Are you on a mission to declutter and organize your home? If so, you know how overwhelming it can be, especially if you’re tackling the project alone. The good news is that decluttering doesn’t have to be a solo endeavor. In fact, it can be a fun and productive activity for the whole family! Here are 18 declutter challenges for everyone in your household to help transform your home into a neat and tidy haven.
1. The 30-Day Minimalism Game
Kick-start your decluttering journey with the 30-day minimalism game. The concept is simple: on the first day, get rid of one item; on the second day, two items; on the third day, three items, and so on. By the end of the month, you’ll have removed hundreds of unnecessary items from your home.
This game is an excellent way to get the whole family involved. Kids can declutter their toys, while adults focus on their belongings. Make it fun by seeing who can stick to the challenge longest, and reward the winner with a small prize.
2. The 12-12-12 Challenge
The 12-12-12 challenge is another fun and effective decluttering strategy. The goal is to locate 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper place.
This challenge is versatile, and you can adapt it to suit your family’s needs. For instance, if you have younger children, you might modify it to a 5-5-5 challenge. The key is to make decluttering a regular habit and to keep it fun and engaging for everyone.
3. The Four-Box Method
The four-box method is a systematic approach to decluttering. Set up four boxes in each room: one for trash, one for give-away, one for keep, and one for relocate. Then, sort through each item in the room and place it in one of the four boxes.
The beauty of this method is its simplicity. It forces you to make a decision about every item, preventing procrastination. Plus, it’s an easy way to get the whole family involved. Assign everyone a room, or tackle one room together as a team.
4. The One-In, One-Out Rule
Adopting the one-in, one-out rule is a great way to maintain a clutter-free home. The rule is simple: for every new item you bring into your home, you must get rid of an old one.
This rule is a powerful tool for preventing clutter accumulation in the first place, rather than always playing catch-up. It’s an excellent habit for kids to learn early, too. For example, if they get a new toy, they must donate an old one.
5. The 10-Minute Tidy-Up
Dedicate 10 minutes a day to decluttering. Set a timer, and everyone in the family must spend those 10 minutes tidying up their space. It could be a bedroom, a desk, or a closet.
The 10-minute tidy-up is easy to fit into even the busiest of schedules. It makes decluttering manageable and less overwhelming. Plus, you’d be surprised at how much you can achieve in just 10 minutes!
6. The “Does It Spark Joy?” Test
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Made famous by organizing guru Marie Kondo, the “Does it spark joy?” test is a simple but effective decluttering technique. Hold each item in your hands and ask yourself, “Does this spark joy?” If it does, keep it. If it doesn’t, let it go.
This challenge is great for teaching kids about value and sentimentality. It encourages them (and adults too!) to keep only the things they truly love and find useful. It might be more time-consuming than other methods, but the results are worth it.
7. The Clothing Hanger Experiment
Turn all your clothes hangers in one direction. When you wear an item, turn the hanger the other way. After six months, donate any clothes on hangers that haven’t been turned.
This is a fantastic challenge for those who struggle with letting go of clothes. It’s a visual indicator of what you actually wear, and what’s just taking up space in your closet. It can be an enlightening (and sometimes shocking) experience!
8. The Pantry Challenge
Use up all the items in your pantry before buying more. This challenge will declutter your pantry, save you money, and force you to get creative with your meals.
The pantry challenge is an excellent way to teach kids about food waste and budgeting. Plus, you might discover some delicious new recipes in the process. Just be sure to plan for a balanced diet, especially if you’re doing this challenge for an extended period.
9. The 20/20 Rule
If you can replace an item in 20 minutes or less for $20 or less, consider letting it go. This rule is great for those ‘just in case’ items that you never use but keep ‘just in case.’
The 20/20 rule helps eliminate the fear of needing something in the future that you don’t have. It’s a good lesson in trust and letting go of control. Plus, it can free up a surprising amount of space in your home.
10. The Digital Declutter
Decluttering isn’t just for physical items. Digital clutter can be just as overwhelming. Dedicate some time to organizing your digital files, deleting unwanted emails, and unsubscribing from newsletters you never read.
A digital declutter can help improve your productivity and reduce stress. It’s also an important lesson in this digital age for kids to learn. Consider setting up a regular digital declutter schedule to keep on top of it.
11. The Holiday Decoration Review
After each holiday season, review your decorations. Donate or dispose of anything that didn’t get used or no longer fits your style.
This challenge can be a nostalgic trip down memory lane, making it a fun family activity. It’s also a great way to make room for new holiday memories and decorations. Plus, you’ll appreciate not having to store decorations you don’t use.
12. The Receipt and Document Scan
Scan your receipts and important documents, then safely dispose of the physical copies. Not only will this free up physical space, but it will also make finding important documents much easier.
This is a great challenge for teaching kids about organization and the importance of keeping track of important documents. Just ensure you have a secure digital storage system in place, and always keep physical copies of truly essential documents.
13. The Garage Sale Challenge
Hold a family garage sale. Not only will this declutter your home, but it can also be a fun family event. Plus, it’s a great way to teach kids about money and negotiation.
Remember to advertise your garage sale well to attract buyers. Afterwards, donate any unsold items. This will prevent them from simply cluttering up your home again.
14. The Toy Rotation
If your kids have too many toys, consider a toy rotation. Store some toys away, and rotate them every few months. This keeps the toy collection manageable and makes old toys seem new and exciting again.
A toy rotation can help reduce clutter and keep your kids engaged with their toys. It’s also a good lesson in appreciating what they have, rather than always wanting more.
15. The One-Room-at-a-Time Challenge
Rather than trying to declutter your whole home at once, focus on one room at a time. This makes the task less overwhelming and allows you to see progress more quickly.
This is a great challenge for larger families. You can assign each family member a room, or work together on one room at a time. Celebrate when a room is finished before moving onto the next one.
16. The Declutter-by-Category Challenge
Instead of decluttering by room, try decluttering by category. This can be particularly effective if you find similar items scattered throughout your home. For example, you might declutter all your books, then your clothes, then your kitchenware.
This challenge can be a good way to keep decluttering interesting. It can also make it easier to see exactly how much of one type of item you have, which can be a real eye-opener.
17. The Paperless Billing Challenge
Switch to paperless billing to reduce the amount of paper clutter in your home. Many companies now offer this as an option, and it’s typically very easy to set up.
Going paperless is not only good for reducing clutter, but it’s also better for the environment. Plus, it can make it easier to keep track of your bills and payments.
18. The One-Year Rule
If you haven’t used an item in a year, it’s probably safe to say you can live without it. The one-year rule is a straightforward but effective decluttering strategy.
The one-year rule can be a challenging one, especially for those who tend to hold onto things ‘just in case.’ However, it’s a good way to keep your belongings in check and prevent clutter from accumulating. Remember, the goal of decluttering is to make your life easier, not harder. Let go of the things that no longer serve you, and enjoy the freedom that comes with a decluttered home.
