7 Small Steps to Declutter Your Home in 10 Minutes

Editor’s note: This is a guest post by Rachelle Crawford, author of Messy Minimalism.

“Consistency is more important than intensity.” – Courtney Carver

Becoming a minimalist and getting rid of clutter are two entirely different ballgames. Becoming a minimalist happens internally and only takes a moment. Getting rid of the clutter, on the other hand, requires we put legs to that internal transformation. I found the latter to be a bit more difficult.

In one ah-ha moment, I found relief from the chaos through the practice of minimalism. That was it. I was in.

However, as they say, “nothing worth having comes easy.” Next up, I had to implement my minimalism, and that required a little elbow grease.

Can you declutter your home in 10 minutes? Not likely. I don’t even believe it’s possible to declutter your entire home in 10 days, or even 30 for that matter. At least, not with amount of stuff we were harboring.

We were a family of five, with 84 combined years of accumulating stuff, living in an 1,800 square foot home. There was just no way we were getting rid of that clutter overnight. To do so would have required a significant leave of absence from my actual life.

I’d have had to ship my kids off to Grandma’s house to slowly outstay their welcome, and my husband would have had to use up all of his vacation days to tackle our excess. We definitely would have had to rent a dumpster and place the thrift store pick-up guy on speed dial.

It just wasn’t a realistic scenario.

Instead, we went all in as a family, and spent our evenings and weekends tackling our excess stuff. We moved through our home, room by room, category by category, and kept at it for months until the major areas were done.

The Crawfords were on a mission!

With every nook and cranny of our home we decluttered, we found it quickly flooded with peace, rest and connection instead of stuff. Every room we finished inspired us to keep going. When it was finally said and done, it had taken us a full year to do that deep work. Some days we made huge strides, removing what felt like mountains of stuff. Most days however, the progress was slow, steady, and consistent. We let go of a couple items here, and then a few items there.

Declutter Your Home in 10 Minutes a Day

So, how dare I lure you here under the false pretense of decluttering your home in 10 minutes?  Well, because I believe through the power of habits, patience, grace and consistency, 10 minutes a day will change your life.

There are a variety of obstacles that make tackling your clutter feel impossible. While life inevitably gets in the way, consistency can keep you moving in the right direction regardless.

Whether you’re looking to go minimalist or simply just see your bathroom counter for the first time in years, I believe there is a way to reach your goals gradually.

Here are 7 small, sustainable steps to get you headed in the right direction without ripping your house apart.

1. Think Like a Minimalist

As you move through your day, constantly edit what you own. This may sound like a lot of work, but it’s really not. It’s a habit you can develop.

While putting away dishes, skim what you have in your cabinets. What can go? As you get ready in the morning, consider items in your closet and drawers. Which pieces do you never wear?

The more you do this the more instinctual it will start to feel. In time, you’ll start to identify problem areas sooner and letting go will get easier and easier. 

2. Decide on Your Donation Location 

I chose my local city rescue mission thrift store. It is relatively close to my home and has a mission I love. The thrift store’s sales fund our city rescue mission. Mission residents are also offered access to the donated items they need. 

Choosing a drop-off location you believe in will help let go of even more, knowing it’s going to good use. 

3. Create a Drop Spot in Your Home

Place a box in a convenient, easily accessible location where you can slowly pile items you plan to eliminate.

I have designated a corner in my bedroom. This way my kids are less likely to come across the items and redistribute them throughout my home again. If that’s not a concern of yours, consider having multiple drop spots in your home. When the box is full, you know it’s time to be donated.

4. Keep Your Hands Out of That Box

You will be tempted to dig through your donation box and second guess what you’ve put in there. Don’t do it! You put it in there for a reason. Leave it there. Your initial instinct to let it go was correct.

Picture me slapping your hand every time you reach for it.

5. Choose to Donate Over Sell

While there is certainly a place to sell a few things, I want to encourage you to donate as much as possible. Planning to sell our excess stuff can easily turn into another “someday” situation we never get around to. Donating gives us a chance to meet needs in our communities and allows us to clear the clutter faster than when we try to sell it item by item. 

Choosing to donate turns your temporary discomfort into someone else’s blessing. 

6. Spend Intentionally

Our clutter didn’t let itself in the front door. In order to ensure our homes remain clutter free, it’s important to change the way we bring new items in.

It doesn’t matter how much you get rid of, if you don’t stop the flow of material items into your home. It’s as simple as that.

7. Go Deeper!

I recommend occasionally carving out time to take on an area that requires more than ten minutes. A big win will help you experience the benefits of living with less and encourage you to keep going.

Note that it usually gets worse before it gets better. If you find yourself standing in the middle of your kitchen thinking to yourself, “I’ve made a huge mistake,” don’t panic. I’ve been there. Take a deep breath and just keep going. When it’s done, take time to revel in your progress. You’ve earned it. 

If you are short on time, easily overwhelmed or feel as though there is just too much stuff to tackle, take heart. Small steps will still get you there. Remember, it was the tortoise who won the race!

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Rachelle Crawford is the author of Messy Minimalism and founder of Abundant Life with Less. She makes minimalism doable by offering a grace-based approach to living clutter free. You can also find her on Facebook or Instagram.

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Messy Minimalism is a witty, doable, and grace-based approach to living a clutter free life. It frees you up to embrace the mess, live with less and create an imperfectly perfect home for you.

In Messy Minimalism, you will learn to become a more conscious consumer, create a capsule wardrobe, inspire family members to join you, free up more time for the things that matter, and create a tidy(ish) home. The messy minimalist way is a no-judgment zone, one in which we learn sustainable habits and grace-based practices. It’s about living lightly on the earth and making room for purpose.

Becoming a messy minimalist is not about turning into someone else; it’s about clearing away clutter and expectations to unearth who you really are. It’s about carrying fewer things so that we find ourselves holding onto what truly matters.

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When you preorder a copy of Messy Minimalism before December 7th, you’ll receive A FREE Digital Copy of The Messy Minimalism Companion Guide on Launch Day. Just enter your order information HERE.

The Messy Minimalism Companion Guide includes 98 pages of:

• Chapter By Chapter Bonus Content.
• Thought Provoking Discussion Questions.
• Helpful Exercises and Journaling Prompts.

The Messy Minimalism Companion Guide will help you declutter your head, home and heart for good.