25 things to declutter right now in under 5 minutes

Sometimes it feels like the clutter is never ending and you need an axe to climb the mountains that are piling up. When you feel like you are drowning in clutter, it can be near impossible to even think about where to begin. Here are twenty five things you can do, right now, that will only take five minutes per category.

1. Car

Grab a garbage bag and get all of the junk out! Throw out the trash that builds up in your cup holders and clear out anything that you don’t need in there.

2. Shoes

Declutter just one pair! Pick a pair that hurts your feet and you never wear, because you don’t ever need to be in pain.

3. Reusable Jars

I know you have at least one of these jars that you can let go of. Maybe even two!

4. Freezer

What items are hiding in the back that you can still cook with? What is so past freezer burn that it needs to be tossed?

5. Gift Cards

This is a fun one; decluttering to treat yourself! Find those gift cards that are lying around and use them!

6. Shower

Recycle those empty bottles! I know you have products in your shower that you don’t like or use.

7. Coffee Mug

Okay, this one might be tough, but start with getting rid of just one. Do you have any mugs that are chipped? Cracked? From the company retreat that you went on 20 years ago? I know you have one that hasn’t seen a drop of coffee in ages!

8. Condiment Packets

These expire, you know! Go through them and get rid of the ones you’ve had too long, and get real with yourself if you’ll ever actually use any of them.

9. Spices

These expire, too! Toss out the ones that have lost their flavor.

10. Kitchen Utensils

You do not need 8 spatulas, trust me.

11. Dull Knives

If you have knives that are blunt too far past resharpening, dispose of them safely.

12. Puzzles and Board Games

Is the Operation patient missing his funny bone? Are your kids too old for Chutes & Ladders? Time to go!

13. Water Bottles

You can have one or two emotional support water bottles, not twenty.

14. Sheets & Towels

Finally get rid of those towels you’ve had for way too long, the ones with tears, or stains that just won’t come out. Donate them to an animal shelter!

15. Food Storage Containers

Do all your bottoms have tops and all your tops have bottoms? Toss the strays!

16. Pillows

After years they lose their fluff. Get rid of the ones that aren’t supporting your sleep anymore.

17. Empty Shipping Boxes

Don’t let these clutter up your entryway and kitchen. Break them down and put them in that recycling bin.

18. Pen Cup

Get out a piece of paper and test out your pens. Toss the ones that dried up, and the random toothbrush that found its way there somehow.

19. Mismatched Socks

Lost forever in the wash? Toss the ones you aren’t wearing anymore because they have no mate.

20. Top of your Nightstand

It’s the first thing you see in the morning and the last thing you see at night. Toss the dried out contact lenses and put the cups in the sink.

21. Magazines/Catalogs

If you don’t read them, you don’t need them.

22. Vases

Use your good ones and donate all the excess back to the florist, they will put them to good use!

23. Pet Toys

Because your pets can’t declutter! Throw out that toy that is more a shred of fabric than a plaything.

24. Reusable Bags

Do you have a bag of bags? How many tote bags do you have that you actually use?

25. Plastic Bags

Use them for trash bags and try to reduce your intake. Remember your bag of bags?

If you took five minutes to do each of these things, you could have everything decluttered in two hours! If this list still seems overwhelming, pick a few things to get done today.

You could even pick one thing to declutter every day, and by the end of the month that mountain of clutter will be more of a molehill. Remember, every five minutes adds up! Doing a little bit at a time will still bring huge change.