How to Declutter Your Entire Home in 10 Minutes a Day
Let’s do some quick math. If you spent just 10 minutes a day decluttering, that adds up to 3,650 minutes a year—or just over 60 hours. That’s two and a half days of straight decluttering, but instead of overwhelming yourself in one giant marathon, you spread it out into bite-sized, no-stress sessions.
But here’s the thing—some days, 10 minutes won’t feel like enough. You’ll get into the groove, realize you’re this close to finishing a drawer, and suddenly, you’re at 15 minutes. And guess what? Fifteen minutes a day adds up to over 91 hours a year. That’s almost four days of decluttering—without ever feeling like you spent a whole day doing it.
And let’s be real—how much time have you already spent searching for lost keys, digging through drawers, or stepping over that pile of stuff you swore you’d deal with last weekend? Exactly.
Decluttering doesn’t have to be exhausting or complicated. With just 10 minutes a day (or 15, if you’re feeling ambitious), you can create a space that feels lighter, calmer, and way more you. No drama, no perfectionism—just small, powerful steps toward a clutter-free life.
Table of Contents
1. Have a Game Plan (No Overthinking)
The key to decluttering success? Know what you’re tackling before you start. Wasting time staring at a messy room, wondering where to begin, is the fastest way to lose momentum. Instead, go in with a simple strategy.
Start with the easy stuff. Trash, expired food, broken items, random packaging—these are instant wins that don’t require emotional energy. Once you’ve cleared the obvious junk, move on to things that require a quick decision. If you haven’t worn it, used it, or remembered it existed in the last year, chances are you don’t need it.
Answer this one simple question to cut through decision fatigue: Can I live without this item? If the answer is yes, let it go. This eliminates overthinking and prevents the maybe I’ll need it someday trap.
2. Tackle Clutter by Zones, Not Rooms
There are lots of decluttering strategies to choose from, decluttering an entire room in one go sounds productive—until you’re three hours in, surrounded by piles, and regretting every life choice. The better approach? Break the room into small zones and tackle them one at a time.
Instead of trying to organize your whole kitchen, focus on one drawer, one cabinet, or just the fridge door. In ten minutes, you can easily clear expired food, mismatched lids, or unused gadgets without making a giant mess. The same idea works for any room. Try decluttering: a single bathroom shelf instead of the entire vanity, a coffee table instead of the whole living room, or a section of your closet instead of the entire wardrobe.
3. Declutter by Category
Another way to simplify decluttering is by focusing on one type of item at a time rather than a specific location. This is especially useful for things that tend to be scattered around your home—like shoes, books, or paperwork.
For example, instead of decluttering your entire bedroom, tackle shoes first. Gather every pair from different areas—your closet, entryway, car, and random corners of the house. When you evaluate similar items together, it’s easier to make decisions because you’re seeing the full picture.
Some categories you can declutter in ten minutes:
- Clothing: Focus on just T-shirts, jeans, or workout gear.
- Books: Pick a shelf or only sort through fiction vs. non-fiction.
- Paper clutter: Sort mail, receipts, or old notes.
- Kitchen gadgets: Go through utensils, mugs, or storage containers.
4. Set a Timer and Make It a Game
Here’s where the magic happens. Set a 10-minute timer and treat decluttering like a challenge. The goal? To move quickly and see how much you can get rid of before the buzzer.
Work fast. Don’t overthink it. If you hesitate, you probably don’t need it.
So, focus on progress over perfection and get it done. If all you do is clear one cabinet or shelf, that’s still progress. After all, you’re not getting anything done doing nothing.
5. Go with the Momentum
The hardest part of decluttering is getting started. Once you get going, it’s easy to keep going.
Some days, ten minutes will feel like plenty. Other days, you’ll hit your stride and decide to keep going for fifteen or even twenty minutes.
That’s the beauty of this system—you’re never forcing yourself to declutter, but you’re also not stopping yourself when motivation strikes. To make the most of your momentum:
- End on a high note. Don’t push yourself to exhaustion. Stop when you still feel good about the progress you made.
- Use a “next up” list. If you notice something else that needs decluttering but don’t have time now, write it down. That way, you’ll know exactly where to start tomorrow.
- Celebrate your wins. Even small decluttering sessions make a difference. A clear counter, an organized drawer, or a single bag of donations is progress.
The trick is to ride the wave of motivation without burning out. Over time, you’ll start to feel the effects—your home will be lighter, your stress will be lower, and best of all, you won’t feel like you spent your whole life decluttering.
6. Learn to Let Go
Clutter is about more than just stuff—it’s about attachments. The reason so many people struggle with decluttering isn’t because they don’t have time or motivation but because they have a hard time letting things go.
Maybe it was expensive, maybe it was a gift, or maybe they’re holding onto it for some random day. However, if an item isn’t adding value to your life right now, it’s only taking up space.
One simple question can make this process easier…can I live without this?
If you haven’t seen, used, or even thought about something in months (or years), chances are, you don’t need it. The longer an item has been out of sight, the easier it should be to let go. If you haven’t missed it yet, you probably won’t miss it once it’s gone.
Here’s how to make letting go easier:
- Detach from the sunk cost fallacy. Just because you spent money on something doesn’t mean you have to keep it. The money is already gone—keeping the item won’t bring it back.
- Stop keeping things out of guilt. You’re not obligated to hold onto gifts, family heirlooms, or sentimental items if they don’t bring you joy.
- Ask yourself: Would I even notice if this disappeared? If the answer is no, let it go.
- Give things a second life. Donate, sell, or repurpose items instead of letting them collect dust in your home.
- Remind yourself: If I truly need this, I can replace it. Most of the things we hold onto, just in case, never actually get used.
- Would I rather keep this or have the space and peace of mind? Nine times out of ten, you’ll choose space and peace.
Letting go is a skill, and like any skill, it gets easier with practice. The more you release what you no longer need, the more you’ll realize how little you actually miss those things—and how much lighter your life feels without them.
7. Create Simple Habits of People Who Don’t Worry About Clutter
Some people seem to have effortlessly clutter-free homes, while others feel like they’re constantly battling piles of stuff. The difference? Their habits.
People who don’t worry about clutter have built habits to prevent clutter from taking over in the first place. These habits aren’t complicated or time-consuming, but they make a massive difference over time.
- The One-Minute Rule–If something takes less than a minute to put away, do it immediately.
- Declutter as You Go–Toss junk mail the moment you get it, return things to their place after using them, and clear surfaces daily.
- Nighttime Reset–Spend five minutes before bed putting things back where they belong so you wake up to a clutter-free space.
- Be Selective About What Stays–Regularly ask yourself: Can I live without this? Would I buy this again today? If not, let it go.
- Create a Donation Box–Keep a box in your closet or entryway for items you no longer need. Once it’s full, donate it—no second-guessing.
- Have a Landing Zone–Set up a designated spot for keys, bags, and mail to prevent random clutter piles.
Stick to the One In, One Out Rule–Whenever you bring something new into your home, remove something else to keep clutter from creeping back.
Theresa Bedford is a minimal-ish advocate, storyteller, and wellness enthusiast who believes that simplicity is the key to wellness and a more intentional, fulfilling life. After realizing she was spending too much time searching for things—both physically and mentally—she embraced minimalism, not as a rigid rule, but as a way to create space for what truly matters.
