30 Day Decluttering Challenge: 30 Little Tasks to Declutter and Get Organized

If you’re looking for a great way to declutter and get your home in order, this 30 day decluttering challenge is definitely for you!

Use this decluttering challenge to simplify, get organized and start creating a home that looks, feels and functions how you’ve always wanted it to.

Decluttering can have so many benefits, and this 30 day decluttering challenge is a great way to clear the clutter so you can start experiencing them!

Little actions add up

Each of the tasks in this decluttering challenge are little steps you can take to declutter, simplify and organize your home. Which is great if your life is already busy or full and you don’t have or want to spend a lot of time decluttering. Or if you feel overwhelmed about decluttering.

These little steps add up when you do them consistently. By the end of this 30 day decluttering challenge, you’ll have cleared some of the clutter from all the main areas of your home.

And you’ll also be building a decluttering habit. Making it easier to start spotting, identifying, making decisions about and removing clutter from your home.

Sign up below to get a FREE printable decluttering calendar to go along with this challenge. Take it with you as you declutter and keep track of the progress you’re making!

Stay on top of clutter in your home

This decluttering challenge is a great way to start your decluttering journey. It’s also, a great way to do some maintenance decluttering to keep your home clutter-free.

Not only does clutter have a way of creeping into your home over time. But life doesn’t stay the same forever! The season you’re in changes, your interests and needs shift and change, and things you use or love can change too.

Maintenance decluttering is a great way to get rid of any clutter that’s found its way into your home. As well as giving you an opportunity to reassess what you have and how your home is currently functioning.

Progress, not perfection

When you’re decluttering, and especially in a decluttering challenge like this, the goal is to make progress clearing the clutter. Not create a perfect, magazine-worthy house!

Do what you can with the time you have.

Some time spent decluttering is always more beneficial than not doing any at all. Just because you can’t declutter a whole room in one day, your time spent decluttering one small spot in that room still matters.

Remember, little actions taken consistently will definitely add up over time!

Decluttering one small spot at a time is also a great way to make sure you can start and finish your decluttering task. Without being left with a bigger mess than you started with!

You can repeat this decluttering challenge as often as you like and/or need to. With each round of decluttering, you will likely find you’re able to let go of more and more clutter.

Declutter first, organize second

It’s always best to declutter a space first before you try to get it organized. Organizing clutter won’t solve your clutter problem for good, or make your home function better in the long run. It will be a temporary fix that leaves you continually dealing with the same clutter.

Instead, focus on decluttering first. Get rid of what you don’t use, need or love. Once you’ve done that, not only will getting organized be a lot easier. But it will also be much easier to stay organized as well!

Work quickly and efficiently

As you’re decluttering, work as quickly as you can, making the most of the time you have.

Aim to make quick decluttering decisions. Trust your gut instinct when it comes to what to keep and what to get rid of. Avoid talking yourself into keeping something if your gut instinct is telling you you don’t use, need or love it.

Setting a timer is a great way to motivate yourself to work quickly and help you stay focused on your task. While also reminding you that your decluttering time will be over soon (especially if decluttering is something you’re dreading!).

Quick decluttering, not a deep decluttering or deep cleaning

The focus of this 30 day decluttering challenge isn’t to do a deep, super thorough decluttering of your house. And it’s not about getting every space organized or deep cleaned either.

Instead, it’s about taking a quick sweep through your home removing as much clutter as you can from your main living spaces, using the time you have. Doing this will definitely make a big difference in the way your home looks, feels and functions.

If you are looking for a complete guide to help you declutter and organize your entire house, check out Your Clutter-Free Home.

Your Clutter-Free Home is an amazing resource to guide you through the decluttering process in every room of your house. Starting by giving you all the tools, knowledge and strategies you’ll need to declutter with confidence and clarity.

Then guiding you room-by-room clearing the clutter from each and every space with detailed, self-paced decluttering checklists.

You can learn more about Your Clutter-Free Home here. And use coupon code WELCOME at check out to save 25% off Your Clutter-Free Home!

Make this 30 day decluttering challenge work for you

It’s also important to note that just because this is a 30 day decluttering challenge, it doesn’t mean you have to complete it in 30 consecutive days!

If you miss a day or two of decluttering, just pick up where you left off and keep going.

I’ve ordered the tasks for this decluttering challenge in a way that’s easy to follow and move from one task to the next.

But make it work for you!

If you like following the tasks in the order I’ve given, that’s great. If you’d rather jump around doing the tasks in an order that makes more sense for you, that’s great too!

What you need to get started

I’d recommend checking out this post and this post for some key questions to ask yourself to make deciding what to keep and what to get rid of easier as you’re decluttering.

As you’re decluttering, for each item decide if you’ll keep it, donate it, try to sell it, throw it away/recycle it or put it away elsewhere where it belongs.

Have bags or boxes with you for anything you’ll donate, sell or throw out. It’s also helpful to have a box or basket to collect things that belong elsewhere. This can help you focus on decluttering rather than wasting your decluttering time running around putting things away in other rooms.

Put the items you’re planning to sell or donate in a designated holding zone. Then make sure you have a plan to deal with them in a timely manner so they don’t sit around continuing adding clutter to your home. Or worse yet, getting spread back out into the house, undoing all of your hard work.

Throw out the trash and recycling as soon as you’re done with your decluttering time. Then take a few minutes to put items you collected away where they belong.

If time allows, take a few minutes to organize what you’re keeping in the space you just decluttered. Just remember, you don’t need to get perfectly organized right now. Do the best you can in the time you have to make the space efficient and easy to use.

Get your free calendar for the 30 day decluttering challenge

Now to the fun part. Let’s get decluttering!

Be sure to sign up at the top or bottom of this post to get a free, printable copy of the tasks for the 30 day decluttering challenge. Keep it with you and check off the tasks as you complete them. Focusing on one task at a time.

For each decluttering task, get rid of anything you don’t use, need or love. Put things that don’t belong away where they go. And make sure everything you’re keeping is either something you love to see in your home or use and need regularly.

30 days of little decluttering tasks

Day 1: Purse & wallet

Get rid of any garbage. Put things that don’t belong away. File any important papers or receipts. Get rid of anything you don’t use regularly or need to keep in your purse or wallet.

You can even consider using a couple of pouches or bags to help contain items in your purse and keep it more organized moving forward.

Day 2: Entryway & coat closet

Clear the clutter from your entryway so you aren’t greeted by clutter every time you come home!

If space is tight in your entryway and coat closet, consider storing off-season items somewhere else, if possible.

Day 3: Refrigerator & freezer

Start by clearing out anything that’s gone bad or is past its expiry date. Get rid of things you know you won’t use as well. You can also spend a few minutes clearing off the front of your fridge to reduce visual clutter.

As you’re decluttering, take stock of what you have. Try to use up what you have on hand before buying more.

Day 4: Pantry

Again, start by clearing out anything gone bad, expired or that you know you won’t use.

Take stock of what you have and organize what’s left in a way that makes sense for you. Try to use what you have before buying more to keep your pantry tidy and functional.

Day 5: Mugs & glassware

Get rid of any mugs, cups or drinking vessels that are chipped, cracked or you just don’t love. Decide what is a reasonable number of mugs and drinking vessels for your family. Keep your favourites and get rid of the extras.

Day 6: Serving dishes

Start by setting aside the things you love and use often. Then look at what’s left and decide if you really need, love or use them.

Also, look for duplicate items. Keep your favourite(s) and let go of the extras.

Day 7: Everyday dishes

Decide what is a realistic number of everyday dishes to keep on hand for your family, situation and preferences. Keep the ones you use, need and love, then get rid of any extras.

Day 8: Cookware, bakeware & cooking and baking utensils

Start by getting rid of any duplicate items. Next, get rid of anything you don’t use regularly or truly need.

Day 9: Junk drawer

A junk drawer can be a helpful organizational tool as long as you use it responsibly!

Decide what things you’ll keep in your junk drawer. Get rid of anything that doesn’t fit within these categories, including garbage or things that don’t belong. Keep the things you use and need.

Organize the drawer to keep it functional. Little boxes or containers help keep like items together. And help prevent your junk drawer from becoming a dumping ground.

Day 10: Under the kitchen sink

This is another area that can become a dumping ground if you’re not careful.

First, decide what you’ll keep under your kitchen sink. Then remove the things that don’t fit in those categories.

Some simple organization is a great way to keep the space functional and under control.

Day 11: Kitchen counters & table top

Start by getting rid of any garbage and gathering the things that don’t belong on your counters or table. Notice what usually causes clutter on the surfaces in your kitchen. Brainstorm systems to better manage those items moving forward.

Get rid of anything you don’t use, need or love. See if you can reduce visual clutter in your kitchen by putting things normally left out on your counters away in cupboards or drawers.

Day 12: Paperwork

Start with your current paperwork or mail pile. Shred and/or recycle anything you don’t need. Take action on things that need it. Then file anything you need to keep.

Start brainstorming systems and routines you can use to keep paper clutter from piling up moving forward.

Day 13: TV stand or entertainment center

Clear off the surfaces first, then declutter any cupboards, drawers or shelves. Get rid of anything you no longer use, need or love.

Day 14: Side tables & coffee table

Clear off the surfaces first. Then, tackle any drawers, cupboards or shelves. Get rid of what you don’t use, need or love.

Day 15: Books & magazines

Recycle any old magazines you’re finished reading or won’t read.

Let go of books you won’t read or reread, don’t like or no longer want to keep. Donate books to your library so you can easily borrow them if you ever want to read them!

Day 16: Bedside table drawers

Get rid of anything you don’t use, need or love from your bedside table drawers. Try making space for everything you usually keep on top of your bedside table in the drawers so you can keep the surface clear.

Day 17: Bedside table & dresser surfaces

Tackle the clutter on the flat surfaces in your bedroom now. Use the space you freed up in the last task to help keep the surface of your bedside table clear and calming.

Aim to only keep things you use often and/or really love having on display on the flat surfaces in your bedroom.

Day 18: Dresser drawers

Pick a drawer, any drawer and tackle it!

Remember, it’s about progress, not perfection. You might not be able to tackle every drawer today, but doing some decluttering is better than doing nothing! Declutter as many drawers as you can in the time you have today.

Check out this post for more tips to help make decluttering clothes easier.

Day 19: Tops

Move onto your closet today, tackling your tops. Get rid of anything worn out, you don’t love or doesn’t fit.

Don’t feel overwhelmed if you have a lot of clothes to sort through. Do what you can today. It all adds up! Continue your work decluttering your clothes as time allows.

Day 20: Bottoms

Focus on decluttering your pants, skirts, jeans, etc. today.

Remember, do what you can in the time you have. Small steps add up!

Day 21: Dress clothes

Continuing in your closet, shift your focus to your dress clothes today. Tackle any formal clothes you have. As well as any dressier work clothes.

Day 22: Shoes & accessories

Get rid of shoes you no longer wear, love or feel comfortable in. Then declutter whatever accessories you have in your wardrobe (i.e. jewelry, scarves, hats, etc.)

Day 23: Makeup & personal care products

Shift your focus to the bathroom today, tackling makeup and personal care products.

Get rid of anything no longer good to use or past its shelf life. Then get rid of things you don’t use regularly, like or have duplicates of.

Day 24: Bathroom cabinets & drawers

After tackling your everyday makeup and personal care products, spend today sorting through everything else in your bathroom cabinets and drawers.

Get rid of anything old, expired, or no longer used, needed or loved.

Day 25: Medicine cabinet

Get rid of any vitamins or medications that are expired or no longer used/needed. Take expired or unneeded medication to your pharmacy to be properly disposed of.

Make it easy to find, access and use medication and first aid supplies when you need them!

Day 26: Linen closet

Get rid of excess or unneeded linens like bedding, pillows, blankets, towels, etc. Also, get rid of any linens you don’t use regularly or particularly like.

Day 27: Cleaning supplies

Get rid of anything you don’t use, need or like using. Clear the clutter to make cleaning easier by keeping your cleaning supplies easy to find, access and put away.

Day 28: Laundry area

Declutter any shelves, cupboards, drawers or spaces in your laundry area today. Get rid of anything you don’t use, need or love. Make decisions about things awaiting repair, either getting the repair done, or getting rid of the item.

Aim to get rid of or put away anything that has been dumped in your laundry area. Keep the space tidy, functional and pleasant to use instead.

Day 29: Desk surface & drawers

Whatever spot you use as a desk (either for paid work or household administration tasks), tackle it today. Get rid of things you don’t use, need or love. Put things away that don’t belong in or on your desk.

Aim to only keep the essentials in and on your desk to keep it easy, efficient and pleasant to use.

Day 30: Car

The last task for this 30 day decluttering challenge is cleaning out your car!

Get rid of the garbage. Put things away where they belong. And give it a quick dust and vacuum if you have time.

30 day decluttering challenge

I hope you enjoy this decluttering challenge. And I really hope it helps you make some great progress clearing the clutter from the main areas of your home!

Don’t forget to sign up below to get a FREE printable decluttering calendar with the tasks from this challenge so you can take it with you and get the work done!

I’d love to hear about your experience with this challenge. Leave a comment below and let me know how it goes for you!