Fun Decluttering Challenges (with Printables)

If decluttering your home feels like a lot, make it a little more manageable with one or more of these decluttering challenges.

These challenges set specific targets for you to achieve and focus on a particular room or theme. These activities are also a great way to get other members of the family involved in decluttering the house.

Decluttering Challenges

‘Unexpected guests’ challenge – pretend guests will be arriving in 15 minutes and declutter/tidy the house in that time.

‘Find 3’ challenge – find 3 items to donate, 3 to toss, 3 that belong in another room.

‘Commercial break’ challenge – have a speed round of decluttering every time a commercial break comes on.

‘Color declutter’ game – pick a color a day and declutter only items of that color.

‘One bag dash’ challenge – get a donation bag and fill it up with items from the house to donate.

‘Best before and after photo’ challenge – in a group chat with friends, post your before and after photos of decluttering; the one with the best photos gets treated to dinner.

‘Alphabet declutter’ challenge – every day, pick a letter and only declutter items that start with that letter.

‘Pretend you’re a professional organizer’ game – walk through the house and pretend you’re a professional home organizer and make a list of what you would change.

‘One-in, one-out’ challenge – for every new item you bring into the house, you have to donate an old item.

‘Scavenger quest: decluttering edition’ – find and donate or toss 1 item with a missing part, 1 item you’ve never used, 1 item that annoys you, 1 unwanted gift, 1 duplicate, 1 expired food item, 1 piece of clothing that no longer fits, 1 pair of shoes that no longer fit or are worn out, 1 old cable you no longer need (and you can adjust the list as you wish). Repeat the game as many times as you like.

Get the Decluttering Challenges printable here.

The One-Bag-Dash-Declutter Challenge

• Shoes beyond repair.
• Stale spices and expired condiments.
• Cables that no longer work.
• Expired sunscreen.
• Dried pens and markers.
• Broken sunglasses.
• Broken or lidless plastic containers.
• Old water bottles.
• Empty cardboard boxes.
• Old or broken phone cases.
• Worn-out T-shirts.
• Old toothbrushes.
• Worn-out doormats.
• Broken headphones.
• Old scratchy towels.
• Chipped mugs.
• Broken umbrellas.
• Catalogs or manuals you don’t need.
• Expired skincare products.
• Old calendars and planners.
• Expired items from the pantry, fridge, or freezer.
• Scratched nonstick cookware.
• Expired makeup.
• Worn-out tote bags.

Get the One-Bag Declutter printable here.

Decluttering: Scanvenger Quest

• One item you’ve never used.
• One item that annoys you.
• One duplicate you don’t need.
• One expired food item.
• One item you’ve been meaning to give away.
• One piece of clothing that no longer fits.
• One item taking up more space than it’s worth.
• One piece of clothing you haven’t worn in over a year.
• One item you kept from a hobby you quit.
• One book you know you won’t read again.
• One item you forgot you had.
• One gifted item you didn’t want.
• One kitchen gadget collecting dust.
• One item that you just don’t need anymore.
• One pair of shoes that’s very uncomfortable.
• One broken item that can’t be repaired.
• One item you felt obligated to keep.
• One item you dislike.
• One old receipt you don’t need.
• One item you have a better version of.
• One pen that doesn’t work.
• One item that’s become background clutter.
• One cable or charger that doesn’t work.
• One item you wouldn’t bother packing if you moved tomorrow.

Get the Decluttering Scavenger Quest printable here.

Things You Can Declutter Today

• Clothes that don’t fit or aren’t comfortable.
• Clothes you haven’t worn in 12 months.
• Uncomfortable or worn-out shoes.
• Chipped plates and mugs.
• Scratched nonstick pans and pots.
• Expired food in the pantry & fridge.
• Stale spices.
• Old or stained plastic containers and mismatched lids.
• Broken appliances.
• Expired makeup, skincare, and toiletries.
• Scratchy towels and old bed sheets.
• Receipts (scan and shred).
• Delivery boxes and packaging.
• Worn-out doormats.
• Old magazines and catalogs.
• Old chargers and cables you don’t need.

Get the Things You Can Declutter Today printable here.

More Decluttering Challenges

Weekend Declutter Sprint – Dedicate one weekend to decluttering the house.

Bathroom Drawer Declutter – Empty and reorganize all bathroom drawers.

One Area a Day – Declutter just one area, shelf, or drawer daily.

180/180 Closet Challenge – Get rid of anything you haven’t used in the last 180 days and that you won’t use in the next 180 days.

Declutter by Color – Choose one color and remove all items in that color that you don’t need from the house.

Under the Bed Declutter – Remove everything stored under your bed and reorganize.

Car Declutter Challenge – Clean out your vehicle, including the trunk and glove box.

Holiday Decor Declutter – Sort through and simplify your holiday decorations.

Cord & Cable Declutter – Untangle and organize your electronic cords and cables.

Sentimental Photo Declutter – Go through old photos, digitize and organize them.

Gift Declutter Challenge – Go through all the gifts you’ve received but no longer need.

Capsule Wardrobe Challenge – Simplify your wardrobe to 30-40 essential pieces.

Junk Drawer Clean-Out – Declutter that junk drawer and reorganize it.

Seasonal Declutter Challenge – Declutter the house at the start of each season.

Kitchen Cabinet Clean-Out – Clean out and reorganize all kitchen cabinets.

Get the Additional Decluttering Challenges Printable here.

Even More Decluttering Challenges

Get the printable here.

You may also like these mini decluttering ideas, these 10-minute surface decluttering ideas, and our monthly decluttering calendars (which you can find here).