If you’re anything like us, the words “spring” and “cleaning” in the same sentence usually make you turn the other way, but when you can break intimidating tasks down. Whether you’re thinking about selling your home or you simply want to do a bit of a refresh, this challenge is for you! Before you deep clean everything, you need to declutter. The less stuff you have, the less stuff you need to clean. During the Declutter Challenge, you’ll tackle decluttering your home to make it a little less daunting and a little more fun. Ready?
DAY ONE: THE KITCHEN -JUNK DRAWERS AND COUNTERTOPS
Let’s start small. Everyone has at least one (or two) junk drawers in their kitchen. Clean these out first, throw away any junk, and organize the rest.
DAY TWO: PANTRY, REFRIGERATOR, AND FREEZER
Remember those frozen soup you made last winter when you were craving it? It’s probably expired or will stay in there for another year, so it’s probably best to toss it. Go through your pantry, fridge, and freezer to get rid of all expired and unwanted food items.
DAY THREE: KITCHEN CABINETS
If you’re the type of person, who loves getting free cups at every event you go to or has way too many odd plates, it may be time to part ways. You can donate anything you don’t need or toss anything that’s been used too much.
THE LIVING ROOM
DAY FOUR: THE LIVING ROOM
Toss any junk mail, old magazines and books. There’s no reason to keep piles of them. You can toss them out, give them away, or put them in a box tucked away.
DAY FIVE: TOYS, GAMES, AND OFFICE SUPPLIES
If you have kids, you likely have a lot of toys lying around. Today, you’ll go through the toys and games they’ve outgrown and set them aside to donate. After decluttering your living room, it may be time to update some of the design as well. Get some inspiration from some Pinterest boards.
DAY SIX: CLOTHES
This one may be a doozy, but you have a whole day to tackle it! Start by taking everything out of your closet and off the floor. Then start a pile for keep, one for donate, and one for toss. Check out the Maire Kondo yet, there are great tips on sorting through your clothes that work.
DAY SEVEN: SHOES AND ACCESSORIES
Just like with your clothes, sort through your shoes, belts, bags, hats, and anything else that may be hiding in your closet. Throw out or donate things that don’t fit or are not used anymore.
DAY EIGHT: THE BEDROOMS
Today let’s clear off your nightstands and the top of your dressers. Dust them from top to bottom. These areas are often neglected and tend to collect a lot of dust. Let’s re-evaluate what you have on top of these spaces – is everything functional? Do the remote batteries need to be replaced? Can you get rid of anything here?
DAY NINE: THE BATHROOMS
The space under your sink is probably filled with lots of things. Cleaning products, makeup, lotions, and a few half-used bottles of shampoo. Take some time to go through which products you’ll use and toss the ones you know you won’t or those that have expired.
DAY TEN: LINEN CLOSETS AND MEDICINE CABINETS
Did you know that medicine expires? Well, it does. So those old prescriptions and cough medicine should probably get tossed out. For the last day of the challenge, let’s tackle the linen closets and medicine cabinets. This would be a great time to put old towels in the garage for chores and to refold all the towels in that one perfect way.
You’ve Reached the End of the Challenge!
