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 30th 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 at 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: 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!
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 home 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 not to 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 goal
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!
Great tips! I love organizing and decluttering (although I also like to shop; go figure! ). I love the no-spend month challenge. I may take that up someday, though I am not married.
Thanks Patricia, I'm glad you found it helpful! A no-spend month is a great way to shed some light on your spending habits and become more aware of where your money goes. You don't have to be married to try a no-spend month, just challenging yourself is a great way to do it. Thanks for reading!
I have a clutter problem and this is very helpful. Thank you very much! I especially like cranking up the tunes when I clean up!
I'm glad you found it helpful Karla! That's wonderful to hear! Yes, some good music helps make any chore more pleasant. Thanks for reading!
I really like the idea of having a no-spend month. I've used that in the past. I find it really helps you identify the things you waste money on needlessly!
Yes, you're so right! It always surprises me how easy it is to spend money here and there on little things without even realizing it. A no-spend month is a great way to become more aware of your spending. Thanks for reading!
These are good tips to make decluttering fun! I declutter about three times per year, but obviously it's not enough if I keep doing it!
I'm glad you found them helpful Stacey! Decluttering is something that does have to be done on a regular basis. Because life happens and stuff tends to find it's way into our homes. However, once you do a big declutter and get down to only the things you use regularly and love, you only need to do little mini decluttering sessions every so often to maintain a simplified home. So it sounds like you're doing just fine! Thanks for reading!
This is a great list of tips. #2 is dangerous! My husband would throw out everything in our house if I let him. Great post. I will definitely be trying some of these. :)
Thanks Cindy, I'm glad you're were inspired to do some decluttering. My husband is just the same, he's much more a minimalist than me lol! Thanks for reading and let me know how it goes trying some of these ideas!
Flip, you really put me on the spot with the last one and I started to panic! Non-stuff reward is a great idea too x
No need to panic Claire ;) sometimes we all just need a little push to get started! Glad you like the reward idea. Thanks for reading!
This is a great post! I like the 12/12/12 idea the most! I think I'll give it a try. I was doing good for a while but the decluttering kind of gets neglected during the summer. Thanks!
Thanks Anna! I think the 12/12/12 one is a great challenge too. It's quick and easy and can be repeated whenever you feel like spending a few minutes decluttering. I find a lot of inside chores get neglected during the summer here too. Our summer season is so short I want to spend as much time as I can enjoying it! Thanks for reading!
I did the 40 bags in 40 days challenge. I think I made it to day 20! But I'd love to try it again. Think I'll give some of your tips a try too. Thanks for sharing! (Sending to a couple of friends)
I feel ya! I have a hard time making it to the end of challenges I start too ;) I'm glad you found my tips helpful, let me know how they work for you! Thanks for reading and sharing it with your friends, I appreciate it!
I really enjoy your writing. Love the values that you live by. As I read your tips on minimalizing and decluttering I smile as I reflect back on my day and all that I accomplished. I started researching ways to declutter and minimalize in the beginning months of the New Year. I was at a Christmas function with co-workers and we were encouraged to share one word. A word that we would live by in the new year. My word was "organize."that is when a coworker recommended a book to me, and I began my journey into the ongoing act of organizing and decluttering my living space.
I was honoured to read your work tonight dear cousin, as suggested by your sister, who is also my cousin. I appreciate the challenges you set out to keep the task fun and enjoyable. I will continue organizing and minimalizing using the 40 bags in 40 days idea. I'm happy to share that even before reading your blog tonight, I was able to donate 4 bags today. Two bags each went to two different Senior's lodges, and one large bag to the Salvation Army. My son helped with one delivery. I've began teaching him the art of minimalizing too and he regularly goes throught his closets weeding through unwanted items.
I thought you might like to know that part of the donation to the senior's lodge was yarn from Grandma Goochie's yarn collection. I was contemplating tackling a project with the yarn, but decided that the senior's knitting club would benfit more from the yarn than I would-as I have several projects already on the go. When I returned from doing my drop offs, I set to work with my newly purchased baskets from Dollarama and finished organizing my kitchen pantry.
An organized house is a mind that is at peace. If things are cluttered in my space, my brain feels cluttered. It can be quite addictive clearing out the old to make room for the new.
Thanks for another brilliant piece. I'm sure I will come back and read more tomorrow and make some detailed notes in my handy dandy day journal I just received today from Zulily?All in the quest to organize my life in fun,creative and beautiful ways.
Love Shelah
Aww, thanks Shelah! I'm so happy you enjoyed reading my post! :) Good for you for all of your hard work decluttering. It sounds like you're making excellent progress! I love that you're being so thoughtful and intentional with what you're getting rid of, like with Grandma's yarn. It's nice to know that the yarn will continue to bring other people joy, just as it did for her. That's wonderful. I totally agree that when my space is cluttered I feel frazzled and not very calm, and when mom isn't happy, nobody is happy ;) I love that you're sharing the freedom and peace decluttering gives you with Josh too. I'm sure it's something that will serve him well throughout his life. Thanks for your wonderful comment and sharing your experience. It's nice to have a kindred declutterer in the family ;) I can't wait to hear more about your journey next time I see you! Lots of love to you!!
We are a Navy family, so each time we move I THROW things away. I go in full declutter mode. If we haven't used it or seen it, it's not moving with us.
Moving is a perfect time to declutter. It sounds like you have an excellent system. That's great! Thanks for reading and sharing your tips!
I love the idea of setting a goal and date to have an area decluttered by. I also love decluttering to music!!
Yes, goals and self-imposed deadlines work awesome for me to keep working on a project. Thanks for reading, I hope you found it helpful!
I stumbled onto this post at the right time. Tomorrow I have plans to start my purge. I generally do these in spurts of 10-15 minutes, then do something else for an hour or so until the next 10 min spurts. This way keeps me focused and gets things done without overwhelming me.
Gayathri @ Musings Over Nothing
I'm glad you found this post, I hope it will be helpful for you as you declutter. Working on decluttering for short bursts of time is a great way to stay motivated and avoid getting overwhelmed or burnt out. Good luck tomorrow as you start decluttering, I'm sure you'll do great! Thanks for reading and sharing your tips!
I find that the louder and more upbeat the music is, the quicker I move!!
Yes! The right music can make such a difference! Thanks for reading :)
These are all great ideas. It is more fun to declutter with someone. My husband and I worked on decluttering our garage the past few weeks, and at the end we had a garage sale. Now we can park one of our cars in the garage!
Thanks Brenda! Yes, it definitely makes the whole process a lot easier and more fun when you work with someone else. It sounds like you and your husband worked hard and did an awesome job! It must be such a nice feeling every time you park your car in your newly decluttered garage. Good for you guys! Thanks for reading and sharing your experience!