So you’ve decided to declutter your house. It’s probably long overdue! Did you know that 80% of our stuff is unused? It sounds insane, but if you’re honest, it’s probably pretty accurate. So! Time to declutter! But…. where to start?? Don’t worry, just use this checklist for decluttering your home. This is NOT an exhaustive list, but it’s a great place to start, especially if you are feeling a little overwhelmed by the thought of going through all of your stuff.
I always find that with giant tasks it’s best to keep my head down and work through it bit by bit. If I spend too much time thinking about how much there is to do I get overwhelmed and discouraged. AND it starts to feel like I will never be done, so my motivation flags and I start taking more breaks… And then I never really finish.
Don’t do that! You can use this checklist to work through your house bit by bit. Just tackle one thing at a time and you’ll be done before you know it.
If you’ve hit a few snags or are looking for a more comprehensive guide to decluttering, scroll to the bottom to find 5 incredibly helpful guides that will have your house cleared out before you can say “I give up!”
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Checklist for Decluttering Your Home
Once you get going, I think you’ll find that it gets easier and easier. And I bet that if you go back through some of the categories more than once, you’ll find even more to get rid of the second time (or third time!) through.
I have a big move coming up and I need to declutter my house before I start packing. I’ll be using this checklist to keep me on task and focused.
105 Things to Get Rid of NOW
I’ve broken down the list by general area or room to make things easier. Your possessions may not match my list exactly, but that’s fine! Everyone is different. Use this list as a springboard and don’t be afraid to add on or ignore whatever you need to.
Happy decluttering!
Kitchen
- Duplicate items
- Straws, fast food utensils, condiment packages, etc
- Food storage containers
- Kid items
- Fridge
- Under the sink
- Anything you haven’t used in a year
- Pantry
- Old spices
- Kitchen gadgets
- Cooking utensils
- Dishes
- Cups
- Hand towels
- Reusable shopping bags
- FOOD – toss anything expired or that you don’t want to eat
- Fridge magnets
- Takeout menus
- Cookbooks
- Loose recipes
- Cleaning products
- Jars and vases
- Small appliances
- Pots and Pans
- Baking sheets, tins, and pans
- Bread ties, twist ties, clips, rubber bands, etc
- Water bottles
- Expired vitamins and supplements
Bathroom
- Skincare
- Makeup
- Hair products
- Hair appliances
- Towels
- Almost empty bottles
- Nail polish
- Perfume
- Personal toiletries
- Hair ties and clips, bobby pins, etc
- Expired prescriptions and medications
Bedroom
- Socks
- Tops
- Bottoms
- Outerwear
- Bags
- Special event clothing
- Undergarments
- Shoes
- Hangers
- Eyewear
- Duplicates
- Accessories
- Jewelry
- Blankets
- Linens
Kids
- Stuffed animals
- Toys
- Artwork
- Puzzles
- Books
- Games
- Kits
- Trophies
- Seasonal gear (snow boots, beach toys, etc)
- Bath toys
Living Space
- DVDs/CDs
- Knick-knacks
- Books
- Junk mail
- Newspapers
- Magazines
- Candles
- Fragrance diffusers
- House plants
- Boardgames
- Wall art
- Pet toys
- Old “collections”
- Furniture
- Area rugs
Office
- Abandoned and uncompleted projects
- Craft supplies
- Stationary
- Electrical equipment
- Old cards
- Headphones
- Old cell phones and chargers
- Office supplies
- Phone books
- Wrapping supplies
- Product manuals
- Electronics
Garage/Attic/Shed/Storage
- Bolts, nails, and screws
- Tools
- Sports equipment
- Seasonal gear
- Outdoor furniture
- Seasonal decor
- Holiday decorations
- Lawn and garden equipment and tools
- Leftover project supplies like paint, lumber, chemicals, etc
- Cleaning supplies
- Lightbulbs
- Batteries
- Exercise equipment
- Luggage
Need More Help?
Have you gotten through the checklist but didn’t get rid of as much stuff as you wanted? Maybe this whole decluttering thing turned out to be A LOT harder than you anticipated? You’re not alone! Decluttering is a giant industry for a reason: it’s HARD!
It’s hard to get rid of stuff you’ve held onto for such a long time. Luckily, there’s help! There have been numerous systems developed for helping people just like you declutter. Here are some of the most popular decluttering books out there.
1. Marie Kondo
Probably the most famous is Marie Kondo’s system. She has a best-selling book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, AND a show on Netflix.
2. Dana White
Dana White has written a great, down-to-earth guide for regular people. Decluttering at the Speed of Life: Winning Your Never-Ending Battle with Stuff gets you going even when you don’t have a lot of extra time.
3. Chautona Havig
Confessions of a De-cluttering Junkie is more than a decluttering guide. It’s the story of one woman’s journey to a clutter-free life and it will inspire you to get started.
4. Claire Middleton
If you are the kind of person who can develop an emotional attachment to a toothpick, then you should check out The Sentimental Person’s Guide to Decluttering. Enough said.
5. Cassandra Aarssen
A comprehensive guide to decluttering and organizing, the Cluttered Mess to Organized Success Workbook includes over 100 worksheets, forms, labels, schedules, and more.
