12 ways to declutter fast

There are times when we just need to declutter fast, either because we don’t have the time to dedicate to a large decluttering project, or we know that if we don’t do something about the clutter around us, we’re going to become stressed and frustrated.

Luckily, decluttering doesn’t have to be a big job if you don’t want it to be. There are many ways to declutter fast, or things that you can do to remove clutter that require low effort, but overtime become daily habits that will allow you to keep your house at a level of clutter you’re happy with.

If you’re looking for ways to get rid of clutter quickly, here are 12 ways to declutter fast, which require minimum time, but provide maximum impact.

Turn off distractions

When you don’t have a lot of time to declutter, the last thing you need stealing your time are distractions.

In order to declutter quickly, turn off anything that may distract you, such as the TV, a podcast, phone notifications, and if you have kids, set them up with an activity so you can get things done.

Set a timer

Setting a timer allows you to declutter an area in the time you’ve allocated to it.

The amount of time doesn’t have to be big; you can see massive improvements in your amount of clutter in as little as 10-15 minutes.

Decide quickly

In order to get rid of clutter quickly, you need to make quick decisions on what will and won’t stay in your home.

If you ask yourself whether you should keep something, and you have to think about it, or wonder if you will use it at some point, then declutter it.

Toss away rubbish

Removing anything from your home that’s rubbish, or that’s broken, makes your home feel immediately less cluttered.

To do this get a rubbish bag, and go through each room throwing out things such as receipts, magazines, packaging, mail, food containers, kids arts and craft items, damaged toys, and expired food, throw it in the rubbish bag, and put the bag immediately in your rubbish bin.

Declutter multiples

If you have multiples of items, or items that are similar, consider decluttering what you don’t need.

For example, you could ask yourself whether you need 3 grey jumpers, more than one pair of trainers, or even 12 cups, and declutter what you don’t need.

Don’t clean and reorganise

This is one of the ways to declutter fast that I need to work on, which is sticking to just decluttering when you’re short on time, and not also cleaning, and reorganising the things you’ve decided to keep.

A place for everything

Often things in our homes end up in places they don’t live, for example, kids toys can be found in the bathroom, school bags in bedrooms, or clothes in living areas.

Putting items where they belong makes your home feel much less cluttered.

Make a later pile

If you don’t have time to put things where they belong, store them somewhere you need to pass in order to get them to where they need to be.

For example, in my home I often have clothing and toys in the living room, which need to be moved to where they belong.

When this happens and I don’t have time to put them where they belong, I place them on the stairs, so next time I go upstairs I take them with me and put them away.

Declutter in small sections

We don’t always have time to declutter one room at a time, so breaking larger spaces into smaller sections is a great way to get rid of clutter fast, and feel like you’ve achieved a lot in a small amount of time.

For example, when I need to declutter my kitchen, I tackle a set of cupboards, or a few drawers at a time, often as I’m cooking, which is a great way to work towards finishing a full kitchen declutter overtime.

Donate, don’t sell

Consider donating decluttered items instead of selling them, because by donating them, you get them out of your house immediately.

Selling decluttered items means the items will stay in your home longer, and may even become clutter again. Plus, you have to find additional time to clean them, take photos, write descriptions, and list them for sale.

Declutter drop zones

Allocate areas in your home where you can store decluttered items until you’re ready to get them out of your home.

For example, clothing that suddenly becomes too small can be placed in a bag inside your wardrobe, so you can add other clothes to it when you have time for a wardrobe declutter.

Similarly, kitchen items, or toys that are no longer used can be stored in a cupboard, and taken for donation next time you leave the house.

Remove clutter ASAP

Lastly, removing clutter from your home as soon as possible is the best way to ensure that the things you’ve decluttered don’t make their way back into your home.

You can do this by putting what you’ve decluttered into a bag, and putting the bag into your car immediately, then taking it to a charity store, or charity bin as soon as you can.

Practicing as many of these decluttering tips as you can will make decluttering less overwhelming, and will allow you to finally feel more calm and happy in your home.

Which of these ways to declutter fast will you try?