10 Simple Steps to Declutter Your Home in a Weekend

1. Stop the Inflow!

Do not replace the things you remove with new things. “My first tip for you is to stop the inflow of clutter. And I say this because it seems like it should be a no-brainer, but it wasn't at all for me,” Marissa says in her video. “I inevitably found a bunch of good stuff to bring home, and I would alleviate any guilt that I felt by telling myself it's not a big deal because if I decided I didn't like it, then I could just go ahead and sell it online. But what I was really doing was slowing down the decluttering process and putting more burden and extra work on myself. It's like trying to drain a pool that has a fire hose gushing into it.”

2. Trash Bag Therapy

Marissa recommends something she calls “trash bag therapy”. “All it takes is just grabbing a garbage bag and walking around your house and start tossing out stuff that is literally trash,” she says in her video. This could be old artwork from kids clogging up your home entryway, old documents, half-full skincare items you no longer use, etc.

3. Stay Focused

Do not let distractions get in the way of your decluttering—give yourself a timeframe and stick to it. “Let's say that you have 15 minutes to declutter and you go into the kitchen ready to start, and then you notice that you forgot to do the dishes from this morning,” Marissa says in her video. “So you think, well, I better do those dishes really quick. And before you know it, 15 minutes have gone by. The kids are calling your name, you remembered five other things you need to get done and you walk out of the kitchen without having accomplished any of the decluttering that you set out to do. Remove distractions as much as possible. Don't try to clean, don't try to organize. Just focus on decluttering.”

4. Donate More

Yes, selling your old items means you get more money but donating means you get rid of things much faster. “I'm a huge fan of sustainable decluttering, but when you are really overwhelmed, you don't want to pile even more check boxes on your already overflowing to-do list,” Marissa says in her video. “Don't put your stuff on a pedestal above your own mental health and happiness because in the end, you and your peace of mind are more important than the stuff that you own.”

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5. Pareto Principle

Use the Pareto principle to help focus your decluttering efforts. “This rule states that 80% of your results come from 20% of your efforts and it applies to so many areas of life, and your home is no exception,” Marissa says in her video. “It might mean clearing visual clutter off of flat surfaces that are highly visible like your kitchen countertops, bookshelves or your dining room table so that you give your eye a chance to rest. And if you know statistically that you are only using 20% of your wardrobe 80% of the time, then maybe that's just the kick in the butt. You need to start letting go of some of those clothes.”

6. Clear Out Your Closet

How many clothing items are you holding on to that you never wear? “If you have to ask yourself if you should keep something, then you probably should declutter it. If it's not a clear yes, then it's a no,” Marissa says in her video. “Why would you want to create a life full of so-sos and ho-hum things and maybes when you could create a life where you're surrounded by things that you love and enjoy using, you deserve a life full of yes-es.”

7. Clutter Drop Zone

When you don’t have time to deal with clutter one by one, create a drop zone. “A drop zone is a designated place where you can quickly and easily drop clutter off when you find it lying around and maybe you don't really have time to deal with it,” Marissa says in her video. “These drop zones are handy to have around and they can help teach the rest of your family how to quickly drop clutter off in there as they go as well. Like when my son broke his lunchbox and we had to buy him a new one, he decluttered the old one and dropped it off in the clutter bucket.”

8. Set a Timer

Set a timer to really focus your efforts. “In reality, you can still get a lot accomplished even if you only have 15 minutes a day to declutter your home,” Marissa says in her video. “If you don't believe me, you can go check out the video where I set a timer and I was able to declutter my entire home in 30 minutes. I gave myself five minutes in six of my most highly trafficked areas, and I was able to get a lot decluttered in that amount of time.”

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9. Use a Rehoming Box

“A lot of people know to grab boxes or bags before they start decluttering to separate the stuff that they want into trash, recycle, donate, sell, etc,” Marissa says in her video. “But I also like to have a box for re-homing my clutter. I don't want to run back and forth putting stuff here and there as I go. I find it a much more efficient use of my time to put everything that belongs elsewhere into one box bin or even a tray.”

10. Make It Fun

Marissa reminds people to find the fun in decluttering—listen to music or a podcast, and remember it’s a positive process. “A lot of people find it really motivating to take pictures before they start decluttering so that when they're done decluttering, they can take another picture and see how much progress they've made,” she says in her video. “You could also look for printables to help you declutter like decluttering bingo, 30 day challenges or printable checklists to help keep you on track, whatever it takes to keep you inspired and motivated as you declutter your way to the home of your dreams.”