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18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” - Albert Einstein

I’ve written a lot about simplicity and decluttering (I can’t help it — I’m passionate about it!) and I’ve noticed that a lot of readers share my ideal of having an uncluttered home or workplace, but don’t know where to start.

When your home is filled with clutter, trying to tackle a mountain of stuff can be quite overwhelming.

So here’s my advice: start with just five minutes. Baby steps are important. Sure, five minutes won’t barely make a dent in your mountain, but it’s a start. Celebrate when you’ve made that start!

Then take another five minutes tomorrow. And another the next day. Before you know it, you’ll have cleared a whole closet or a room and then half your house and then … who knows? Maybe before long your house will be even more uncluttered than mine. We’ll have a challenge!

For those who are overwhelmed by their clutter, here are some great ways to get started, five minutes at a time.

Designate a spot for incoming papers. Papers often account for a lot of our clutter. This is because we put them in different spots — on the counter, on the table, on our desk, in a drawer, on top of our dresser, in our car. No wonder we can’t find anything! Designate an in-box tray or spot in your home (or at your office, for that matter) and don’t put down papers anywhere but that spot. Got mail? Put it in the inbox. Got school papers? Put it in the inbox. Receipts, warranties, manuals, notices, flyers? In the inbox! This one little change can really transform your paperwork.
Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t seem to like it when you try to expand the no-clutter zone to their house, and start hauling away their unused exercise equipment and torn underwear when they’re not at home. Some people don’t appreciate simplicity, I guess.
Clear off a counter. You want to get your house so that all flat spaces are clear of clutter. Maybe they have a toaster on them, maybe a decorative candle, but not a lot of clutter. So start with one counter. Clear off everything possible, except maybe one or two essential things. Have a blender you haven’t used since jazzercise was all the rage? Put it in the cupboard! Clear off all papers and all the other junk you’ve been tossing on the counter too.
Pick a shelf. Now that you’ve done a counter, try a shelf. It doesn’t matter what shelf. Could be a shelf in a closet, or on a bookshelf. Don’t tackle the whole bookshelf — just one shelf. Clear all non-essential things and leave it looking neat and clutter-free.
Schedule a decluttering weekend. Maybe you don’t feel like doing a huge decluttering session right now. But if you take the time to schedule it for later this month, you can clear your schedule, and if you have a family, get them involved too. The more hands pitching in, the better. Get boxes and trash bags ready, and plan a trip to a charity to drop off donated items. You might not get the entire house decluttered during the weekend, but you’ll probably make great progress.
Pick up 5 things, and find places for them. These should be things that you actually use, but that you just seem to put anywhere, because they don’t have good places. If you don’t know exactly where things belong, you have to designate a good spot. Take a minute to think it through — where would be a good spot? Then always put those things in those spots when you’re done using them. Do this for everything in your home, a few things at a time.
Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. When I’m decluttering, I like to take a moment to take a look at a room, and think about how I want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong in the room but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces? Once I’ve visualized how the room will look uncluttered, and figured out what is essential, I get rid of the rest.
Create a “maybe” box. Sometimes when you’re going through a pile of stuff, you know exactly what to keep (the stuff you love and use) and what to trash or donate. But then there’s the stuff you don’t use, but think you might want it or need it someday. You can’t bear to get rid of that stuff! So create a “maybe” box, and put this stuff there. Then store the box somewhere hidden, out of the way. Put a note on your calendar six months from now to look in the box. Then pull it out, six months later, and see if it’s anything you really needed. Usually, you can just dump the whole box, because you never needed that stuff.
Put a load in your car for charity. If you’ve decluttered a bunch of stuff, you might have a “to donate” pile that’s just taking up space in a corner of your room. Take a few minutes to box it up and put it in your trunk. Then tomorrow, drop it off.
Create a 30-day list. The problem with decluttering is that we can declutter our butts off (don’t actually try that — it’s painful) but it just comes back because we buy more stuff. So fight that tendency by nipping it in the bud: don’t buy the stuff in the first place. Take a minute to create a 30-day list, and every time you want to buy something that’s not absolutely necessary (and no, that new Macbook Air isn’t absolutely necessary), put it on the list with the date it was added to the list. Make a rule never to buy anything (except necessities) unless they’ve been on the list for 30 days. Often you’ll lose the urge to buy the stuff and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and clutter.
Teach your kids where things belong. This only applies to the parents among us, of course, but if you teach your kids where things go, and start teaching them the habit of putting them there, you’ll go a long way to keeping your house uncluttered. Of course, they won’t learn the habit overnight, so you’ll have to be very very patient with them and just keep teaching them until they’ve got it. And better yet, set the example for them and get into the habit yourself.
Set up some simple folders. Sometimes our papers pile up high because we don’t have good places to put them. Create some simple folders with labels for your major bills and similar paperwork. Put them in one spot. Your system doesn’t have to be complete, but keep some extra folders and labels in case you need to quickly create a new file.
Learn to file quickly. Once you’ve created your simple filing system, you just need to learn to use it regularly. Take a handful of papers from your pile, or your inbox, and go through them one at a time, starting from the top paper and working down. Make quick decisions: trash them, file them immediately, or make a note of the action required and put them in an “action” file. Don’t put anything back on the pile, and don’t put them anywhere but in a folder (and no cheating “to be filed” folders!) or in the trash/recycling bin.
Pull out some clothes you don’t wear. As you’re getting ready for work, and going through your closet for something to wear, spend a few minutes pulling out ones you haven’t worn in a few months. If they’re seasonal clothes, store them in a box. Get rid of the rest. Do this a little at a time until your closet (and then your drawers) only contains stuff you actually wear.
Clear out your medicine cabinet. If you don’t have one spot for medicines, create one now. Go through everything for the outdated medicines, the stuff you’ll never use again, the dirty-looking bandages, the creams that you’ve found you’re allergic to, the ointments that never had an effect on your energy or your eye wrinkles. Simplify to the essential.
Pull everything out of a drawer. Just take the drawer out and empty it on a table. Then sort the drawer into three piles: 1) stuff that really should go in the drawer; 2) stuff that belongs elsewhere; 3) stuff to get rid of. Clean the drawer out nice, then put the stuff in the first pile back neatly and orderly. Deal with the other piles immediately!
Learn to love the uncluttered look. Once you’ve gotten an area decluttered, you should take the time to enjoy that look. It’s a lovely look. Make that your standard! Learn to hate clutter! Then catch clutter and kill it wherever it crops up.
Have a conversation with your SO or roommate. Sometimes the problem isn’t just with us, it’s with the person or people we live with. An uncluttered home is the result of a shared philosophy of simplicity of all the people living in the house. If you take a few minutes to explain that you really want to have an uncluttered house, and that you could use their help, you can go a long way to getting to that point. Try to be persuasive and encouraging rather than nagging and negative. Read more about living with a pack rat.

“We don’t need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it.” - Donald Horban

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

18 Five-Minute Decluttering Tips to Start Conquering Your Mess

“Three Rules of Work: Out of clutter find simplicity; From discord find harmony; In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” - Albert Einstein

When your home is filled with clutter, trying to tackle a mountain of stuff can be quite overwhelming.

For those who are overwhelmed by their clutter, here are some great ways to get started, five minutes at a time.

Designate a spot for incoming papers. Papers often account for a lot of our clutter. This is because we put them in different spots — on the counter, on the table, on our desk, in a drawer, on top of our dresser, in our car. No wonder we can’t find anything! Designate an in-box tray or spot in your home (or at your office, for that matter) and don’t put down papers anywhere but that spot. Got mail? Put it in the inbox. Got school papers? Put it in the inbox. Receipts, warranties, manuals, notices, flyers? In the inbox! This one little change can really transform your paperwork.
Start clearing a starting zone. What you want to do is clear one area. This is your no-clutter zone. It can be a counter, or your kitchen table, or the three-foot perimeter around your couch. Wherever you start, make a rule: nothing can be placed there that’s not actually in use. Everything must be put away. Once you have that clutter-free zone, keep it that way! Now, each day, slowly expand your no-clutter zone until it envelopes the whole house! Unfortunately, the neighbors don’t seem to like it when you try to expand the no-clutter zone to their house, and start hauling away their unused exercise equipment and torn underwear when they’re not at home. Some people don’t appreciate simplicity, I guess.
Clear off a counter. You want to get your house so that all flat spaces are clear of clutter. Maybe they have a toaster on them, maybe a decorative candle, but not a lot of clutter. So start with one counter. Clear off everything possible, except maybe one or two essential things. Have a blender you haven’t used since jazzercise was all the rage? Put it in the cupboard! Clear off all papers and all the other junk you’ve been tossing on the counter too.
Pick a shelf. Now that you’ve done a counter, try a shelf. It doesn’t matter what shelf. Could be a shelf in a closet, or on a bookshelf. Don’t tackle the whole bookshelf — just one shelf. Clear all non-essential things and leave it looking neat and clutter-free.
Schedule a decluttering weekend. Maybe you don’t feel like doing a huge decluttering session right now. But if you take the time to schedule it for later this month, you can clear your schedule, and if you have a family, get them involved too. The more hands pitching in, the better. Get boxes and trash bags ready, and plan a trip to a charity to drop off donated items. You might not get the entire house decluttered during the weekend, but you’ll probably make great progress.
Pick up 5 things, and find places for them. These should be things that you actually use, but that you just seem to put anywhere, because they don’t have good places. If you don’t know exactly where things belong, you have to designate a good spot. Take a minute to think it through — where would be a good spot? Then always put those things in those spots when you’re done using them. Do this for everything in your home, a few things at a time.
Spend a few minutes visualizing the room. When I’m decluttering, I like to take a moment to take a look at a room, and think about how I want it to look. What are the most essential pieces of furniture? What doesn’t belong in the room but has just gravitated there? What is on the floor (hint: only furniture and rugs belong there) and what is on the other flat surfaces? Once I’ve visualized how the room will look uncluttered, and figured out what is essential, I get rid of the rest.
Create a “maybe” box. Sometimes when you’re going through a pile of stuff, you know exactly what to keep (the stuff you love and use) and what to trash or donate. But then there’s the stuff you don’t use, but think you might want it or need it someday. You can’t bear to get rid of that stuff! So create a “maybe” box, and put this stuff there. Then store the box somewhere hidden, out of the way. Put a note on your calendar six months from now to look in the box. Then pull it out, six months later, and see if it’s anything you really needed. Usually, you can just dump the whole box, because you never needed that stuff.
Put a load in your car for charity. If you’ve decluttered a bunch of stuff, you might have a “to donate” pile that’s just taking up space in a corner of your room. Take a few minutes to box it up and put it in your trunk. Then tomorrow, drop it off.
Create a 30-day list. The problem with decluttering is that we can declutter our butts off (don’t actually try that — it’s painful) but it just comes back because we buy more stuff. So fight that tendency by nipping it in the bud: don’t buy the stuff in the first place. Take a minute to create a 30-day list, and every time you want to buy something that’s not absolutely necessary (and no, that new Macbook Air isn’t absolutely necessary), put it on the list with the date it was added to the list. Make a rule never to buy anything (except necessities) unless they’ve been on the list for 30 days. Often you’ll lose the urge to buy the stuff and you’ll save yourself a lot of money and clutter.
Teach your kids where things belong. This only applies to the parents among us, of course, but if you teach your kids where things go, and start teaching them the habit of putting them there, you’ll go a long way to keeping your house uncluttered. Of course, they won’t learn the habit overnight, so you’ll have to be very very patient with them and just keep teaching them until they’ve got it. And better yet, set the example for them and get into the habit yourself.
Set up some simple folders. Sometimes our papers pile up high because we don’t have good places to put them. Create some simple folders with labels for your major bills and similar paperwork. Put them in one spot. Your system doesn’t have to be complete, but keep some extra folders and labels in case you need to quickly create a new file.
Learn to file quickly. Once you’ve created your simple filing system, you just need to learn to use it regularly. Take a handful of papers from your pile, or your inbox, and go through them one at a time, starting from the top paper and working down. Make quick decisions: trash them, file them immediately, or make a note of the action required and put them in an “action” file. Don’t put anything back on the pile, and don’t put them anywhere but in a folder (and no cheating “to be filed” folders!) or in the trash/recycling bin.
Pull out some clothes you don’t wear. As you’re getting ready for work, and going through your closet for something to wear, spend a few minutes pulling out ones you haven’t worn in a few months. If they’re seasonal clothes, store them in a box. Get rid of the rest. Do this a little at a time until your closet (and then your drawers) only contains stuff you actually wear.
Clear out your medicine cabinet. If you don’t have one spot for medicines, create one now. Go through everything for the outdated medicines, the stuff you’ll never use again, the dirty-looking bandages, the creams that you’ve found you’re allergic to, the ointments that never had an effect on your energy or your eye wrinkles. Simplify to the essential.
Pull everything out of a drawer. Just take the drawer out and empty it on a table. Then sort the drawer into three piles: 1) stuff that really should go in the drawer; 2) stuff that belongs elsewhere; 3) stuff to get rid of. Clean the drawer out nice, then put the stuff in the first pile back neatly and orderly. Deal with the other piles immediately!
Learn to love the uncluttered look. Once you’ve gotten an area decluttered, you should take the time to enjoy that look. It’s a lovely look. Make that your standard! Learn to hate clutter! Then catch clutter and kill it wherever it crops up.
Have a conversation with your SO or roommate. Sometimes the problem isn’t just with us, it’s with the person or people we live with. An uncluttered home is the result of a shared philosophy of simplicity of all the people living in the house. If you take a few minutes to explain that you really want to have an uncluttered house, and that you could use their help, you can go a long way to getting to that point. Try to be persuasive and encouraging rather than nagging and negative. Read more about living with a pack rat.

“We don’t need to increase our goods nearly as much as we need to scale down our wants. Not wanting something is as good as possessing it.” - Donald Horban

If you liked this article, please share it on del.icio.us, StumbleUpon or Digg. I’d appreciate it. :)

Posted on 3 April 2008 in Simplicity |
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Comments (95)

Tad Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 22:04 pm

Leo,

I am just starting out in life with my new family, and we are always looking on ways to improve the way we live. This is a great list of ideas. We have had times of being uncluttered, but the key is to do everything consistently. Thanks for another great article!

Tad
http://growingintoyou.com/

Corey - Simple Marriage Project Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 22:08 pm

Great stuff. We have used your ideas on simplifying with kids. It’s worked well thus far, at least the little we have tried.

The next step is to declutter and simplify the marriage relationship. Perhaps we have been making it more complicated than it has to be. Hmmm?

Leo Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 22:12 pm

@Corey: Simplifying the marriage relationship? Ah, what an interesting idea.

My advice: just make time to spend time together alone. Communicate often, in a constructive and loving way. Show how much you love and appreciate the other person. Smile and touch them daily and have sex frequently. :)

Vered Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 22:41 pm

We used to keep all our paper in disorderly piles. Things would get lost, bills would go unpaid. It was chaos. Then, a few years ago, before the kids, before the settling-in phase, our friends moved out of their fabulous house for a year of travel and asked us if we wanted to move in for a year. So we moved in. A lot of their stuff was still there. I will always remember the moment I opened their home-office cabinet and found shelves neatly stacked with folders, all labeled with labels such as “finances”, “home maintenance”, “cars” etc. I was in awe of the order and simplicity. Now, I am the queen of folders too… thanks to those friends.

pavs Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 22:46 pm

Oh Shit!! I better start cleaning up my room :)

Tom Stine Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 23:21 pm

When in doubt, throw it out!!

Trish Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 23:29 pm

Fabulous ideas. I take all my paid bills and stack them into an empty tissue box with ‘2008′ written on it. At the end of the year (and perhaps another tissue box) I have in chronological order everything I’ve paid. It takes the pain out of filing, the tissue boxes are sturdy, hold a lot of paperwork, and every box, labeled with a year and a number (as in one out of three, two out of three) stacks quite nicely in the top of the closet. Works for me…..

Carole Fogarty Says:

April 3rd, 2008, 23:44 pm

Great post.

I’ve been passionately detoxing and simplifying my life at a much deeper level since the beginning of the year.

It’s working but its taking time. No rush as long as there is forward movement.

I’ve actually been pretending that I am about to move overseas and have only 2 weeks notice. The thought of that inspires me into action.

Peace, love and travel

Carole Fogarty

http://www.thehealthylivinglounge.com

Shilpan | successsoul.com Says:

April 4th, 2008, 0:07 am

Leo -

Another approach that works well with me is the mantra -
“pay, file or fire” - meaning pay the bill as it comes, file statement or a receipt and fire or throw away if paper does not belong to either “pay” or “file” category. I struggled to handle my papers before but now it has become a breeze. I’ve made it a daily habit and it has made my life much simpler and organized.

Shilpan

Teejay Says:

April 4th, 2008, 0:18 am

Designate a spot for incoming papers - I actually have this one already. I have an assistant helping me out with most paper works so that I am just left with decision making from time to time.

Jeff - ScienceSays.net Says:

April 4th, 2008, 0:23 am

14. Pick a shelf.

Off to Craigslist!

You know, the other thing I figured out is that a lot of the clutter just comes from not having enough space in the first place!

I can’t change the size of my dorm room, but I CAN get a bigger desk

Shalom Says:

April 4th, 2008, 0:43 am

I’m so glad I found this blog! I’m a neat person myself, but also very busy and my husband is NOT (neat, that is). I need all the advice I can get. Bookmarking….

Tom – Ponderosa Design Says:

April 4th, 2008, 1:28 am

I like the “dejunk weekend” concept, especially in the realm of rallying up the troops to enjoy several breezy drives to Goodwill. Going to have to schedule one of those…

I absorbed the “throw it away, stow it away, or give it away” concept in college, and can’t believe how many boxes of secret stuff over a month old were so easily forgotten. That’s a sure clutter killer to stick “maybe” stuff in a closet with a KILL date on it.

I’ll be considering new ways to approach my wife about a cluttler-less lifestyle, but tomorrow I’m going to check out the living with a packrat article.

Another round for the list-maker. Thanks Leo.

Tashjian - Webshop Says:

April 4th, 2008, 1:29 am

…And ensure you keep it up. It’s very easy to fall back into old habits.

Eugene (Editor, Varsity Blah) Says:

April 4th, 2008, 1:40 am

Great post, Leo! A lot of the clutter we accumulate is due to our need for stuff (“conspicuous consumption” as the economists call it). Sometimes you really need to realize why you buy what you buy:

“The same goes for everyone who’s ever bought a house, a car, or even a new pair of designer jeans because they thought it would make them happy. I’m guessing that feeling didn’t last long. How could it? At the end of the day, you can accumulate as much stuff as your garage (or closet) can accommodate and it probably won’t change a thing. It really doesn’t matter. The colors will fade and the technology will change. All that will remain is you. Now that’s something worth buying into.”

(From Calling All Customers)

P.S. Hope the book is coming along well!

Simon Says:

April 4th, 2008, 1:48 am

Thanks Leo!

To start my de-clutter habit I had a major purge of my walk-in wardrobe about 2 months ago, got rid of the clutter and actually feel good every time I go in there now. It really makes a difference and I’m slowly moving around the house trying to do the same in other areas.

Simon

Liara Covert Says:

April 4th, 2008, 2:16 am

This topic is so timely! It reminds us that ’spring cleaning’ doesn’t have to be limited to seasonal decluttering. We can choose to sort, recycle and jetison anytime at all! This reminds us that we can lighten our load when ready.

Charles Says:

April 4th, 2008, 2:34 am

Leo,

As always I enjoy your writing and find real substance every time.

A humorous little whimsical thought occurred to me tonight as I read your usual excellent piece.

I wondered if your space is cluttered or not. If it is–are you resisting it? If it’s not–then why is it such a big issue for you?

I like your articles because my space is cluttered and I’d like to simplify–”unconfuse” it And your focus on simplicity helps me to gain sharper focus toward doing that.

I’m putting up a new website that will focus on themes similiar to yours such as simplicity, sustainability, greening, etc. The URL is: http://earthwaypublishing.com. It’s not fully operational yet but I hope to have it up within the next few days.

Thank You for doing what you do. You provide a valuable service to me.

Charles

GreatManagement Says:

April 4th, 2008, 3:41 am

Great post, Leo.

I am an organised person. My wife and I loathe clutter. However, we did come across some ‘old’ food in the kitchen the other day. Some of the packages were 3 years passed their used by date. Therefore, that is another area one should tackle.

Oh and I say ‘use a shredder’ for your unwanted paperwork.

Andrew

Shari Says:

April 4th, 2008, 5:02 am

I think that one has to deal carefully with those one lives with. Part of what you have to do is understand that cluttering is more often than not the result of bad organization coupled with laziness. If you make it easy for people to do the right thing, they’re more likely to do it.

My husband is lazy and my number one priority has to be making it easy for him not to clutter by allowing him to do the things he needs to do as easily as possible. If maintaining the clear spaces is too much trouble, you’re just asking for conflict with another party in the house if you’re a neat type. Rather than “convince them”, I just make it easy for them to go along.

Lily Says:

April 4th, 2008, 6:44 am

This is a post where lists work great ;)

Years ago I was quite a hoarder, a behaviour I absorbed from my parents. Then one day I realized I wore only half of the clothes in my closet and purged it… it was really eye-opening and I’ve been decluttering since then.
The important thing is to enjoy it without striving for actual perfection coz it gets frustating!

mark @ mytropicalescape Says:

April 4th, 2008, 7:05 am

Hey Leo - nice list! You have inspired me to clean up the clutter, today. :)

All the best,
Mark

Robbin Says:

April 4th, 2008, 8:05 am

This is so timely! I have an office (an I use the term loosely!) that is currently piled with papers, supplies for scrapping, sewing and photography, and books. I am coming up on a three week period of relatively free time and have been planning to tackle “the room”. I’ll keep this list up on my monitor to keep me focused!! :-) Your blog has already been a catalyst in my realization that I will NEVER go back and use all those scraps of “vital” information that I have saved and piled over the years (now what article did I save this mag for???) so they’ll all be recycled. Thanks, Leo!

Kelly Says:

April 4th, 2008, 8:32 am

Another great post. I am so into decluttering. As a busy mom with four kids I don’t have time to be a slave to the STUFF in my house!!!
Thanks Leo!
:)

Rachel Says:

April 4th, 2008, 8:48 am

BRILLIANT!!!!!!! A 30 day list. Why didn’t I think of that? Maybe now I can control myself a bit more buying things that I don’t need and that lose their appeal as soon as I have bought them. That nugget was wonderful. Thanks

Eric Spitzfaden Says:

April 4th, 2008, 8:58 am

Thanks for your continual inspiration. Since I started reading ZenHabits, I have worked to declutter where I could. I started with with my desk at work in October last year. My desk is still just as clear.

http://www.ericsprojects.com/?p=193

I have also decluttered inbox, e-mail, and my checkbook balancing bill paying space at home. Little by little, I am discovering that less stuff=more life.

Thanks Leo!

~Eric

Rick - Tripping the Muse Says:

April 4th, 2008, 8:59 am

I have to second Leo’s thoughts above about communicating and appreciating your SO or spouse. Never let a day go by without letting them know they are loved.

I know this is off subject but I felt it was worth repeating.

Rick

Jacki Hollywood Brown Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:04 am

When I organize (my own house or with a client) I always create a box labeled: “stuff that might be important but I’m not sure what it is for”

I always find little bits and pieces of stuff that might be parts from something else in another room that should be kept. I encourage my clients to go through the box with their spouses in case they know what the gadgets are for. We never throw the gadgets out until the house is completely organized. Most of the time the gadgets that we collect are parts from broken equipment but sometimes they are parts from something really useful that would be expensive to replace should they have been tossed.

Stephen Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:05 am

#14 Pull out some clothes you don’t wear: When I made the transition from college to the working world I had lots of clothes that no longer fit into my new life. I don’t remember where I saw this system, but someone suggested hanging clean clothes on the left side of the closet, and taking the day’s clothes from as far right as can.

Eventually all the clothes you don’t like to wear (often) get pushed all the way to the right. It’s made it a lot easier for me to be honest with myself that I’m never going to wear that plaid shirt mom bought me for Christmas three years ago…

ED Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:18 am

Ok, as a regular reader, part of my sharpen the saw routine, I feel compelled to contribute.

The best way to get rid of clutter is to prevent it.

From the May issue of Kiplinger’s PG 57
Stop Junk Mail
Direct Marketing Association: http://www.dmachoice.org
Reject preapproved offers: http://www.optoutprescreen.com
& http://www.catalogchoice.org

They really work, Thanks
Ed

karl Staib - Your Work Happiness Matters Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:21 am

My problem is putting things away as soon as they come in. When I let it build up I tend to put it off even more. I’ve been trying to teach myself the habit of filing or dealing with things as they come in and not putting it aside for later. It’s been a struggle, but when I do it on a regular basis it really works well.

When we work in an uncluttered environment our stress is significantly reduced.

april Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:32 am

only if i can apply something like this to my car!
after a long hard days of work even play i don’t feel like carrying anything else out of the car! and there for my 4 seat car turns into a 2 seater because I’m so freaking lazy.. at least i don’t have to drive

Chris Austria Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:35 am

Leo–

#10 is great but I have a huge problem with #13, can’t seem to do it.

Perhaps the hardest thing to do is to teach teenagers to unclutter…Our house is a constant battle between clutter and unclutter. Since we have 5 children who’s age range from 3 - 20 years old, our house can only stay unclutter when they are all asleep. Our house is relatively organized and clean but it’s a struggle to keep it this way. My only consolation is that I hope my children will practice order and cleanliness when they have their own homes.

Glad to see you back with your old listing self Leo…LOL

Dot Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:41 am

Good reminders, and the 30-day list is one I need to implement to control my impulse-buying. I hate spending money on something and then finding that I’m decluttering it into the giveaway pile six months later.

Unfortunately, I recently found my year-old Action file in the 6-inch-high pile of filing I had to go through to find my tax stuff. Following through on maintaining the decluttered space is not my strong suit, I guess.

Do you have any advice for people like myself who are just drowning in paper? I hate filing, and there’s just so much — medical insurance reimbursements, purchase receipts, warranties, notes for future projects, postal receipts for books I’ve mailed out on Bookmooch, taxi receipts, doctor visit receipts and lab results, pension plan brochures and statements, bank and credit card statements, etc.

Sensei Sheader Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:46 am

A couple other tips:
1) Imagine your home/room/office is store. What would you absolutely buy? Keep it. Get rid of the rest.

2) When you empty a drawer or closet or whatever… rather than getting rid of what you don’t want keep ONLY what you must have. Get rid of the rest.

3) The big one..practice non-attachment. Sentimentality with ’stuff’ is dysfunctional.

EscapeVelocity Says:

April 4th, 2008, 9:50 am

I hate filing, so I’ve got a sort of interim system that works for me. I have a box that goes on top of my desk with one folder for unpaid bills, one folder for other things requiring prompt action, and one folder for each drawer of my filing cabinets. When paper comes into the house, it either goes straight in the recycling bin or shredder, or into one of these folders. When I get time, I move stuff from one of the folders into the filing cabinet–somehow, not having to move drawers in and out makes the filing a lot less of a pain. If I know something came into the house recently, I look in the appropriate desktop file first. I can find things when I need them and don’t have (very big) piles, and it’s easy to find out whether I’ve paid all the bills for the month or not.

Anita Says:

April 4th, 2008, 10:01 am

Well, I can’t help but add this tip. Mind and body are intimately connected. If you’re a pack rat and have a hard time breaking the habit, no matter what excellent advice you receive, start with the mind. Declutter the mind, make a practice of pressing the mind “clear” button; then, little by little, tackling Leo’s excellent list will be easier. Side bonus — a clear mind is pretty wonderful too :) !

skyz Says:

April 4th, 2008, 10:07 am

i read the books leo recommended by elaine st james - there was nothing in them i had not thought of before BUT they set me off on a one week transformation to zen buff - the breakthrough was thinking in categories - i started with my excess electronica - i continued to my excess electronica support (cable wires chargers etc) - i went through my make up - my lingerie - my t shirts my jeans - my towels etc. - by choosing a category that interested me at the moment i was enthusiastic and since each burst of enthusiasm only required a limited focus the enthusiasm was not dampened by a feeling of overwhelmingness - now i swear i can clean my entire apartment in the time it takes to run a tub bath - happy you bet peaceful oh my yes and empowered absolutely !

SpaceAgeSage Says:

April 4th, 2008, 10:12 am

“Pick up 5 things, and find places for them.” For some reason, creating the spaces and places for everything to go is the toughest for me, but the idea that I only have to find 5 places at a time makes me more motivated. Thanks!

Jessica Says:

April 4th, 2008, 10:26 am

Another tip to determine which clothes to purge from your bulging closet:
Go through and put the hangers on the bar backwards. When you wear something and wash to put back, put the hanger on the front way. At the end of the week/month, see how many hangers are still on backwards. Those are the clothes you probably don’t need to keep!

Balfour Says:

April 4th, 2008, 10:42 am

Great post. I think of this as the bread and butter of Zenhabits, what I come back here for over and over: inspiration for moving forward on or revitalizing stuff that will make my life more zen-like!

Magic Says:

April 4th, 2008, 11:23 am

@ ED

I just removed myself from all those lists - thanks for posting the links!!

Magic Says:

April 4th, 2008, 11:26 am

@ Jessica

I love it! Thanks for the tip!

Edwin | Fitness Chapter Says:

April 4th, 2008, 11:31 am

This would make a pretty good list for my new home. I guess the only problem would be making my family follow it since they freak out at anything clean.

Like what Anita has commented, decluttering the mind is always important. Without this, one will still tend to stick back to their original habits.

Edwin

Renee Says:

April 4th, 2008, 12:52 pm

I started a Bag-A-Day Program at my house. Each day I go through the house and fill a big black garbage bag with stuff. One day it might be a bag of clothes to Goodwill. One day it might be a back of kitchen stuff to the curb (old spices, old food, weird gadgets that are actually useless). Today is a bag (actually a box) of books to .

Carlos Hernandez Says:

April 4th, 2008, 13:18 pm

This is cool! Thanks for the advice, I really need uncluttering things in my house, at work… at life.

But, having 18 steps to memorize seems to me a little bit *complicated* already (I can’t completely understand GTD yet)

I suffer from short-term memory loss, and though I’m able to put these 18 steps written down in my PDA, still it’s complicated to read all of the steps… maybe I would need a sketch board in my room.

Would it be possible to have a cheasheet or graphic diagram for this?

Grace Cha Says:

April 4th, 2008, 13:35 pm

I especially love your 30-day list! I’ve worked so hard on not buying on impulse already, but things still add up. This should be a fun way to keep everything in perspective over the month.

Daniel Richard Says:

April 4th, 2008, 14:49 pm

I’ve managed to unclutter my workstation apart for the things that I usually remove from my pocket (eg: keys, wallets, mobile phone, earpiece) and place it on the table for easy take-and-go for the next outing.

Like your #4 tip, I cleared my work area one shelf at a time. :)

Rachael Mc. Says:

April 4th, 2008, 16:09 pm

There are tons of websites similar to freecycle.org that are a great help to me while de-cluttering. These sites are for free and interested parties will come and pick up your discarded items. The whole idea is to keep things out of the landfill! Check out local groups on yahoo or msn, usually under finance, like trash to treasure type sites where you can sell unwanted things!

Jeff@My Super-Charged Life Says:

April 4th, 2008, 16:25 pm

I can’t stand clutter! I think it is evil. Okay, if not really evil, it is at the very least unprofessional in a work environment. It conveys the wrong message. I think some people think that if their desk and workspace is piled with stuff, it makes them look busy. However, I think it just makes them look inefficient and disorganized. We should all strive to clean things up once in awhile. I feel better when I do.

Stephanie Says:

April 4th, 2008, 18:42 pm

April: I have the same problem with an overstuffed car. What I’ve been doing first thing on Saturdays is going out to the car with a garbage bag, a basket for “stuff”, and cleaning supplies. I throw away the bits and pieces of garbage, throw all the kid’s jackets and toys in the basket, and then clean all of the surfaces. At least then you’ve got a nice, fresh car for Monday morning! The hardest part is to actually put away the stuff that you bring back inside :)

Peter T - webshop Says:

April 4th, 2008, 18:52 pm

Why is simple sometimes harder or does it seem that way?

Leo Says:

April 4th, 2008, 19:18 pm

@Carlos Hernandez: You don’t have to memorize all 18 of these tips — it’s not a step-by-step guide! Just pick one and do it. Later, pick another. You don’t even have to eventually do all 18 — just pick the ones that will help.

@Peter T: Simple can be harder if you make it so. For me, I just do things a little at a time. Keep it simple!

cathy sutton Says:

April 5th, 2008, 0:15 am

In my home, I used to have mountains or plateaus—high ones– of mail that grew and never seemed to go away. I finally got fed up and nipped it at the source.

All mail first starts at the car, and mostly stays there until it has been sorted.

Of course, I pick out the important mail such as bills,etc and that can first come into the house and gets a high attention spot. All the rest has to wait.

I spend my lunch breaks going through my mail and sorting it to the point that envelopes for the most part go in the shredding only bag. Most of my mail, that has my name and address on it, gets shredded. I shred for the security of it and the by-product gets put on my flower garden as mulch
What is that, a white garden? Oh no. I immediately throw weeds and / or soil and regular mulch on top of the shredded paper to make it blend in with the garden. (A good watering does wonders, as well.)

bear Says:

April 5th, 2008, 2:18 am

These all sound very helpful tips IF you live alone … the hardest part of decluttering, in my case, is to urge your household members to cooperate … !!!!

JEMi @ InMyHeels - Tips for Life, Love, You. Says:

April 5th, 2008, 3:59 am

I am actually indulging in a decluttering weekend this weekend. I say indulge bc I really can’t stand it when things get out of hand and I don’t know where important papers are.. mail overflowing.. just chaos

*sigh*

siva Says:

April 5th, 2008, 4:44 am

Ya know, i always seem to study better at school than at home. reason : the school library is not cluttered with piles and piles of books and papers. :) Now i’m trying to achieve the same kind of minimalism at my study desk at home too. baby steps… nothing more right now Leo! And thank ye for the list!

DanGTD Says:

April 5th, 2008, 8:53 am

Since you began with an Einstein quote, there’s another one from him: “Keep things as simple as possible, but not simpler” (A Einstein)

Lori Says:

April 5th, 2008, 11:23 am

Someone may have already mentioned this, but it’s worth repeating! Check out freecycle.org. It’s a great way to recycle unwanted items and there are groups across the globe apparently. You would be amazed at how much unwanted ’stuff’ you might have that someone else wants or needs. It is a wonderful way to keep unwanted, but perfectly useable items, out of our landfills. Items are offered for free. I’m loving it. Slowly but surely I will reclaim my garage!

Roberta Says:

April 5th, 2008, 12:28 pm

Thank you for the steps. It is easier to do a little at a time. I did’t know there were so many of us.

Cody Frisch Says:

April 5th, 2008, 12:51 pm

I just found the best way to declutter my life. I moved. I had to pack everything up, so the stuff I didn’t need went in the trash or was given away. Now that I’m here, im only unboxing things as I need them and getting the items I need out. What is left in the boxes will in a few weeks get consolidated, and put in storage. If I haven’t gone into those boxes they to will be gone with the schwinn (one of the things that I got rid of was a broken down bike I’d been meaning to fix for the last two years, that of course never got fixed, and turns out could be replaced for the same cost of fixing it - and be better in the end)

Empress Juju Says:

April 5th, 2008, 14:59 pm

I’m 20 pounds into a 40-pound weight loss, so the suggestion to release clothing as a matter of routine is particularly applicable to me right now. My laundromat has a donation bin, and nearly every week, I drop an item or two in there.

The incremental approach works well for me in my car, too: taking in a couple of items at a time will have the vehicle tidy in just a few days. I am scrupulous about removing actual *trash* from my car and dropping it in a bin every single time I get out of it, anywhere.

Flylady says “You can’t organize clutter!” and it is so true for me… thank you for this post, and the reminder to LET THINGS GO!

Judy L Says:

April 5th, 2008, 15:57 pm

I just found your site today through a link in my Prof Org (PASS). Very helpful and I want to keep reading but now I have to “do”.
I’d love to put your name on my printout, but I can’t find it anywhere. I understand humble, but I put Horban’s name on it! I think your name is Leo, but see it nowhere on this page.
Can you help me?
Thanks.

Jonathan from JonathanMead.com Says:

April 5th, 2008, 16:37 pm

Great tips Leo!

I think I’d do well to implement some of these now.

Frugal Dad Says:

April 5th, 2008, 20:02 pm

These are great tips - and very timely for me personally. I have a little nook in our house that I have carved out for me to do some writing and it is currently buried under a pile of unopened mail, papers and magazines. I plan to spend some time in the next day or two to clean up this area and will keep this list handy. Thanks for putting this together!

mercurial scribe Says:

April 6th, 2008, 1:42 am

LOVE LOVE LOVE this post!

Angel Says:

April 6th, 2008, 2:46 am

Great list! I will definitely try some of them, especially the paper inbox.

One strategy I do find useful in a room that is not only cluttered but also very messy is to start with a category - clothes, empty bottles, books, whatever. (It helps to begin with the category that contributes most to a feeling of clutter; in my case, that would be clothes because they are large and end up everywhere.) Then it becomes a ’spot the clothing’ hunt until all the clothing is lying, say, on the bed. They can then be put away or just dumped into the washing machine, and the room already looks much better.

Megan Says:

April 6th, 2008, 3:59 am

Thanks again Leo :-)

I think I noted in a previous comment, my home had become soooooo cluttered due to inability to look after myself from incurable illness, and being virtually bed-bound for year or more.

It became so bad that my family wouldn’t visit, and my neighbour (’adopted pops’), couldn’t ‘fit’ down the corridor!!! - eek.

I felt so overwhelmed by this clutter, emotional baggage - the ‘cluttered closets of the mind’, and it also became an excuse because I couldnt’ seem to achieve anything, despite working, working, working from bed. Decisions became hard.

Now, I have hired an organisationa/decluttering service-coach - and this is great - can actually walk down the corridor now and I have become inspired - i can actually see a home emerging.

And i do what you advise - little steps at a time and taking great pride in the cleared area. And I imagine how I want my rooms to look when finished.

Its like a weight off of the shoulders. I also have a new office desk and have been looking at other people’s clear desks(!) on the flikr pool of photos (is it lifehack or 43 folders that has this pool of photos - must check back).

but a clear desk - with ‘zones’ for things need to use ‘now’, sometimes, infrequently, etc is great. working on one project at a time - i get my ‘next action’ card in front of me (on my ’soon to be completely clear desk!), plus the ‘action hanging’ file I need for the project

(I will also have collected the action files I need for the ‘day’ in a ‘today intray or step file)….. and then FOCUS. Well, that is my aim.

I am still multi-tasking - a habit which i need to get out of.

But ever since I found this site, made a commitment earlier this year to change my life (and aiming to go into remission), hired my coach, been inspired, - my life is truly changing. I am going to make it. I AM I AM I AM!!!
:-)

(also thinking of starting a new blog on this topic, re: my own experiences. cannot possibly compare with yours, but am learning so much that I would like to share this journey to help others - including my students when student coaching setup - will complement my ’self help 4 growth’ blog) - very exciting! I just linked to your site as a great reference for my readers to visit, as my postings include more on productivity and organization)

thank you again Leo :-)

Megan McCarthy, PhD (Meg)
Aussie Down Under

Ethan Armstrong Says:

April 6th, 2008, 8:30 am

Thank you - this post makes me believing again in the benefit blogs can achieve to your life.

I am running my own benefit - http://www.forhardtimes.com

jpickett1968 Says:

April 6th, 2008, 9:22 am

These are the perfect types of posts to get the junk out of your life so you can FOCUS on the important things.

SEO Lincolnshire Says:

April 6th, 2008, 10:11 am

Excellent post!

Keeping things tidy saves time, the mount of time, I’ve wasted by looking for things. Keep things clean and tidy.

Fitness Guy Says:

April 6th, 2008, 14:01 pm

We have lived for a few years with limited storage. this at first made me crazy as i have always been a packrat but now things are a lot better.

I always find a closet or corner of the basement in the new house and have a rotating system for seasonal. To show this in a basic way we have Christmas, Thansgiving, and Halloween stuff, all of this stuff is used yearly and is hard to get at if i am not good with space so I have the following rules.

1. All boxes are labeled with the holiday. I don’t need to know what is in it just the holiday in big letters.

2. All boxes are the same size. I have these big rubbermaid boxes that stack on each other really well.

3. Whenever I store something I put it in the bottom of the back of storage and then move the next stuff forward, this is something like a first in last out accounting type system.

This system came out of necessity as I was the one going through every box one Christmas and realized that it had to change, I had to make it easier to find things instead of going through boxes all afternoon to look for a few lights or Halloween decorations

ARC Says:

April 7th, 2008, 1:23 am

The 30 Day List is brilliant for a recreational shopper like me (who’s trying to get a handle both on spending as well as clutter!!)

When I cleaned out my closet a few weeks ago, I felt so unbelievably relieved. 6 bags of clothes to Goodwill and now almost everything in my closet fits, and is something I *want* to wear. It’s amazing how much better I felt by doing this.

subcorpus Says:

April 7th, 2008, 3:17 am

i’m like a pro in clutterism … or what ever you wanna call it …
this is really a good list …
i’ll be happy if i could do half the things on that list …
thanks for this … appreciated …

J.D. Meier Says:

April 7th, 2008, 3:18 am

Good post

I like your divide-and-conquer approach. It seems like the key is factor your MUSTs, from your SHOULDs]/COULD’s (and have a place for them.) Utlimately, have a place for everything and have everything in it’s place. The biggest problem is not having places for all the “spare parts” or “future projects.”

Moe-Pheus Says:

April 7th, 2008, 5:31 am

Excellent Post

I have a rationale when I’m cleaning up and decluttering.

If I haven’t used an item in the last year…. the chances are I will never need it in the future…. so I toss it.

Only problem is when I declutter I always find more stuff to buy :(

Lily Says:

April 7th, 2008, 5:54 am

I’m decluttering and decluttering, but stuff is always too much in a 530 square feet flat for 2 people… What can I do? I’d really like my home to be more minimalist…

Patrick Says:

April 7th, 2008, 10:49 am

My parents were always major packrats, so I have been looking for good ways to break the cycle. These were all great ideas, but the one I like the best is “Create a 30-day list”. Not only does is prevent unnecessary clutter, but it also saves you a good bit of money when you are obsessed with electronics like I am. I can’t wait to start trying out these ideas!

Jeannie Says:

April 7th, 2008, 11:50 am

I read your post with interest and I got lots from it. I especially liked the “Start Clearing a Starting Zone”, “Clear Off a Counter”, “Schedule a Decluttering Weekend”, “Pick Up 5 Things and Find Places for Them” and “Spend a Few Minutes Visualizing The Room”. I alos like the idea of creating a “Maybe Box” and creating a 30 day list. I am a great list maker, All of these things would help me to get a good start on my clutter.

donna Says:

April 7th, 2008, 15:29 pm

Sort mail over the “circular” file. The wastebasket, that is. This is where all the circulars go.

Have a folder just for bills. Make it RED. This way it doesn’t get lost. ALL bills go there. Have another folder for stuff to file. Make it a different color. Put these two folders on top of the inbox, and all the other stuff underneath them.

This has saved our sanity.

The children do not care what you teach them, they will be messy or neat according to their nature. If you demand they be other than their nature, they will move out sooner. But probably not call home as much. Yes, you can make them stay neat until they are about 13. After that, they will do what they want and if you fight that you will have a very unhappy time with them.

I always love it when people who don’t have kids give advice about teaching your kids stuff.

Ruth Ellison Says:

April 8th, 2008, 3:11 am

Great post - can’t wait to get home and start putting some of these into practice!

Leslie Says:

April 8th, 2008, 12:33 pm

This is a great article Leo! But I think number 18 should be number 1. If you haven’t got the other people you live with on board, they keep putting things in your newly clutter free zone, and then you become frustrated and irritated - at least I do! I have enough trouble motivating myself - if I can’t get my husband on board, I get discouraged and give up. But your post has motivated me to try again! Thanks!

Marsello Says:

April 8th, 2008, 23:14 pm

Thanks, my roommate really need this info, you should check out his room, it looks worse than the picture! On a side note, I have some helpful tips for decluttering blogger info overload, check out this article:

http://www.feedbacksecrets.com/symptoms-of-information-overload/102/

Brent Says:

April 9th, 2008, 1:45 am

If you’re decluttering your medicine cabinet, be sure to dispose of your medicines properly. Don’t toss them out, take them back to your doctor or pharmacist. (Or, you know, sell them on the street. :-)

Rick Matz Says:

April 9th, 2008, 21:32 pm

Kerosene and a match works too.

Lisa Says:

April 11th, 2008, 11:50 am

Man, I need this help!!! I’m going to start on this today. Clutter, be gone!

Pragments Says:

April 14th, 2008, 4:33 am

Good job here. This post inspired me to pursure my decluttering goals. I can’t wait to read more posts from you. By the way, I am a Filipino.

creativelyseflemployed.com Says:

April 14th, 2008, 12:51 pm

For those who struggle with clutter, it’s also vital to go with the flow when you find yourself reorganizing a sock drawer or medicine cabinet. Don’t say, “I’ll get to that later.”

Sometimes if you DO IT NOW you’ll get it done and it’s easier than remembering to go back to it.

Arthritis Says:

April 30th, 2008, 8:43 am

Good article! Thank you!

Happy Quiz Says:

May 5th, 2008, 18:59 pm

Everything I own is in my Maybe Box LOL

Catherine Says:

May 8th, 2008, 10:39 am

This is a great post. One thing I have started telling myself is that it has taken me 36 years to get into this state of clutter. I should not expect to clear it out overnight.

As I spend my few minutes per day working on cleaning out a cluttered area of my life, I think to myself that this is a routine, a go-forward habit, so yes in a month I will still be doing this and there will still be clutter to combat. But it’s no big deal.

And if I ever want to feel comforted or inspired, I just open up a recently-decluttered cabinet, or look into a recently cleaned filing cabinet drawer, or even just look at my clean, de-cluttered computer desktop. :-)

Marie Gehret Says:

June 3rd, 2008, 10:24 am

For organizing and decluttering, one of my best methods is to use Post-it notes for labeling. In fact, Staples just opened up the first-ever Post-it shops in its stores — I’m in heaven!

Bob Says:

June 13th, 2008, 12:52 pm

Here is number 19. Clean up your computer, especially the desktop.

I use a program called Clutterkiller. Makes the cleanup trivial.

jackie Says:

June 30th, 2008, 12:30 pm

When you’re filing quickly be sure to invest in a document shredder. Instead of putting paper you no longer need in the trash or recycle bin, shred it. Identity thieves love garbage cans! You’ll save yourself tons of time and heartache later if you get into the habit of shredding documents you don’t want or need to keep.

Spookess Says:

July 22nd, 2008, 12:45 pm

The tip about emptying a drawer or whatever out on to the floor is a great tip but i take it one step further, i empty the drawer or the closet, shelf, cupboard or whatever straight out onto the bed. By doing this y