Welcome to the 12-step Crush Your Clutter Challenge! The game where everyone wins! For the next 12 weeks, you’ll be challenged to declutter a new area of your home each Friday-Sunday.
Once you’ve boxed up the items to declutter, you will choose a local charity to donate to. I’ll be sending you a detailed challenge each week as well as instructions for completing the task. I’d love it if you would share your decluttering journey with me by leaving a comment or sending me an e-mail.
Tip: want to receive personal emails from me about this challenge to encourage you? Join the FREE 12-week crush your clutter challenge!
Crush Your Clutter: The Rules
The rules for the Crush your Clutter Challenge are simple.
On Friday of each week, start with a different zone of your home to declutter.
- Fill as many bags or boxes from this category as you are able to over the course of the weekend.
- On Monday, find a local charity of your choosing. Donate the items you’ve collected no later than Tuesday.
- During the week, gather empty bags and boxes for next Friday’s challenge.
If you like playing games on the hardest setting, you can make the game even more challenging by not donating to the same charity twice.
Tip: want to receive personal emails from me about this challenge to encourage you? Join the FREE 12-week crush your clutter challenge!
Week 1: Toiletries
This week, your challenge is to declutter and donate as many toiletries as possible.
1) Go on a scavenger hunt throughout your home and locate every single bottle of lotion, shampoo, conditioner, hair product, tubes of toothpaste, body wash, bar soap, hand soap, etc.
At this stage of the process, it doesn’t matter if the item has been used/opened or not. You will be purging used/expired products as you gather items to donate to charity.
2) Once you have all of your toiletries in one place, quickly scan the items and throw away any products that are expired, empty, or unusable.
3) Next, remove your favorite products. These will be easy to recognize because they will be the ones you regularly use and love. Place these items back where they belong.
4) Finally, gather as many products as possible and place them in a bag or box to be donated to a local charity.
Printable Checklist for Toiletries
Click here to download the printable checklist for decluttering toiletries.
Week 2: Kitchen Supplies
For this week’s challenge, we will be focusing on the kitchen. You will find a step-by-step comprehensive plan here: declutter your kitchen.
Click here to download the free kitchen supplies decluttering checklist.
As you can see, there are several categories to declutter in the kitchen. To save time, you can save the cookbooks, towels, and decor for another day. Or, if you’re feeling ambitious, go ahead and declutter them. Also, food items are excluded this week. We will be covering the refrigerator and pantry in next week’s challenge.
So, that just leaves dishes, pots and pans, utensils, storage containers, and small appliances (and the rest) for this week.
Working through each category, follow the same method I laid out in week one.
- Gather all items in the category together.
- Throw away any broken/unusable items.
- Choose your absolute favorite items to put back
- Donate the rest.
Week 3: Kitchen-Food
For this week’s challenge, we will again be focusing on the kitchen. You will find a step-by-step plan here: declutter your kitchen.
Last week, we focused on kitchen supplies such as dishes, utensils, small appliances, etc.
This week, it’s time to raid the pantry and refrigerator.
- Starting with the refrigerator, (move quickly to keep food from developing bacteria) working shelf by shelf, remove items, throw away any rotten and expired food.
- Place food which you or your family plan to eat back inside the refrigerator.
- Place current, unopened food items which you plan to donate in bags and place them back in the refrigerator. Donate asap.
For the pantry
- Empty out the entire pantry and/or all the food inside cabinets.
- Throw away any spoiled/expired food as you go.
- Sort dry goods into like categories such as canned goods, pasta, grains, seasonings,baking goods, etc.
- Go through the items in each category first choosing what to keep (put away) then boxing up items to donate.
Click here to download the free food decluttering checklist.
Week 4: Toys or Baby Items or Your Garage
This week, your challenge is to tackle your children’s toys. If you do not have children in the home, you can take on the garage instead. Also, if your child(ren) is still a baby, you can take this time to sort through and declutter any baby equipment you have laying around.
Toys or Baby Items
- So, just like with the other challenges, you’ll need to gather all of your child’s toys (or baby items) together in one spot, being sure to sort into categories as you go. Some examples of categories you could end up with are: stuffed animals, puzzles, legos, action figures, barbies, etc.
- Once you have assembled all of the toys throughout your house, you can then decide what to keep based on whether the toy is broken, has been outgrown, actually gets played with, is your child’s favorite, etc.
Don’t despair! I’ve created a free step-by-step guide about How To Declutter And Organize Toys.
Download your free printable checklist for decluttering toys here.
Download your free printable baby items decluttering checklist here.
Tip: Depending on how old or emotionally mature your child is, I recommend including him/her in the decluttering process. While it’s true that you may have been the one to purchase the toys, your child still technically ‘owns’ them. By including your child in the decluttering process, you will be teaching them how to live with less (even if they don’t like it at first) and you will also be teaching them how to make important decisions. Which will serve them well as adults.
Find a home for everything you and your child decide to keep, throw away anything that is broken or has been recalled, and box reusable items up to be donated (by Tuesday).
Garage
I gotta say, I don’t envy you. Decluttering the garage is way harder than going through kids’ toys! 🙂 Just kidding, you can do this (and I will help). In fact, not too long ago, I cleaned out my entire garage and you can read how I did that here: How To Declutter And Organize The Garage.
Click here to download the free printable garage declutter checklist.
Week 5: Clothing
This week, your challenge is to tackle your clothing. I know, I know…I never said it was going to be easy!
Lucky for you, I’ve created a FREE Step-by-Step Guide to Decluttering Clothes! Your assignment is to read it, and then do it!
Click here to download the free printable checklist that will help you declutter your clothes.
Week 6: Art & Craft Supplies
This week, your challenge is to tackle your art & craft supplies. Yep, it’s a tough one for sure! Don’t worry, I’m here for you!
Click on over and read this post for step-by-step instructions on How to Declutter & Organize Craft Supplies.
Click here to download a free printable checklist for decluttering craft supplies.
Week 7: Office Supplies
This week, your challenge is to declutter your office supplies.
You will be using The Shock Treatment Declutter Method in order to quickly declutter office supplies, so you can get on with your weekend!
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Gather all of the printer paper, card stock (unless covered in week 6), pens, pencils, staplers, scissors, tape, paper trays, pencil holders, file supplies, notebooks, glue sticks, etc., and place them in a staging area.
- While you are gathering up any office supplies, sort them into separate categories as you go. This will make it much easier to sort through them in just a bit.
- Once everything is gathered together in one place and sorted into categories, pick a category and start decluttering one item at a time. If it helps, you may want to focus on what you know you want/need to keep instead of focusing on what to get rid of. Make sense?
- Box/bag up your donations and make a note to donate by Tuesday.
Click here to download your free printable office supply declutter checklist.
Also, make sure to read about How to Organize Office Supplies for more inspiration.
Week 8: Household Decor
This week, your challenge is to declutter your household decor.
You will be using The Shock Treatment Declutter Method to quickly declutter your household decor. Note: Household decor is anything you use to spruce up your home. It does not include collections. So, if you happen to collect figurines or snow globes, you can exclude them from this challenge. You’re welcome 🙂
And if it’s easier for you, feel free to work room-by-room rather than category-by-category.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Gather all your knick-knacks, decorative vases, framed art, baubles, and doodads, and place them in a staging area.
- While you are gathering up your home decor, sort them into separate categories as you go. This will make it much easier to sort through them in just a bit.
- Once everything is gathered together in one place and sorted into categories, pick a category and start decluttering one item at a time. If it helps, you may want to focus on what you know you want/need to keep instead of focusing on what to get rid of. Make sense?
- Box/bag up your donations and make a note to donate by Tuesday.
Download your free printable checklist to declutter household decor.
Week 9: Books
This week, your challenge is to declutter your books.
I know, it’s really hard to declutter books! That’s why I wrote an entire post detailing why we (book lovers) need to own and hold onto so many books.
I also show you step-by-step how to let go of them. So, be sure to read How to Declutter Books When you Love to Read before you begin decluttering your books.
Click here to download the free printable checklist for decluttering books.
Week 10: Linens, Blankets & Towels
This week, your challenge is to declutter your linens! This should be super-easy after LAST week’s challenge!
Linens include the following:
- Sheets (fitted and flat)
- Pillowcases
- Blankets
- Throws
- Comforters
- Duvet covers
- Pillows (both for the bed and decorative)
- Towels
- Wash cloths
- Curtains
- Table Cloths
- Protective covers
The first thing you’ll need to do is assess how many linens you have as well as exactly how many linens you actually need. Usually, two sets of sheets per bed is enough…UNLESS you currently have a bed-wetter in the house!
Then, you have my permission to own as many sheets and blankets as you need! Make sure you read How To Store Blankets: Best Tips & Storage Ideas For Your Home. Also, two towels per person should suffice. As well as a set or two for guests.
*Tip: Store extra sheet sets underneath the mattress of the bed they go to. Doing so will free up a bunch of space in your linen closet.
Here’s what you’ll need to do:
- Gather up all of the linens in your home. (See list above)
- Sort linens into categories (again, see list above)
- Keep what you use & love
- Bag/box up the rest
- Put everything away
- Donate any excess
Click here to download the free printable checklist for decluttering linens.
Week 11: Electronics
This week, your challenge is to declutter your electronics!
I know, it’s really hard to declutter electronics! That’s why I wrote two entire posts showing you step-by-step how to let go of them.
So, be sure to read How To Declutter Electronics In 10 Steps before you begin decluttering your electronics. Or check out How to Use the KonMari Method to Organize Your Electronic and Tech Devices.
Electronics include the following:
- cell phones
- tablets
- video game systems
- computers
- monitors
- DVD/Blu Ray players
- TV’s
- cords, cables, flash drives
- fitness trackers
- laptops
- portable chargers
- MP3 players
- portable speakers
- webcams
- microphones
- speakers…etc.
It’s important to keep in mind that you should only donate electronics in working condition. Otherwise, you should recycle them. I will include a list of places to recycle electronics (as well as where to donate them) at the end of this email.
How to Declutter Electronics
You’re in luck! The process of decluttering electronics is easier once you follow these guidelines! Here’s what you’ll need to do:
1) Gather up any unused electronics in your home. Locate the cord/chargers that go along with them (this is the tricky part).
2) Verify they work (if not, recycle them instead of donating them).
3) Clean them off.
Clean Your Mobile Phone
Online there are many interesting tips on how to sell or discard mobile phones. To sum it up: before you dispose of it, you’ll have to back up all of your important data, wipe it and reset it. After that, you can either sell or donate it or put it on the ‘junk’ pile to recycle it.
Clean Your Personal Computer And/Or Laptop
If you would like to sell or donate: save and backup important files, wipe your hard drive clean by deleting files and overwriting them, delete your browser history, uninstall programs, and deauthorize your computer.
If you want to recycle: just take out the hard drive (you’ll have to unscrew the casing off the device and locate the hard drive). You can either store the little box or you can destroy it by demolishing it with a hammer.
4) Donate them.
Click here for a free printable checklist for decluttering electronics.
Week 12: Furniture
This week, your challenge is to declutter furniture. Yep, I saved the best for last!
The category of furniture includes:
- couches
- chairs
- dining sets
- bookshelves
- wall shelves
- beds
- tv stands
- dressers
- nightstands
- end tables
- lamps
- china cabinets
- buffet tables
- coffee tables
- ottomans
The good news is, many charities will pick up your furniture donations, saving you the heavy lifting!
How to Declutter Furniture
Rather than try to go around your home gathering up heavy pieces of furniture, here’s what I recommend.
- Get a set of colored dot stickers (the kind you use for yard sale pricing) and place a sticker on each piece of furniture you’d like to donate.
- If you plan on donating furniture to multiple charities, use a different color sticker for each charity. This way, when the crew comes to pick them up, you can make sure they get the right pieces.
Thoroughly clean each item of furniture before scheduling pick up.
Tip: Don’t forget to get receipts for your donations so you can deduct them from your taxes!
Click here for the free printable checklist to help you declutter furniture.
Well Done – You’ve Completed The Declutter Challenge!
Congratulations! You’ve completed the Crush Your Clutter 12-Week Challenge!
The reason I formatted this challenge the way I did was to give you simple, actionable steps you can take to help you declutter your home at your own pace. Because, I know firsthand that, too often, life has a way of getting in the way of decluttering.
I encourage you to keep pushing forward with your decluttering journey and know that I am here for you!
Tip: want to receive personal emails from me about this challenge to encourage you? Join the FREE 12-week crush your clutter challenge!
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