Embarking on a cleaning and tidying-up mission? Learn the 15 things to tackle first with this decluttering checklist!
Starting a decluttering mission can be overwhelming when you’re looking at your home and you feel every room needs your immediate attention. Having helped hundreds of wonderful people in their decluttering journey, and still navigating my own, I know this firsthand.
It’s completely normal to feel like everything is too much. But y’all, don’t let that feeling take over! While there is no universal secret when decluttering, there’s one simple truth: You need to start somewhere!
In my experience, the best way to begin is with a decluttering checklist. And in today’s guide, that’s exactly what I’ll be sharing with y’all.
This decluttering checklist breaks down 15 specific items you can remove right now to make an immediate impact on how your space looks and feels.
Rather than wandering from room to room wondering what to do first, I invite y’all to take a systematic approach. Each room in your home has its own clutter hotspots. Y’all know the ones! Those areas where things seem to accumulate without you really noticing. The kitchen counter that somehow becomes a mail station. The bedroom chair that turns into a clothes storage system. The bathroom cabinet filled with products you forgot you already owned.
What I just love about this decluttering checklist is how effective it is. You’ll see progress quickly and get more motivated as you go! My main goal here is to break down the overwhelming feeling when we’re decluttering our homes and break it down into smaller and easier-to-do chunks of tasks.
The goal of this decluttering checklist is not to empty your house or achieve some minimalist ideal. It’s more about helping y’all to remove the excess in your home so the things you actually use have room to shine (and make your daily life easier!). Ready to tackle these 25 things in your home with our decluttering checklist? Let’s start!
Your kitchen is the heart of your home, but it’s also where clutter loves to hide in plain sight. I always tell people to start here because you’ll see changes right away that motivate you to keep going.
Open up that pantry door and prepare yourself – we’re going on a little expedition!
You first one to start small and tackle something like the spice rack. Gather any expired items and throw them out. The same goes for those mysterious jars of sauce you bought for one recipe three years ago, or those condiments multiplying in your fridge door.
If you can’t remember the last time you used that cardamom or if your paprika looks more beige than red, it’s time to say goodbye. The same goes for those condiments multiplying in your fridge door. When you clear out the items you don’t use or expired ones, you’ll be amazed at how much more organized and functional your storage becomes!
Let’s be real for a second – how did we all end up with three can openers? Or four wooden spoons that somehow appeared out of nowhere?
I’m pretty sure we all have a couple of duplicates at home; it just happens. But keeping too many duplicates just clutters up your drawers and makes finding what you need a frustrating task.
So, walk through your kitchen drawers and cabinets with fresh eyes. Keep the tools that work best and feel comfortable in your hands, then donate the extras. Those single-use gadgets that seemed like such a good idea at the store can find new homes where they’ll be appreciated.
Here’s something I’ve learned after years of helping people organize their homes: using beautiful dishes daily isn’t indulgent, it’s smart living! Those chipped plates and cracked bowls you’re holding onto “just in case” are doing you no favors. They make clutter up your cabinets and make your meals feel less special.
Take everything out of your cabinets and really look at each piece. Anything with chips or cracks should go. When you pare down to dishes you genuinely love using, every meal feels more intentional, and your kitchen storage becomes so much more efficient.
Paper takes so much space, but it kinda creeps on you. So for the next section to tackle on this decluttering checklist, I want you to get into the nitty gritty of your kitchen and sort out your kitchen papers.
That drawer in your kitchen where every random piece of paper ends up living? I want y’all to empty it completely and analyze what you put back in.
Keep only menus from restaurants you actually order from and give them a proper home–either in a small folder or clipped to your fridge with a magnet. If you want to keep some of them for sentimental reasons or because you’re sure you’ll need them in the future, organize them!
The rest? Time to go! It may sound like a small thing, but trust me, being able to open and close that drawer smoothly makes your entire kitchen workflow improve.
Broken appliances have this sneaky way of becoming permanent counter residents, don’t they? So, for this part of our decluttering checklist, I want y’all to take a good look at those small appliances that aren’t pulling their weight anymore.
That coffee maker with the wobbly handle you keep saying you’ll fix? The blender that’s been missing its lid for who knows how long? Time for some real talk about whether you’ll actually repair these items or if they’re just creating visual clutter on your countertops.
Most of the time, we hang onto broken appliances out of guilt rather than any real plan to fix them. I want y’all to be honest with yourselves here– if you haven’t fixed it by now, you probably won’t.
Clear these out and watch how much cleaner and more spacious your counters immediately look. Plus, you’ll finally stop getting that little pang of guilt every time you see them sitting there!
Your living room is meant to be that space where you can relax, entertain guests, and have bonding time with your loved ones. Now, no matter how beautiful your decor, clutter has a way of making any room feel overwhelming. The fix is an easy one, luckily. Spaces like the living room often hold the biggest visual impact when you declutter them!
Next up on our decluttering checklist are any magazines or newspapers that are piling up across your living room. These can stack so easily, you barely notice! What starts as one issue on the coffee table somehow multiplies into towering stacks that make your living space feel chaotic.
Here’s what I want y’all to do: keep only the current month’s magazines, those special issues you hold dear to your heart, and recycle everything else. The same goes for newspapers! If you haven’t read it within a week, you’re probably not going to.
Once you clear these paper piles, your coffee table and side tables will instantly look more intentional. You’ll actually want to sit and relax in the space instead of feeling like you need to move things around first.
Electronics clutter is real, and it loves to hide in plain sight. That pile of old phone chargers, broken earbuds, and random cables you keep “just in case” is doing more harm than good.
If you can’t identify what a cable goes to, or if something’s been broken for more than a month, it needs to go. Keep one spare charger for each device you actually use and recycle the rest at your local electronics store.
Your entertainment center and side tables will thank you, and you’ll stop wasting time digging through tangled messes trying to find what you actually need.
Marie Kondo’s mantra of only keeping what sparks joy is incredibly valuable advice, and I think one of the best categories to use it in is decor. Because I’m sure we all have those decorative pieces that seemed like a good idea at the time, but now just feel like dust collectors. Maybe it’s that vase you never use, or picture frames holding prints or photos from years ago that don’t reflect your style anymore.
Walk through your living spaces and really look at what’s on display. If something doesn’t make you smile or serve a purpose you love, it’s okay to let it go. This doesn’t mean your space has to be minimal – it means every piece should earn its place.
When you keep only the decor that truly resonates with you, your living room feels more curated to your personal style and far less cluttered.
Textiles multiply like magic in living spaces, especially throw pillows and blankets.
Time to edit your textile collection down to pieces you actually use and enjoy! Keep the pillows that are comfortable for lounging and the blankets you reach for when you want to get cozy. Everything else is just adding visual weight to your space.
Your seating will look cleaner and more inviting when it’s not buried under layers of unused textiles, and you’ll actually use the pieces you keep. Remember that here you have more wiggle room, and you don’t need to throw or donate right away. If you’ll use it next season, store it safely and take it out when it’s time.
Closet chaos and bedroom clutter have the power to make what should be your most sacred room feel more stressful than relaxing. These spaces hold some of the most emotionally charged items in our homes, so it really is no wonder they are some of the hardest to tackle. Give the items in this decluttering checklist a try!
Whether they’re too big, too small, or just don’t suit your lifestyle, keeping clothes that don’t fit anymore is not a smart move.
I know this one’s tough because clothes can carry so much emotional strain. But here’s what I’ve learned: when you hold onto clothes that don’t fit, you’re essentially telling yourself every day that your current self isn’t good enough.
There are so many reasons why you feel this way, and trust me, it’s completely normal. We all go through it! Now is not the time to judge your feelings or dig deeper. But it is time to accept our current selves and take action to improve our daily lives.
Take a deep breath and go through your closet section by section. If you’re unsure, try things on. If something doesn’t fit comfortably right now, it needs a new home. This includes those “just in case” sizes and clothes from different life phases that no longer match who you are today.
I know this can be overwhelming, but trust me, when you can see and access everything in your closet easily, getting dressed will be so much more enjoyable!
Bedding tends to accumulate in linen closets and bedroom drawers, doesn’t it? Those sheet sets with holes, pillowcases that are too worn to be comfortable, or comforters that have lost their fluffiness are taking up valuable storage space.
I want y’all to pull out all your bedding and really assess what’s still worth keeping. Sheets should feel good against your skin, and comforters should actually provide comfort. If something’s stained, threadbare, or just doesn’t make you feel cozy anymore, it’s time to let it go.
Keep two to three complete sheet sets per bed (one on, one in the wash, one backup) and donate the rest. Your linen closet will be so much more organized, and you’ll sleep better knowing your bedding is fresh and comfortable.
Another hot spot for clutter in your bedroom? The jewelry box! Now it’s time for some honest evaluation. Broken necklaces, earrings missing their partners, and jewelry that doesn’t match your current style are just filling up you could use for more efficient organizing.
Sort through everything and keep only pieces you genuinely love and wear. This includes those gifts that were sweet but never really suited your taste – it’s okay to let them go to someone who will appreciate them more.
Shoes are sneaky space-stealers, especially the ones that seemed perfect in the store but turned out to be uncomfortable or just don’t work with your wardrobe. If you check your shoe storage and you find heels that pinch your feet, boots that never quite fit right, or athletic shoes that are past their prime, you need to let them go.
Be realistic about your lifestyle and keep shoes you actually walk in. If you haven’t worn something in over a year, or if it’s uncomfortable every time you try, donate it. Someone else will get good use out of shoes that are just taking up space in your closet.
Bathrooms are one of those small spaces that can feel overwhelmed quickly when products and supplies pile up. There’s a perk about this, though! Their small size means that, like any other small room, good decluttering can make a huge impact quickly.
Beauty products have sneaky expiration dates, and expired products can actually harm your skin rather than help it. That foundation from two years ago, dried-up mascara, or products that have changed texture or smell, need to go immediately.
Check dates on everything, and when in doubt, toss it out. Most makeup has a small symbol showing how many months it’s good for after opening, so make sure to check it. The same goes for skincare! Not only check for the date but also look for any signs of product separation, color changes, or off-smells. If any products check one of these red flags, you should discard them regardless of their expiration date.
While in this decluttering checklist process, also take stock of the makeup or hair products you always use and the ones you don’t even touch. If these are in good condition, giving them away to a friend or donating them to shelters is the way to go!
Towels take a beating, and worn-out ones don’t do their job properly anymore. Those towels that have lost their absorbency, are rough against your skin or have permanent stains need to be replaced or repurposed.
Keep enough towels for your household’s needs – generally two sets per person (one in use, one in the laundry) plus a few extras for guests. The threadbare ones can become cleaning rags if they’re still structurally sound, or they can be donated to animal shelters.
And…there you have it! Our decluttering checklist with 15 items that can make an immediate difference in how your home looks and feels! Don’t feel pressured to take more on than you can right now. Y’all don’t have to tackle everything at once! Pick one category that speaks to you and start there.