Decluttering your home can be as easy as throwing outdated items out that you’re no longer using. The process is simple but can be challenging when you don’t know where to start. Creating a decluttering checklist to help you ensure you hit all the hot spots and then some is the perfect way to minimize decision-making and maximize efficient cleaning. Plus, it just makes the process run a lot smoother. Here’s how to create your list and the places to tackle.

Figure out what’s important to you.

To start, it’s important to determine what items are most important to you. What are you sure of that you’d want to keep? If items hold sentimental value, consider storing them in a designated box to keep and hide away until you’d like to revisit them.

Split up your list room by room.

One of the major keys to creating your declutter plan is categorizing it room by room. Write down all the places in your home you don’t want to miss out on. Rank them from most important to least important, and start in places that you spend the most time in. Breaking down your decluttering plan room by room reduces that overwhelming feeling that comes when you’re faced with everything at once.

Start with the larger tasks.

Let’s be real. The larger tasks at hand are always done last on the list due to procrastination and avoidant tendencies, but thankfully, there are ways around this. Split them up into small tasks. If you’re starting the kitchen, consider putting the dishes away one cabinet at a time. For your pantry, throw away snacks and foods that have already expired first, then organize with what’s left. Tackle things in small steps and you’ll make tons of progress quicker than you realize.

Avoiding Clutter in the Future

You wouldn’t have to create that weekly declutter plan at all if there was no clutter in the first place. Take a look at these tips on how to avoid clutter in the future.

Commit to anti-clutter habits.

Develop habits that prevent you from creating clutter. Think about your daily tasks and responsibilities. Is there anything you’re doing daily that contributes to clutter? Tossing the mail on the kitchen counter or leaving your jacket in the entryway mudroom? All actions are easy to make without noticing and can cause clutter. Be aware of your actions to prevent build-up.

Schedule weekly decluttering plans.

Regular decluttering prevents yearly or annual decluttering. That said, if you know your home can get hectic throughout the week, create a weekly or biweekly declutter plan to help you minimize the clutter in your home, thus preventing large build-ups in the future.

If you don’t need it, leave it.

A lot of times we find ourselves purchasing items that we already have or taking items from family members and friends that they want to lend to us. If it doesn’t make sense to take it, then leave it where it is. Extra products, clothing, and more that you don’t need will only add to the clutter that you are so desperately trying to get rid of.

What To Declutter in Each Room

Now that you know how to get started decluttering and keep it tidy, let’s break it down room by room.

Kitchen

• Expired spices and foods stored in the pantry
• Stained food containers
• Plastic silverware from fast food restaurants
• Old takeout menus
• Old and torn dish towels

Bedroom

• Broken jewelry
• Old receipts or paper clutter lying around
• Ripped magazines and books

Bathroom

• Expired skincare and makeup products
• Broken and overstretched hair ties
• Dried up nail polish
• Torn and bleached hand and body towels

Living Room

• Dead plants that can’t be saved
• Old magazines and books on your coffee table
• Damaged decorative pieces
• Old and overused throw blankets and pillows

Closet

• Clothing pieces you haven’t worn in over a year
• Too little or damaged clothing
• Old purses and handbags
• Socks with holes in them
• Undergarments that are frayed
• Broken and extra hangers

Home Office

• Receipts and old bills
• Dried out pens and markers
• Unnecessary manuals you no longer need
• Excess cables and cords
• Unused tech accessories