Decluttering Your Home In 30 Days - How And Why This Strategy Works

If there is one thing that's inevitable in life, it is clutter. And for most people, the idea of decluttering a room (let alone your whole house) is a daunting project, even if you are just tossing out the most common items to get rid of in your home. However, there is a structured, month-long approach that transforms this monumental task into one that's manageable and motivating: the 30-Day Minimalism Game. It was popularized by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus (the duo behind The Minimalists).

The Game's premise is simple: on day one, you get rid of one item; on day two, get rid of two items; on day three, get rid of three items, and so on, until you reach the 30th day where you part with 30 items. According to their blog, "Whether you donate, sell, or trash your excess, every material possession must be out of your house — and out of your life — by midnight each day." You also need to find another person to minimize with you, and whoever keeps on decluttering the longest wins (you will both win if you make it to the end of the month).

What's great about the 30-Day Minimalism Game is that it works on a psychological level, and breaks a massive project into bite-sized, easily achievable daily tasks. It prevents the all or nothing mindset that commonly derails decluttering efforts. By starting with just one item and gradually increasing, you can easily build momentum and confidence without ever feeling overwhelmed. And when the month is over and you have decluttered 465 items — a number that would have felt overwhelming at first.

The biggest hurdle for most people who attempt the 30-Day Minimalism Game is maintaining consistency each day for a full month. Things get even more challenging if you have a busy lifestyle. However, the game is highly adaptable and the rules can be tweaked to better fit your unique needs.

Another modification option is to change the time parameters, like reframing the daily challenge into a weekly one. So, instead of a daily count, you would aim to declutter the total number of items for that week (the first week, for example, would be 28 items). This tweak allows for some days off and helps prevent burnout while still keeping you on track to meet the monthly goal. A similar alternative is to reduce that tweak down further into two monthly events instead, or even doing it all at once. We do recommend sticking with either the daily or once-weekly versions, however; it does a better job spreading out the task, and staves off any potential burnout and overwhelming feelings better.

Besides adjusting the timeline, there are other ways that you can mod the 30-Day Minimalism Game to fit your lifestyle. For one, a helpful rule of thumb for making decisions about what to get rid of during a decluttering session is the "five-second rule." Pick an item, and if it takes you longer than five seconds to remember the last time you used it, consider tossing it. This awesome (and effective) method helps you cut through indecision and emotional attachment, letting you make incredibly fast progress. This method also helps you quickly remove items that don't benefit your life, creating a more functional, intentional living space.

Another creative tweak is to dedicate each day of the game to a different room, area, or item category. So, instead of counting items, you would declutter one junk drawer or pantry shelf each day. Tackling a location over quantity is one of many good strategies for decluttering your home. By focusing your efforts this way, you can feel the satisfaction of a fully decluttered area each day, which is a great motivator. And if you just want to declutter the old-fashioned way, don't skip the most important step before you get started.

Just remember that the key to any successful decluttering project, no matter the method, is to keep things easy and enjoyable. By adjusting the 30-Day Minimalism Game to your lifestyle, you can stay motivated, avoid burnout, and achieve your decluttering goals.