In my field of work, I’ve come to know a fair bit about organizing a home and how to do it well, but decluttering? That’s a whole different ball game for me.
I’m not renowned for my quick decision making at the best of times, let alone when life gets busy. As my husband and kids will testify, I can turn even the smallest decluttering task into a painfully long process, it’s quite the talent, really.
But with clutter building fast – along with my family’s frustration levels – I knew it was time to up my game. I started scouting around for decluttering tips, and came across the 7-day decluttering challenge. Was I interested? Absolutely. Did I think I would succeed? Absolutely not, but I was willing to give it a try. And I have to say, the results surprised me.
What is the 7-day decluttering challenge?
Aimed at those who struggle to make time in their lives for regular clear-outs, this decluttering tactic is short, sharp and in some cases, pretty intense. How far you take it is up to you, but the idea is to declutter every day for seven days in a bid to kickstart your decluttering journey.
If you’re feeling overwhelmed at the idea of a frantic week, know that 15 minutes a day might be enough, especially if everyone in the family participates. Picking a convenient time of day will also help you maintain momentum. if you have lots of energy in the mornings, perhaps decluttering after breakfast would work best for you, for example’, says professional organizer Linda Chu, founder of Out of Chaos.
How big your home is and how much ‘stuff’ you want to clear will dictate how much time a day you’ll need to commit to each day, so give this careful thought ahead of time and make arrangements accordingly.
In my case, I cleared the diary. And sent my kids away. (I didn’t really, but I did pick a school week and arranged a lot of play dates. My boys are young, but if you’ve got older children it’s not a bad idea to involve them – getting your family on board with decluttering early on will set them up well for later life!)
Which room do I declutter first?
Think about areas of your home that cause you the most conflict. Perhaps you struggle to fall asleep at night, in which case declutter your bedroom. For me, family life revolves around the kitchen, so I decided to start there. Whatever you do, don't attempt to declutter your entire home in one week. It’s just not feasible and you’ll end up feeling disappointed.
How you break up your decluttering checklist across the seven days is up to you – there’s really no ‘right’ way to declutter. However, there are things you can do to make the process easier. I’ve shared my top tips, based on my experience.
1. Gather the right gear
While the week-by-week decluttering method allows a little leeway, time is of the essence when you’ve only got 7 days to get the job done – you don’t want to have to stop halfway through because you’ve run out of trash bags, such as these Hefty bags from Amazon, and labels (speaking from experience, here). Go through your decluttering list to ensure you’ve got everything you need before you start.
2. Have a goal in mind
Whether it’s organizing a kitchen (like me), or just decluttering kitchen drawers, setting a goal at the start of the week is a good way to set yourself up for a successful decluttering session.
‘Whilst we’d recommend you focus on this one space for the duration of the challenge, it's always a good idea to choose a secondary area in case you complete the first area quicker than expected. Don’t worry if you don’t get to it this time; having another goal in mind will likely inspire another decluttering session very soon anyway’, says Linda Chu.
3. Put a plan in place – and stick to it
Once you’ve got an end goal in mind, think about how you’re going to achieve it within your time frame. Set a schedule with measurable goals for each day so you stay on track. My top tip? Underestimate. I tried to fit in too much on day one and found it harder to get motivated to declutter the next day.
‘If you finish your task and feel like you want to do more, feel free. You can either spend longer on today’s activity, move on to the next day’s action, or work on something else that you’ve been putting off’, says professional organizer Star Hansen.
4. Take the decision out of the decision-making process
If, like me, you find that quick decision-making is holding you back from successful decluttering, know that there’s plenty of decluttering strategies minimalists swear by that can help to make the process easier.
In the interests of avoiding overwhelm, I used the handy timer technique; ‘it helps you commit to a sensible amount of time rather than overworking yourself, so you feel energized and motivated to carry on’, says professional organizer Heather Aiello, founder of The Organized You.
I also found using the 20/20 rule for decluttering really helpful for clearing more practical items, but I faltered when it came to decluttering clothes and decluttering my kid’s bedroom – decluttering toys in particular I found tricky, the emotions got the better of me. Luckily the experts had warned me about decluttering sentimental items, so I had some tricks up my sleeve to make letting go of things easier.
One of those tricks was to ask for help. From my immediate family, but also my friends, too. An objective opinion makes decision making easier, plus a little company is one way to make decluttering fun!
Make tidying and decluttering fun for the whole family with a handy digital timer. When not using it for chores, you can use it as a kitchen timer for food, or even when brushing your teeth.
5. Reward your achievements
Knowing how to overcome decision fatigue is essential if you want to avoid burnout by the end of the week. Experts recommend a reward system. For some, one single reward at the end of the week might be enough, but if you’re anything like me, you’ll need them more regularly than that!
Whether it was decluttering a countertop or organizing a junk drawer, I celebrated every achievement with small rewards – a cup of coffee outside, a chapter of my book – which kept my motivation levels up throughout.
By the end of the week, I’d achieved what I set out to do and felt great for it. But remember, the premise of the 7 day declutter challenge isn’t to declutter your entire house in one week. While it’s good to push yourself, it’s important you be realistic.
Aim for progress, not perfection. It’s better to make a small improvement than to be paralyzed by the need for everything to be perfect’, says Heather.
Even small successes will boost your motivation so you’re better able to tackle decluttering tasks more regularly going forwards.
