How To Declutter Fast - 10 Things To Do Right Now!

Here are the best tips and tricks to get your home decluttered fast that are totally practical and you can start doing today!

I love a good decluttering session. Sometimes I just take a week and spend an hour or two each day decluttering the different rooms of our home. 

Just like spring cleaning decluttering is an important part of keeping your home looking its best.

One of the things that I learned when I was becoming a certified organizational specialist is that decluttering doesn't need to take a long time. You can make a lot of progress in a short amount of time. 

When you regularly and thoroughly declutter your home, it just looks cleaner and way more organized. 

However, if you are reading this, you probably want to declutter as fast as possible. 

No worries! You don't have to be a regular decluttering person to get through this process. You also don't have to be an expert!

9 Benefits of Decluttering

1. Reduced stress: Clutter can create a sense of overwhelm and increase stress levels. Clearing out unnecessary items and creating an organized environment can promote a calmer and more relaxed atmosphere.
2. Improved focus and productivity: A clutter-free home allows for better focus and concentration. With fewer distractions and visual clutter, you can enhance your productivity.
3. Enhanced creativity: Clutter can hinder creativity and prevent clear thinking. By decluttering, you provide space for new ideas and inspiration to flow, fostering a more creative environment.
4. Increased efficiency: Organizing your belongings and getting rid of clutter helps you find things more easily. You'll spend less time searching for items, leading to increased efficiency in your daily routines.
5. Clearer thinking: Cluttered spaces can overwhelm the mind and make decision-making more challenging. Decluttering helps clear the physical environment, which can in turn promote clearer thinking and decision-making.
6. Improved organization: When you declutter, you create systems and structures for organizing your belongings. This makes it easier to find and store items, leading to a more organized and functional space.
7. Enhanced well-being: Living in a clutter-free environment can contribute to a sense of well-being and improve your overall quality of life. It can create a more peaceful and harmonious atmosphere, positively impacting your mental and emotional state.
8. Easier cleaning and maintenance: Clutter makes it difficult to clean and maintain a space. By decluttering, you reduce the amount of stuff to clean around and make it easier to keep your space tidy on a regular basis.
9. Increased pride in your space: A decluttered and well-organized space can evoke a sense of pride and satisfaction. You'll feel more at ease and content and even want to show it off!

Remember, decluttering doesn't have to be done all at once. You can start small, focusing on one area or category at a time. Take it step by step, and enjoy the benefits that come with it. Small steps make the biggest impact during this process.

The Easiest Way to Make a Quick Decision of What to Do with House Clutter

It can be hard to decide on what to do with a pile of stuff. Ask yourself these 5 questions when it comes to an item that you are unsure of what to do with it. 

• Have I used this in the past year?
• Is it broken or missing parts?
• Does it have sentimental value?
• Can I easily replace it if needed?
• Does it belong here or elsewhere in the house?

How To Declutter Fast and Efficiently

There are those times when you may need to declutter quickly. You may not have a week or even 4-5 hours to go through and really give your home the attention it needs.

Whether you just found out someone is coming to your house in an hour or you are just sick of the clutter these tricks will help you learn how to declutter fast and get your house back in order.

Start in the Most Cluttered Room First

If you only have a short amount of time to declutter start in the worst room first. I have found that this is often the kitchen. 

In our house, we come into the house through the kitchen, so it tends to be full of shoes, junk mail, and other stuff we need to put away.

When you get rid of clutter in the worst room, you suddenly feel better about and it tends to make the whole house look cleaner by just getting past one room. 

The other scenario is that you just found out you have company coming unexpectedly and you need to get things in order...well yesterday! If that's the case, declutter the main room you will be in first. 

Bonus Tip: If you are tired of all the mail check out these easy tips to get rid of the junk mail. 

Get Rid of the Trash

For starters, let's toss all of the obvious trash. Have some trash bags available.

Go room by room throwing away anything that is broken, has missing pieces, or magazines that you have been holding onto, but can never seem to find the time to read.  

It only takes a few minutes to walk around and gather up all the trash, but it can really make a big difference in a really cluttered room. It also gets you into the right mindset and you can easily decide compared to other items like sentimental gifts and keepsakes. 

Skip the Cleaning Process

Naturally, when we start throwing away things, we instinctively want to wipe, vacuum, and dust. 

Skip this.

Not that the area doesn't need to be cleaned, but this is totally different from the decluttering process. Our major goals, for now, are to get rid of the stuff and make to room less cluttered and messy looking.

Be Ruthless

Be ruthless and honest in all of your decluttering. If you just move the junk from one room to another it really won't help at all. 

If you don't use something, get rid of it. 

Clothing is one of those things we always tend to hold on to. We hope that we lose the last few pounds or we might wear the dress again.

I love these tips from This Simple Balance on decluttering clothes. When we think of decluttering clothing, we think of spending lots of money to buy new clothes we love, but June has some great tips for doing this on a budget!

It's easy to hang on to things because of sentimental value or we think someday we will use this. Most things you get rid of you will never think of again.

If there are sentimental items in the room you are starting in, box them up and put them in another room. These are harder to go through and shouldn't be included when wanting to declutter fast. 

Find A Home For Everything

Find a home for everything in your house. If you have a proper place for everything, then it is easy to always put it back in its place. 

We start to have problems when we don't have a place for something. That's when junk mail piles up in the kitchen and kids' toys all around the house.

Getting organized can help you keep your home free from clutter. Check out my 6 easy tips for an organized home that are simple and practical.

It's great! As you declutter, find homes for everything that you are keeping and make sure you always put them back in the right spot.

I used this trick with our car keys because they were always sitting on the counter. We used a mount in the cabinet and now the keys are up and out of the way. 

With these simple tips, you can learn how to declutter fast and get your house back in order.

Set a Timer

You will be pleasantly surprised by what you can accomplish in 15 and 30-minute increments.

Set the timer for each task, once it goes off move on to the next thing or the next room if you are trying to quickly declutter the entire house.

This also makes your to-do list totally manageable and helps turn a daunting task into a quick accomplishment.

Clear Flat Surfaces 

This is one of the first places I start when it comes to getting rid of things. You will find that it is easy to stack miscellaneous items on any flat surface with the kitchen counters being the worst.

By clearing those off alone, you will see a huge difference.

Ask for Help 

In a pinch, like a scenario when you have company coming over soon, recruit a family member. 

This is also a great way to get the whole family involved. When others are held accountable, it's easier to maintain on a daily basis. 

Set Realistic Decluttering Goals

A lot of people think it takes a lot of time for this process, but it doesn't have to be like that. The good news is that you can use all of these tips and work in small increments.

Decluttering is hard work and may not happen overnight depending on your own home and the excess stuff you may have.

Create realistic expectations for yourself so if the plan doesn't go the way you thought it would, you won't be overly disappointed or become demotivated.

Use the Box Method 

​If the item is truly garbage, broken, or doesn't have all of the pieces, toss it into a trash bag. 

Next, create three different piles.

One is for donations, the other is for sentimental items that can be decided on later. Anything that is still in decent condition, but no longer serves its purpose at your house or is unwanted items, can be taken to the thrift store.

Once the box or bag is full, set it next to the front door, or go ahead and put it in the trunk of your car. 

The last box is for the most important things you want to keep, but they really don't have a specific place yet. Until all spaces have been decluttered, store this box. 

Want some other cleaning and clutter tips? Check out these 5 simple tips to stop clutter. It will help you keep your rooms looking neat and organized. I've used it in my kitchen to make a huge difference over the years!

​Clear the Clutter Room By Room 

If you are having trouble getting started, you can run through this little checklist. You can also save this page for later when you are really doing your big declutter. For now, these are some easy ways to tidy each room in your home.

• Bedroom:
  • Sort through clothing: Remove items that no longer fit, are out of style, or you no longer wear.
  • Organize drawers and closets: Fold and arrange clothes neatly, using dividers or organizers if necessary.
  • Clear bedside tables: Remove any unnecessary items and keep only essentials within reach.
  • Declutter surfaces: Remove excess decor, books, or items that create visual clutter.
• Living Room:
  • Clear the coffee table and side tables: Remove unnecessary items, such as magazines, remote controls, or excessive decor. Store the remotes in a small decorative basket to make things look neater.
  • Organize entertainment systems: Tidy cables, sort through DVDs or other media, and remove outdated or unused electronics.
  • Evaluate furniture: Consider removing or rearranging furniture pieces that no longer serve a purpose or take up too much space.
  • Remove excess decor: Keep a few meaningful items and remove any decor that contributes to a cluttered appearance.
• Kitchen:
  • Declutter countertops: Remove appliances, utensils, or miscellaneous items that are not used regularly. Clear off the junk mail and rehome anything that doesn't really belong in the kitchen
  • Sort through cabinets and drawers: Discard expired food items, duplicate utensils, and mismatched containers (or those missing lids). See the best way to organize Tupperware.
  • Organize pantry: Group similar items together, discard expired products, and create a clear system for easy access.
  • Streamline cookware and dishes: Keep only the items you use regularly and donate or discard any excess.
  • Clean out the refrigerator. This can be a big task, so I would recommend setting aside a little extra time.

See my 7 Best Tips for a Clutter Free Kitchen

• Bathroom:
  • Clear out expired products: Discard old toiletries, medicines, and beauty products.
  • Organize cabinets and drawers: Sort through towels, linens, and other supplies, keeping only what you need.
  • Simplify countertop items: Keep essential items within reach and store the rest in the drawers or cabinets.
  • Assess cleaning supplies: Discard expired or unused cleaning products and organize the remaining items.

Use these tips to organize your bathroom on a budget.

• Home Office:
  • Sort through paperwork: File important documents, shred unnecessary papers, and digitize where possible.
  • Organize desks and drawers: Keep only essential office supplies and create a system for easy organization.
  • Evaluate technology: Remove outdated electronics that are no longer needed. Coral the cords and hide them if you can.
  • Clear out distractions: Remove unnecessary decor or personal items that may hinder focus and productivity.
• Garage/Storage Area:
  • Sort items into categories: Group similar items together (tools, sports equipment, holiday decorations) for easier organization.
  • Donate or discard: Get rid of items that are broken, unused, or no longer needed.
  • Create storage systems: Utilize shelving, bins, or labeled containers to organize belongings.
  • Maximize vertical space: Make use of wall hooks, pegboards, or overhead storage to keep the floor clear.

Need to spend some more time on your home? Check out my 7-day decluttering challenge to get your home back in shape!

More Decluttering Tips and Tricks

• 5 Simple Tricks To Stop Clutter
• Things To Declutter Right Now
• How To Declutter Your Phone and Digital Life
• 9 Things To Get Rid Of Today