11 Easy Ways to Make Decluttering Fun

Believe it or not, with a little creativity there are ways to make decluttering fun! Even though decluttering is a lot of work, these 11 easy tips can help make it more enjoyable.

When you begin decluttering your home, it can sometimes feel like a daunting and overwhelming task. Even if you have been decluttering for a while, and have already made good progress clearing the clutter, sometimes the amount of “stuff” and work ahead of you can feel like a lot to tackle.

Decluttering a lifetime’s worth of stuff from your home is hard work – physically, emotionally and mentally. If you feel overwhelmed or stuck on your decluttering journey, shifting your perspective and your approach to decluttering can help.

Even if you can’t imagine ever thinking of decluttering as fun, there are ways to make it a little more fun and a lot more enjoyable!

Before we begin…

Before delving into the tips to help make decluttering fun, I want to clarify two important points:

Get rid of it

First, when I say “get rid” of something, I’m using that phrase to encompass any method of getting something out of your house.

Whether it’s tossing it, donating it, selling it, etc. For simplicity’s sake, I’ll say “get rid of it” and you can decide the most appropriate way to do so.

Decluttering rewards

Second, I mention coming up with a “non-thing” reward in several of the tips.

A non-thing reward means you treat yourself to something you’ll enjoy, without adding more stuff to your home. Especially after you’re working so hard to declutter.

Try to think of experiences you can enjoy, consumable items that will be used up without adding lasting clutter, or even rewards like not doing a certain chore for the day.

Get creative and think about what you would enjoy as a special reward to motivate you to declutter. It can be a big or small reward, depending on what works for you and what would help make decluttering feel more fun to you.

For example, an experience reward could be dinner out, tickets to a concert, a manicure, a coffee date with friends, etc. Consumable rewards could be splurging on a pound of fancy coffee, buying yourself a treat at the bakery, a latte at your favourite coffee shop, etc.

11 Easy Ways to Make Decluttering Fun:

Now let’s get to the good part – how to make decluttering feel more fun. So the process of decluttering your home can feel less like something you’re dreading and more enjoyable instead!

1. Set a timer and see how many items you can get rid of

Who doesn’t like a bit of a fun challenge every once in a while?

Make decluttering feel more fun by challenging yourself and racing the clock. Set a timer and see how many things you can find to get rid of before the timer ends.

It doesn’t have to be a long time. It’s amazing how much you’ll likely be able to find to get rid of in just 5 or 10 minutes when you stay focused and work quickly. And 5 or 10 minutes can be squeezed in even when you’re busy.

Remember, decluttering doesn’t have to be done for hours at a time. A few minutes here and there, repeated on a regular basis, will add up to big changes in your home.

2. Challenge your family to a decluttering race

Challenge someone else in your family or household to see who can find more things to declutter in a set amount of time.

This is a fun way to motivate yourself and other people in your home to get rid of as much as you can. Making it a timed challenge adds some fun competition for bragging rights. Or you can be creative and come up with a fun, non-thing prize for the winner. Maybe the winner doesn’t have to do dishes, or the winner picks the movie, etc.

Keep it fun and lighthearted while encouraging each other to get rid of stuff and make decluttering fun.

If you live alone, challenge a friend or family member to do the same in their home.

3. Participate in a decluttering challenge

There are many decluttering challenges online to choose from. Find one that works for you and go for it!

Some challenges I recommend are:

• The 30 Day Decluttering Challenge: Join my 30 day decluttering challenge! Use the self-guided decluttering calendar to tackle one decluttering task a day, for 30 days, focusing on clearing some clutter from all the main areas of your home!
• The Minimalism Game: a decluttering challenge where you get rid of 1 thing the first day, 2 things the second day, 3 things the third day, etc. Continuing until you find 30 things to get rid of on the 30^th day. By the end of 30 days, you’ll have removed 465 things from your home!
• 40 Bags in 40 Days: a decluttering challenge where you aim to get rid of a least one bag of stuff per day for a 40 day period. It’s a great way to declutter a lot, but in manageable chunks, as far as both time and effort required.
• 12-12-12 Challenge by Becoming Minimalist: a challenge where you find 12 items to throw out, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to put away where they belong. You can make it a challenge with your family to see who can find all 36 items first. Or set a timer for yourself and try to beat the clock!
• Spring into Simple Decluttering Challenge: join me live every April for the Spring into Simple Decluttering Challenge. We’ll tackle one decluttering task together each day for 14 days. Not only will you get tips and tricks to help you declutter more effectively. But you’ll also get a community of people to declutter with together!

4. Find a decluttering buddy

Find a friend to declutter with and be each other’s decluttering/accountability buddy.

Make a plan to work on decluttering your homes together. For example, you might decide to each find one bag of stuff to get rid of every day. Or each work on decluttering one area of your homes for the week. Or go through a decluttering challenge together.

Not only will having a decluttering buddy hold you accountable to someone. But you can also motivate and encourage each other to stick with it and even be more ruthless while you’re decluttering. Working through the struggles and successes of decluttering together can help make decluttering feel less overwhelming and more fun.

Your decluttering buddy can be an in-person friend or an online friend. Join a decluttering Facebook group, or connect with other simple living enthusiasts on Instagram if you’re looking for a decluttering buddy!

5. Challenge yourself or your spouse to a no-spend month

Decide to not buy anything other than essentials for a month. Although this is not necessarily a decluttering activity, it will mean you stop the incoming flow of “stuff”, which can really help your decluttering efforts.

Challenges are always fun because of their competitive nature. You can designate a non-thing prize or reward for successfully completing the challenge. Maybe dinner out at the end of the month, tickets to a movie or concert, or anything else that will motivate you.

6. Set a decluttering goals

Set a goal of how much you want to declutter by a certain date. Then give yourself a non-thing reward when you meet your goal!

For example, you might decide you want to fill 5 boxes of things to donate in a week. Or declutter a certain space in your home by the end of the month.

Having a goal you’re trying to reach and a set time limit can help to motivate you to get started and keep going, especially if you feel overwhelmed.

Then celebrate your success and commitment to clearing the clutter from your home. It’s a great way to make decluttering fun and keep your motivation high.

7. Join an online group

Much like having a decluttering buddy, joining an online decluttering group can provide you with motivation, encouragement and inspiration to keep going on your decluttering journey.

Finding a community of people on a similar path can also help you get out of a decluttering rut and back on track when you need it. And finding a great like-minded community to connect with certainly helps keep decluttering fun.

If you’re looking for a group to join, the Simple Lionheart Life Facebook Group is a wonderful community of people decluttering their homes and simplifying their lives.

8. Sell items as you declutter and use the money towards a financial goal or to treat yourself

See how much money you can earn by selling things you no longer use, need or love. Then put the money towards one of your financial goals. Or just treat yourself to something special (preferably a non-thing reward that won’t add clutter!)

Just remember that selling items does take a lot of time and effort. Decide if you want to declutter quickly and donate most of what you’re getting rid of. Or if you’re willing to put in the time and effort to sell some of the things you’re getting rid of.

Sometimes making some money selling things you’re decluttering can even motivate you to get rid of more stuff!

You can try hosting a garage sale. Or try selling items individually online.

9. Take before and after photos of your spaces

Sometimes you don’t realize the dramatic difference your hard work decluttering is making in your home until you see a picture of the way your home used to look. This is especially true when you are slowly working through your home decluttering.

A great way to stay motivated and encouraged while decluttering is by taking before and after pictures of the spaces you declutter. Seeing the transformation can inspire you and remind you that all the hard work you’re putting in really is paying off.

It doesn’t even have to be before and after pictures of a whole room. It can be pictures of a drawer, a section of a room, a closet, etc. Document your progress to remind yourself of the results of your hard work.

10. Crank up the tunes!

Make yourself a decluttering playlist full of music to energize and motivate you as you declutter. Listening to your favourite songs can not only help brighten the mood. But also help reduce some of the overwhelm and dread about decluttering and make decluttering fun.

Another great option is listening to your favourite podcast or an audiobook you love while decluttering. Pairing decluttering with something you enjoy will definitely help it feel more enjoyable.

I also love watching The Minimal Mom on Youtube while decluttering. Dawn always helps boost my motivation to clear the clutter!

11. Find 10 things to get rid of right now

It’s easy to overthink a big project like decluttering your whole house. Sometimes you stress yourself out about it and make it seem scarier than it needs to be.

Or maybe you spend a lot of time figuring out your plan of attack and making lists of what and where to declutter. But don’t actually dive in and start decluttering.

Sometimes the hardest and scariest part of beginning a big project like decluttering your whole house is taking the first step and starting. Often, once you stop worrying, stop waiting for the perfect time and just start, it becomes a lot easier to keep going.

Stop putting it off and start right now!

Get up right now and find 10 things to get rid of as quickly as you can. You might surprise yourself how quickly and easily you can find 10 things. And the great part is you’ve taken action and started the process, which might just inspire you to keep going!

Find Ways to Make Decluttering Fun

Although decluttering is a lot of work, it doesn’t have to be something you absolutely dread. By finding ways to make decluttering fun, you can make the process a little less overwhelming or daunting and actually start to enjoy the process instead!

The great news is, once you start decluttering and removing the excess stuff from your house, you’ll begin to experience the benefits of decluttering.

Cleaning will be faster and easier. You won’t lose things as often. Your home will feel more peaceful and calm, not a source of stress and chaos for you. You’ll have more time for the people you love and the activities that bring you joy. And so much more!

Eventually, seeing the results and benefits of your decluttering efforts will become their own incentive and motivation for you to keep decluttering.

And in the meantime, use these tips to keep decluttering fun and lighthearted. A big job like decluttering your whole life can be a lot easier when you take the time to find the fun in it.

What is your favourite way to make decluttering fun? Leave a comment below and share your tips and tricks to make decluttering a little less overwhelming and a lot more fun!