6 Quick Decluttering Wins You Can Do in Under 30 Minutes (Even When You’re Overwhelmed)
When the thought of organizing your whole home makes you want to crawl under a rock, you need some quick wins!
Even if you are overwhelmed, commit to even one or two of these projects because quick wins
are a dopamine hit
yield that positive feeling that comes from a tidy space
build your decluttering muscle AND your momentum
prove that small bursts of focused time can make a big difference
Let’s get right into these 6 quick wins—meaning <30 minute projects—to organize your home and bring you pockets of peace. I’m including bonus add-ons for each step in case you have desire and energy to keep going! (No pressure though, promise.)
SHOES BY THE ENTRYWAY
Quick win:
Remove shoes that
are out of season (store away)
are no longer a current size (store for next child or donate/toss)
you don’t wear because…they give you blisters, they hurt, they’re not quite the right fit, etc—donate!
Consciously choose to keep only the shoes that each family member wears the most here (2-3 pairs per person, max)
No-pressure add-ons:
Vacuum and wipe down these surfaces
Relocate miscellaneous items that have “landed” in the entryway but don’t live here
Remove trash/recycling
Donate any items you don’t use or love—and in this moment, move them to your car to be dropped off
Consider changes to your organization here that makes your setup most accessible to the whole family
REFRIDGERATOR
Quick win:
Take off every single item on the surface your fridge
Edit what you remove: what can you toss/recycle, donate, store elsewhere, etc.? We’re looking at you, expired coupons, kids’ art, Christmas cards, appointment reminders of years past, freebie advertisement magnets, aspirational write-on calendars, etc.
Wipe the exterior surface of the fridge
Consciously choose what is worth staying up—avoid visual clutter by curating exactly what you love to see, nothing more. Avoid overlap and multiple layers of papers per magnet, etc.
No-pressure add-ons:
Empty the inside of the fridge—entirely—grouping like with like, and tossing what is expired, funky, of unknown origin, etc.
Make a pile of the “about to expire” and contain those as “Eat This First” to help your family avoid food waste
Be OK with admitting that you don’t like that special kale drink and dump the rest out, give yourself grace for being ambitious enough to buy that many fresh veggies and then never cutting them up or using them
Wipe down the insides of the fridge (most parts are removable); ensure they’re dry before adding items back in
Group items into categories, considering what needs to be most accessible
Store items forward-facing so they’re easy to see (avoid duplicates here, store backstock in the pantry or elsewhere)
Clear the TOP of the fridge, and create blank space here—it makes a big difference!
WARM BEVERAGES
Quick win:
Tis the season to enjoy hot beverages. Most people aren’t even aware of their own inventory…it’s time to take stock and get excited about cozying up with that expensive coffee, fancy new tea, or bougie hot chocolate you were gifted, you bought in bulk because of a sale, or you just “had to have.”
Empty your pantry, cabinet, drawers, beverage station of the tea bags, coffee, and hot cocoa, making piles of each. (This is when most of my clients are like, Damn, that’s a LOT, I didn’t realize I had that much!)
Give yourself permission to LET GO:
If it’s not expired, but you don’t enjoy the flavor or blend, donate!
If it’s outdated, opened and who knows for how long, or indecipherable, toss.
If you know won’t drink it (your partner accidentally got decaf, you don’t like the generic brand, etc), get rid of it.
Consciously choose how to store what’s left—the stash you’re excited to savor and share…and it’s top of mind now. Get to sipping!
No-pressure add-ons:
Don’t stop with the drink itself. Go a step farther and pull out all of your mugs and thermoses. The ones in the cabinet, in the sink or dishwasher, on your nightstand, in your car, etc. Bring them all together and pare way down. This is an awesome category to reduce by 50% or by 5, which makes a noticeable dent. When you have fewer, you are forced to wash them and return them to their designated spot.
Create a beverage station that invites family members to partake. Shop from home to make this designated area feel special.
LIVING ROOM DECOR
Quick win:
When was the last time you actually looked at the artwork you have on your walls, the decor on your surfaces, the tchotchkes on display? Is each one still relevant, timely, important, reflective of your values and season of life?
Swap out any family photos for a more recent favorite shot, or remove a random decor piece for a personalized souvenir from a family trip that’s more meaningful
Donate or sell any art that no longer speaks to you (I never really loved it, it was a gift from X and I’m only keeping it because I feel guilty, this reminds me of [a bad time, a difficult relationship, etc])
No judgment if you have a few Halloween or Easter items you forgot to put away. If you love them, send them back with the rest of the stored decor; if not, it’s OK to let go.
Consciously choose to display or hang up something new you’ve been meaning to get around to.
Remember to consider the focal point of when you enter the room but also where you spend the most time (what can you see from your chaise lounge or your favorite chair?).
No-pressure add-ons:
Take time to edit these commonly cluttered categories of items that I regularly see in clients’ homes:
Throw pillows and blankets (decide how many you need and let go of the rest)
Media: do you STILL have CDs or DVDs but nothing to play them on? Pare this way down, or get rid of them altogether. Also: cords, outdated tech, electronic waste—recycle responsibly
Donate old magazines, books you’ve read, books you couldn’t finish because you just weren’t that into it, books you “should” read but realistically don’t want to or won’t, etc.
Dig up the miscellaneous items that have been long forgotten beneath the couch, behind the end tables, etc. Pull items forward, clear out, and sweep/vacuum
Bring some new energy into this space:
Rearrange the furniture, and if you’re feeling bold, remove a piece that isn’t functional or that you don’t love
Agree on a paint color that evokes the vibe you’re going for and make a plan to get this done
Change the lighting (either the bulb type/style or add ambient lighting), remove the window treatments you never cared for, etc.
Give your plants some love!
PLAYROOM FIRST PASS
Quick win:
Parents can do an initial “sweep” of a kids’ space—without their presence—to rapidly weed out the following:
trash/recycling
broken toys, toys or puzzles with missing pieces
low-hanging fruit like party favors, plastic toys from McDonalds, etc
scribbled art that you know wasn't an important piece/a time investment
obviously outgrown toys, baby toys, puzzles with way too few pieces for this age/stage, board books, former character obsessions they no longer love (Frozen, Paw Patrol, etc)
WTF Bin: I lovingly call this the “What’s this for?” bin. These are all the little bobs and bits that you can’t identify to what toy or game they belong. Have the kids review these items and return to their rightful spot.
Pull out grow-into toys: perhaps a toy from last season or bday or wherever came into the play space but in reality your kids are not quite old enough/developmentally ready to enjoy. Take it out of the rotation and put it in a bin they can't see that you can pull out in the future.
You’ll undoubtedly find mishomed items here—take time to relocate (water bottles to return to sink, a mitten to return to coat closet, dirty socks to the laundry, a library book that was never returned).
No-pressure add-ons:
Create piles of what’s left by category (this is sorting like with like). You’ll be able to show your kids ALL the board games, ALL the matchbox cars, ALL the Barbies, ALL the fidgets, etc. When you present them with an entire category at a time, they can more easily pull out their favorites and find some to pass on.
Use containers to help create a natural boundary to how much you can store. “Looks like all the costumes don’t fit here, we need to take a few more out.”
Move low-stimulation and quiet toys to the bedroom (books, stuffed animals) to create space in the playroom.
Consciously choose (with your kids’ input) what the current faves are now and keep them most visible and accessible.
Consider adopting a toy rotation system, which is GAME-CHANGING and worth the initial effort.
SELF-CARE (Bedroom/Bathroom)
Quick win:
Choose one category of self care that feels important to you right now, or that you want to prioritize moving forward (hair care products, face care, bath-related). I’ll use general skin care as an example.
Grab a bag or bin and toss every single skin care-related product or accessory into it, then take it out of the bathroom for sorting/processing.
Identify the VIPs, the favorites, the most frequently used
Note the specialty items that aren’t used often but are important to keep (these can be stored elsewhere, they don’t need priority placement)
Toss what’s expired, what’s been opened for a long time, samples, hotel freebies, what’s 99% empty, what doesn’t work for your skin type, etc
Anything unopened and not expired—that you may just no longer need, care for, or enjoy—can be donated
Consciously choose how/where to contain and store these items, doing so in a way that simplifies your skin care routine, makes what you need accessible but also easy to return.
Wash your face and appreciate your work!
No-pressure add-ons:
Continue with other hygiene and self-care categories: oral care, hair care, nails, glasses/contacts/eye care, etc. You know what you use—and give yourself grace for all the excess you’ve accumulated, letting go without guilt and making space for what you actually care about
Consolidate where you can (example: if you have two open mouthwashes that are both current)
Use bins to contain categories—and label them!
Make note of what’s in your curated (final) stock, and stop any auto-renew items, alert family members to stop purchasing new ones, and use what you have here before buying more
Stay tuned for more quick wins, and I’m rooting for you as you take these on. If you have trouble with task initiation, ask a friend to come over as a body double, block time on your calendar, or post your own BEFORE picture on social media (or share with someone you trust) to keep yourself accountable.