Your Guide To Decluttering In 2025

“Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” - William Morris

Why Declutter?

At the beginning of every year, masses of people google ‘how do I get rid of clutter?’ and ‘how to I become more organized?’ and of course - ‘what do I do with this one weird Christmas gift I don’t even actually want?’ They may head to Target or Amazon and add every influencer recommended bin, basket, and specialty organizer to their cart. Some may fill up trash bags and leftover cardboard boxes with donations, only to have them bump around in their car or sit on the garage steps for the next six months. Others say that need or want to get rid of things - but never actually get around to it. Sound familiar?

If you can relate to any of the norms above, you are in no way alone! Decluttering has become somewhat of a New Year, New Me mass hysteria that seems to overcome the population every time the calendar resets. Truthfully, the first few weeks after the holidays are a great time to declutter - there’s things to trade out, new gifts to find homes for, and leftover holiday ingredients that just don’t quite make sense to keep.

Thankfully, with just a few skills & some seasonal maintenance, a big yearly declutter doesn’t have to feel overwhelming. I completed mine (declutter > donate) in only 2 days. And I was left with more space, more peace, less to clean & organize, and a good feeling that I had given back to my community by sharing items that were no longer of service to me.

Your 2025 Guide to Getting Decluttered

Overwhelmed with where to start? Don’t be! I’ve gathered a list of the top places I see clutter accumulate in homes and compiled it into a checklist guide to get you started on your decluttering journey.

Tips For Decluttering

I’ll be honest - as I declutter I repeat a little mantra to myself, and it’s kinda dark. Be cutthroat. Do I really need to be this dramatic? Probably not, but it helps, and it makes things a whole lot easier.

Before you begin being cutthroat, aka getting rid of your crap, you’re going to want to setup a simple system. I used a few leftover Amazon boxes from Christmas, but you can use trash bags or bins if that’s what you have. You’re going to need 2-3, depending on what clutter removal ideas work for you. I usually have three (plus my trash & recycling cans ready to go). Donate (these items can go to Goodwill or another local thrift spot), Sell (but only if I can get them up on Facebook marketplace within the next day or so), and Give (items you want to share with your community or a friend).

I like to go room by room when I declutter and work in a circular motion, left to right. Grab your earbuds & put your phone on do not disturb. Try setting a timer for 30 minutes and see what you can get through. The biggest tip I have for this part is to move quickly - don’t get caught up in organizing or cleaning. Your mission is only to declutter! These tips will all help to keep you focused.

First off, you’re going to want to toss anything that is broken, expired, or used up. Try and recycle whatever you can! If you haven’t used an item in the last year, it’s probably good to go. Think of it this way - is your item more work to store, organize or clean than it is to buy a new one someday if you for some reason need it? I promise your life is going to be easier with less clutter!

Sometimes, an item just didn’t work for you. Maybe it’s a haircare product, or a food your family didn't like but you bought from Costco in bulk, or a nice quilt that no longer matches your style. These items can easily be shared back into your community! Look for local buy nothing or swip swap groups - I posted items on my decluttering day and they were gone within a few hours! Just remember - if you’re not using it, there’s probably someone else who would benefit from it. I personally love this choice because I would rather someone in need received the item for free, rather than it go to a chain thrift store where it could be thrown away or money may go to some CEO. Just saying.

Have something valuable that you no longer use? Take a few nice pictures and post it to Facebook Marketplace. It only takes a few minutes and the cash in your pocket is probably a whole lot nicer than something just taking up space & accumulating dust. Pro tip - if it doesn’t sell within a few weeks, it may be time to let it go.

Don’t let your items go to waste - donate or share them with someone who will use them!

The Decluttering Mindset

The easiest way to maintain a clutter free home? Realize that decluttering isn’t a one time thing - it’s a long term habit & mindset.

Chances are, if you live in a home, you’re going to accumulate clutter. Whether it’s from work, or shopping, hobbies, or your kids - it happens to everyone. The easiest way to make sure it doesn’t take over your life is to create a habit of getting rid of what you no longer need. I usually declutter at least once a season. Try adding an hour or two to your calendar around the end of each season to declutter your clothes you didn’t wear, your kids school papers, your pantry & fridge, your purses & backpacks, and any personal care products that didn’t work for you. Staying on top of this means you can get through bigger decluttering sessions (like that New Year, New Me time) with much more success.

Before we wrap up, I wanted to touch on one more point that will make a HUGE difference in your homes clutter level - what you allow in. Yes, I’m looking at you, impulse shoppers & party gift bags. These kind of little things can take up a lot of space in our homes - and in our brains! For these two categories specifically, I have a couple tips.

For impulse buyers - add something to your cart or a wishlist for 48 hours before purchasing. You might end up not even wanting it. Tempted by sales? There are ALWAYS sales. It’s literally a marketing technique to make you buy more. Be an independent thinker!! Put down the credit card!!

On kid’s clutter - so normal! The biggest areas I see are those little trinkets (aka party favors) and school papers/artwork. Trying setting up a ‘go back bin.’ This is an area to corral that clutter and empty out once a week. It will take 15 minutes to do - you either put things back where they go, or toss them. A habit like this is one your kiddo will take with them!

Need help getting decluttered in 2025? Check out our in-person decluttering and home organization services.