keep back in their home. Don’t delay doing this.
Get the decluttered items out of your ASAP! //
Don’t let decluttered items stick around in your home. This only moves the clutter around, which isn’t helpful. Plus, it gives you a chance to reconsider things you’ve already decided are leaving.
Put these things in the car or schedule a pick up [if you have those services local to you].
The sooner you get these items out of your home, the better!
Related Post: How to Reduce Stress at Home with 5 Simple Routines
2 // Do a little each day
Whether you decide to have a daily decluttering routine or just want to declutter during your normal routine, it is important to do something each day to help you reduce the clutter you have within your home.
Set a goal //
Having a goal will help you feel accomplished each day and motivate you to keep going, especially when your schedule is book solid!
There are two types of goals you can set. Choose one and stick with it.
- Time
- Items
If you set a goal to declutter for so much time each day, be sure it is doable for you.
I suggest starting out with 10 minutes a day and see how that feels. If you get a few days in and want to do more, then make that adjustment.
Once you’ve decided on a set amount of time to declutter each day, utilize your decluttering routine to help you be as efficient as possible!
If you set a goal to declutter so many items a day, make sure it is something that fits into your schedule.
For example, you don’t want to dedicate to decluttering 30 items a day if you don’t have the time to find 30 items a day.
Setting a goal of 5-10 items can add up to 1,825 to 3,650 items in 1 year, which can put a major dent in your clutter and potentially get you fully decluttered!
Take action and declutter fast!
To help you take action on decluttering your home fast, I’ve created a Decluttering Habit Tracker to help you establish your decluttering routine!
You have the ability to set whatever goal works best for you and a full 8 weeks of tracking in just one tracker!
Get the Decluttering Habit Tracker now!
You can also take action by investing in a workbook I created to help you establish a cleaning routine that helps you keep your home clean and tidy in 30 minutes or less a day!
Click here for more information about A Simple Cleaning Routine Workbook!
Final thoughts about decluttering fast
If you are ready to declutter fast, start with implementing preventative measures so that you don’t have to worry about even more clutter.
Then establish your decluttering routine so that you can tackle it head-on and get your house decluttered!
Together, these two systems create magic! [Well, not really magic, but they do help transform your home fast!]
Alright, it is time for you to take action and get your home decluttered! I cannot wait to hear all about your progress, friend!
I loved the individual catch all baskets! I can’t believe I’ve never thought of trying that before especially since it’s my husband that likes to leave his belongings scattered everywhere. LOL. I’ll definitely have to try it and see if it gives him a hint to stop just setting things down and walking away!
Let me know how it works for him! It takes a little bit to get used to it, but it is so helpful when needing to find something that wasn’t put in its “home”.
“The One Touch Rule” is some great advice! When it comes down to it, clutter comes from not putting things back in their place or not having a real place for them. In the latter case, it may be a sign that you should get rid of those items.
I like your thinking, Kim! I think if you have trouble putting something in particular back in its home you should evaluate the necessity of it or maybe it needs a new home elsewhere in your home.