Lifestyle
New year, new you, new opportunity to start fresh – and what better way to mark a change in the year (and your life) than a good declutter? These 100 things to declutter in 2024 won’t just clear up some closet space, they’ll bring a new feel to your home and mindset. The free downloadable Declutter Your Home Checklist will guide you through the process of starting fresh. Whether you’re becoming a minimalist, exploring simple living, or just looking to clear out extra storage, this is a great place to start.
Decluttering Tips for an Easy Clean
Before you start: set the scene.
Decluttering can be draining, but it can also be fun. Set yourself up for cleaning success with a low-stress environment. Put on your favourite podcast, playlist, or some YouTube motivation (I got you covered) to get yourself in the mood. Make sure your blood sugar is stable, you’re hydrated and caffeinated, and put any unhelpful distractions in another room (ex. cell phone).
Clarify your expectations.
As tempting as it can be to try and knock off this list in one session – don’t burn yourself out. If you’re having fun, amazing. Don’t stop on my account. But if you feel your energy wearing thin, this is your permission to press pause and come back later. Decision fatigue is real. Pushing yourself to the end of your capacity is not going to help.
Establish zones and areas to tackle.
This list of 100 things to declutter right now is divided into different rooms and areas of the house. In my experience, addressing one space at a time is extremely helpful for maintaining motivation and energy. With each section you complete, you’ll be able to see and feel the progress you’ve made. It also creates natural breaking points if you’re mixing this in with a busy schedule.
Free Printable Decluttering Checklist
Download your FREE Printable list of 100+ things to declutter – this bad boy brings structure, order, and the ever-satisfying feeling of checking off a box after a task!
100 Things to Declutter Right Now
Time to get down to business – let’s declutter together and start off a new year on an organized foot????
Things to Declutter in the Kitchen:
1.Old or expired food items.
2. Any gifted condiments or beverages that you don’t want.
3. Duplicate kitchen gadgets and utensils.
4. Chipped or mismatched dishes and glassware.
5. Unused pots, pans, and cookware.
6. Excessive plastic containers.
7. Containers without lids (or lids without containers.)
8. Outdated spices
9. Expired or unused condiments.
10. Extra coffee mugs.
11. Cookbooks you no longer use. Tip: take a quick photo of any recipes you want to save and create your own custom recipe binder to store all your favourite more efficiently!
12. Excessive water bottles and travel mugs.
13. Broken appliances.
14. Extra cooking appliances that don’t get used. Ex. Instant Pot, Air Fryer, etc.
15. Unused water filters.
16. Worn-out oven mitts.
17. Worn-out or excess kitchen towels.
18. Outdated baking supplies.
Things to Declutter in the Bathroom:
19. Expired medications and toiletries. Did you know mascara is only good for 3 months?!
20. Old and worn-out towels. I like to keep one spare towel as a rag or for using when I dye my hair, but all the others are unnecessary.
21. Empty or nearly empty bottles.
22. Half-used beauty products you don’t use.
23. Extras of makeup/skincare products that you don’t need extras of.
24. Excessive cleaning supplies.
25. Toxic cleaning products.
26. Unused hotel toiletries.
27. Expired sunscreen and skincare products.
28. Old toothbrushes.
29. Worn-out loofahs.
30. Unused hair tools.
31. Multiples of hair products.
Things to Declutter in Your Wardrobe:
32. Clothes that no longer fit.
33. Clothes you like but never reach for.
34. Damaged or stained garments.
35. Single socks without a match.
36. Shoes you never reach for.
37. Purses/bags you don’t use.
38. Unwanted or outdated jewelry.
39. Formalwear that’s never your first choice.
40. Uncomfortable bras.
41. Old and tattered underwear.
42. Damaged or unused luggage.
Things to Declutter in Your Living Room:
43. Books you don’t plan to reread often.
44. Outdated or broken electronics.
45. Decor you don’t love.
46. Unused cables and chargers.
47. Unused candles (or candles you don’t like the scent/look of).
48. Broken or non-functional furniture.
49. DVDs or CDs you no longer watch or listen to.
50. Unplayed board games.
51. Outdated or unnecessary remote controls.
52. Worn-out curtains/drapes.
53. Worn-out rugs or carpets.
Things to Declutter in Your Bedroom:
54. Worn-out or uncomfortable bedding.
55. Excessive hangers and closet organizers.
56. Unnecessary storage containers. I don’t know why or how these always end up in the bedroom – but they collect more clutter than they organize.
57. Unused exercise equipment.
58. Excessive pillows.
59. Broken or outdated electronics.
60. Excessive pajamas.
61. Unused bedside lamps.
62. Wall art you don’t love.
Things to Declutter in Your Home Office:
63. Old paperwork and documents.
64. Unneeded receipts and bills.
65. Old tech boxes
66. Extra pens/highlighters (especially those that don’t work!)
67. Extra erasers, white out, and misc. office supplies.
68. Broken or oudated tech accessories.
69. Extra notebooks.
70. Excessive stationery.
71. Duplicate or non-functional cables.
72. Outdated calendars.
73. Outdated or unused planners.
Miscellaneous Things to Declutter:
74. Unused or broken sporting equipment.
75. Broken or outdated hobby supplies. Because we’ve all invested too much time and money in something we thought was our passion only to never get started.
76. Unused craft materials.
77. Excessive gardening supplies.
78. Empty and unused storage containers.
Things to Declutter in Your Digital Spaces:
79. Duplicate or old digital photos.
80. Unused apps on your phone.
81. Unused software and programs on your computer.
82. Old emails and spam.
83. Unnecessary documents and files.
84. Unused contacts in your phone.
85. Unneeded bookmarks and favorites saved in your browser.
86. Unused or outdated passwords.
87. Your Facebook friends list.
88. Your Instagram Following list.
89. Your YouTube Subscriptions page.
90. Saved text conversations on your phone.
91. Unsubscribed email subscriptions.
Things to Declutter in Your Outdoor/Storage spaces:
92. Broken or unused outdoor furniture.
93. Worn-out outdoor cushions.
94. Excessive outdoor tools.
95. Dead or dying potted plants.
96. Unused or broken gardening equipment.
97. Outgrown children’s outdoor toys.
98. Old or unused grill accessories.
99. Rusty or non-functional bikes.
100. Unwanted outdoor decorations.
101. Broken or unused outdoor lighting.
102. Old and non-functioning tools.
103. Excessive paint and home improvement supplies.
104. Excessive holiday decorations.
These 100 Things to Declutter in 2024, especially when paired with the super-cute free printable decluttering checklist, will help guide you to a new start and experience in your living space.
There’s no better feeling than the knowledge and confidence that you have exactly what you need. Removing the excess empowers you to focus your energy on taking care of those things, as well as what matters in your life.
Simplicity in your physical space isn’t just about clutter and time, though. The mental freedom that comes from slow, simple living is pretty unbeatable.
If you’re exploring minimalism, simple living, and a slower-paced routine, I’m humbly plugging my YouTube channel – where I share weekly tips, tricks, and vlogs as I strive to live an intentional, slow-paced life.
But if you’re more of a reader, I’ve got you covered too – with weekly posts right here on outofthehabit.com. You can sign up for my email list here to never miss an update!