23 Things to Declutter Today!

The absolute best way to start the year working toward a more organized life is to declutter.  Once you declutter something, you won't EVER have to deal with that item again!  It relieves stress, and it's a quick win on making your home more organized.  We always start out the new year in our Insiders Membership with a declutter mission because it sets us up for success!

If you feel like you've tried it all and nothing is working to bring lasting peace, please know that you have NOT failed.  You just haven't found what works for you yet!  I can tell you that I find a lot of inspiration every year seeing the before and after pictures that our Insiders share in our annual Decluttering Mission.  Or maybe you will find motivation by watching my 23 Things to Declutter Today video.  You can find it here or, if you prefer to read, just keep reading to see what I decluttered.

This year I'm working with my friend, Marissa, from A to Zen Life.  We've both created videos with 23 things you can declutter today.  You can check Marissa's video out here!

1.  Declutter returns! 

Please, please, please get those returns taken care of!  They are just money hanging around, so get them back to the stores and out of your life, all while putting money back in your bank account.  I have a pretty hefty pile of returns myself, so I'm getting on it today!

2.  Declutter mismatched socks!

I know you think you'll find the mates to those socks one of these days, but, truth time– you probably won't.  You'll just end up leaving them hanging around until you toss them later because the mate never shows up.  Toss them now and stop dealing with them every time you do laundry.

3.  Declutter duplicate photos on your phone!

Don't we all take 23 bajillion pictures of our kid blowing out their birthday candles just so we can be sure we have the exact right picture?  You only need that one good one, so delete the extra and clean up that digital photo album!

4.  Declutter old emails!

This is a legit photo of my inbox a while ago– yes, that's 76,946 emails.  Eek.  I had to take control, so I did, and I created a video to show you how you, too, can declare email bankruptcy and take it down to inbox zero!  Watch the video here.

5.  Declutter your Instant Pot!

If you use your Instant Pot, then that's great.  But if you bought it because it was the trendy appliance in recent years but never use it, then do you really need it hanging out in your cabinets?  If you're on the fence, then plan a meal THIS WEEK where you finally use that Instant Pot!

6.  Declutter small kitchen appliances!

We all have a couple small appliances that are questionable purchases.  Maybe you don't use that waffle maker as much as you thought you would…and it's been languishing in the cabinet for over a year now because it turns out your family prefers pancakes.  This is your permission to let go of the guilt and give it to someone who is a waffle fanatic!

7.  Declutter kitchen duplicates!

I have three pizza cutters.  Two are exactly the same.  I only need one!

8.  Declutter chipped, broken, or mismatched dishes!

Over time our dishes can chip, break, or maybe they just never matched the rest of your dishes in the first place.  it's okay to get rid of them!

9.  Declutter expired food!

If you haven't eaten it by the use-by date, then chances are that you never will.  Toss any stale food or things that you just keep putting off eating.

10.  Declutter food you don't eat anymore!

Has your diet changed?  Maybe your tastes have just changed a bit or you've discovered an allergy.  Whatever the reason, if you just don't eat a particular type of food anymore, then toss it, or if it's unopened, donate it to a food pantry.

11.  Declutter gingerbread houses!

If you made gingerbread houses or other edible holiday decor like popcorn or cranberry garlands, then toss it before it gets gross!

12.  Declutter decor you don't love!

This candle holder is fine.  I got it in a home decor subscription box or something, but there's just nothing special about it, so it's totally not worth my time and space to store it.  I'll pass it on to save room for the holiday decor I do love.

13.  Declutter kids' artwork and papers!

There is a constant stream of kids artwork and school papers coming home.  You cannot keep everything, so choose your or your child's favorites, and toss the rest.

14.  Declutter clothes that aren't comfy!

We all know to declutter clothes that don't fit, but what about the ones that we just don't reach for because they aren't comfy?  Declutter anything scratchy or tight or that you just don't feel comfy when wearing.

15.  Declutter old, “just-in-case” shoes!

You need ONE pair of shoes that you can wear to get muddy or get paint on, etc.  So choose one old pair to keep, and toss the rest!

16.  Declutter jewelry you no longer love!

Styles change all the time, and sometimes we stop wearing jewelry or accessories and just don't realize we aren't reaching for it anymore.  Take an honest look and edit out anything you just aren't crazy about anymore.

17.  Declutter mystery cords!

Literally everyone I know ends up with a few random cords or charging cables that we just don't know where they came from.  Toss these.  If you don't know what they belong to, you will never use them.

18.  Declutter VHS, CDs, or DVDs!

Tech changes all the time, and these things can become obsolete.  If you have home videos that are super important, get these moved over to the latest format, and toss the original that you can't play anymore.  There is no sense in hanging onto a bunch of VHS tapes if you don't even have a way to play them anymore.

19.  Declutter old rags and scrub brushes!

It's time for a fresh start this year.  You'll hate cleaning less if you have good clean tools to use!

20.  Declutter old planners and journals!

They have served their purpose, but you will most likely never look at them again.  Toss them and move on!

21.  Declutter old craft/hobby stuff!

If you look at something craft-related, and it triggers guilt instead of excitement, than it has GOT TO GO!  I don't want anything that makes me feel guilty or stressed.

22.  Declutter dried out or used up craft supplies!

Toss those glitter tubes with only a few sparkles left or the dried out or used up glue sticks.  Keeping your supplies fresh and neat makes crafting more fun!

23.  Declutter toys or games with broken or missing pieces!

Games and toys break.  If they do, let them go.  It's not fun to play with something broken.