How to choose a decluttering challenge that will work for you

I love decluttering, and I also love researching tips and tricks to help me keep my home decluttered and organised. I'm really motivated by a good declutter challenge.

Everyone is different, and something that works well for someone might not work for another person. I've gathered together some of the most popular decluttering challenges that you might find online, and thought about the advantages and disadvantages of each.

The 30-day Minimalism Game

Created by The Minimalists, the 30-day Minimalism game is my favourite decluttering challenge, and I've attempted it several times. Every day you declutter a certain number of items, based on the day of the month. One item the first day, two the next, and son on all the way to 30 or 31. Easy to start with, but by the time you get to the middle of the month it's definitely becoming a challenge!

Advantages - It's perfect for people that like to make lists and want a clear structure. At least in the early stages it doesn't take up too much time, and by the end you'll be able to see clear results. 

Disadvantages - If you miss a day it can be hard to get back on track, and it get overwhelming as you approach the end of the month (one way to avoid this is to do it in reverse). It requires a daily commitment. 

You can see how I got on with this challenge here - Playing the #minsgame 

Project 333

Project 333 was developed by Courtney Carver and it's a way of reducing clutter and stress by limiting the number of clothing items in your wardrobe. All you need to do is choose 33 items for 3 months, including clothing, accessories, jewellery, outerwear and shoes. Some categories are excluded, for example sleepwear, underwear and gym clothes (as long as you are actually wearing them to work out!)

Advantages - There is a great community around this challenge, so it's perfect for people that like to share their progress on social media. If you feel overwhelmed by deciding what to wear everyday then it removes that layer of stress from your life, and it's a great way to experiment with making the most of the things that you already own. Although it's focussed on clothing, it can help you to think about other areas of your life where you could simplify - for example in the kitchen or hobby supplies.

Disadvantages - It doesn't suit people that enjoy creating their daily outfits, or who use their clothing as a form of self expression. It's also a little tricky if you live somewhere with a changing climate or if your social or work life requires you to switch between different types of outfit.

Photo credit Sarah Brown via Unsplash

One in one out

This challenge is just what it sounds like - every time you bring something new into the house you must choose something to leave, ideally in the same category.

Advantages - It works well if you have already done a big declutter and you are looking to maintain your space. It also helps you to think about what you are buying if you know that you will need to choose something to replace. It works well for families that have a constant flow of things coming into the house.

Disadvantages - It's not really a method of decluttering, more about stopping things getting worse. There won't be any impact on the total number of items that you own.

Declutter X items per day

This challenge works really well for me and I've done it several times. I go with 5 items every day for a month.

Advantages - It's a slow method, but enough to make a big difference. If you miss a day it's easy to catch up the next day and it's simple to keep track of. It doesn't require any major disruption to your home.

Disadvantages - You might become discouraged if you miss a day or two. It can also mean that you declutter more obvious things without tackling hidden areas.

The Marie Kondo method

Based on the bestselling book The Life Changing Method of Tidying Up, the key behind this method is to sort by category, and the categories are worked through in a particular order which helps you to practice making decisions about your items. 

Advantages - If you follow the method correctly then you shouldn't need to declutter again. There is a logical order to follow and it makes a lot of sense. For example, if you gather together a certain item like pens in one place you can really see when you have too many.

Disadvantages - It takes time, and depending on the level of clutter in your home it can be disruptive. Ideally you need to have space for a staging area where you can gather your categories of items together, and it can be overwhelming to see everything laid out together at once. 

Here you can read about how I used the Marie Kondo method to declutter an older child or teenager's room

The area by area challenge

This challenge is almost opposite to the Marie Kondo method. Instead of grouping by category, instead you concentrate on one area, for example a drawer or cupboard, at a time. There are many different lists that you can follow to give you some areas to work on within a certain time frame, for example this 30 day declutter challenge.

Advantages - Because you are only working in a small area each time, mess is kept to a minimum. It works well if you can dedicate a small amount of time each day to decluttering, and you can choose your area based on how much time you have that day.

Disadvantages - It doesn't give you a full overview of your clutter - you might still end up with a spare pair of scissors in every drawer. You might feel the pressure of having to work on the particular area in the challenge list.

The packing party or box method

This is another decluttering method championed by The Minimalists. It's a great way to get a fast result, you just pack up everything that you own into boxes and then you spend a month or so only unpacking things as you need them. In theory you can then get rid of everything else!

Advantages - It's an extreme method, so it's perfect for people that want to have a huge clear out. It's particularly suitable for people going through some kind of home transition, maybe moving house or doing renovations. 

Disadvantages - This doesn't work well well for everyone, for example if you have a large family, as it's very disruptive. You need a lot of time and energy to pack everything up, as well as a large supply of boxes and bags. Because the challenge takes place over a short period of time, it doesn't account for seasonal items or special occasion clothing.

Photo credit Brett Jordan via Unsplash

My thoughts

I personally find a decluttering challenge a powerful way of motivating myself to make some space in my home. Throughout January I've been removing 5 items per day, and I'm definitely noticing and appreciating the results. 

All of these challenges can be adapted to make them easier or more realistic for you, and because they are all popular challenges there is plenty of advice and guidance online from people that have found what works for them. 

Good luck if you are attempting a decluttering challenge this year!