Want to Declutter Your House? Try the 30-Day Minimalism Challenge

If you've been saying “I really need to declutter this house” for approximately seven years, there's a popular challenge that turns getting rid of your stuff into a game.

It's called the 30-Day Minimalism Challenge, and by the end of one month, you could have 465 fewer things cluttering up your home.

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The challenge was created by Joshua Fields Millburn and Ryan Nicodemus, better known as The Minimalists, and the concept is incredibly simple.

On Day 1, get rid of one item.

On Day 2, get rid of two.

On Day 3, get rid of three.

You continue adding one item every day until Day 30, when you'll need to find 30 things to donate, sell, recycle or throw away.

Complete the entire challenge, and you'll have removed a whopping 465 items from your home.

What Counts as an Item? Pretty much anything you're ready to part with can count.

Old clothing, shoes you haven't worn in years, expired beauty products, books, kitchen gadgets, toys, decorations, mystery charging cables and the collection of reusable water bottles that has somehow formed its own community in your kitchen cupboard.

You can also finally address that drawer containing 17 instruction manuals for appliances you no longer own.

Turn It Into a Competition

Some people do the challenge alone, while others recruit a friend, partner or family member and turn it into a competition. The winner can be whoever completes all 30 days or simply whoever lasts the longest.

Having someone else participate can also provide a little accountability, particularly when you reach the point where you've already donated everything obvious and you're considering whether your Grade 9 yearbook really needs to follow you into retirement.

Have a Plan for Everything You're Getting Rid Of

Before starting, it's a good idea to figure out where your unwanted items will actually go.

Clothing and household items in good condition can be donated to a local thrift store or charity. You can sell more valuable items online, give things away through a neighbourhood Buy Nothing group, recycle what you can and properly dispose of anything that can't be reused.

The important part is actually getting the stuff out of your house. Otherwise you've simply moved 465 things from the basement into your car.

And now your car is the junk drawer. The beauty of the challenge is that you don't have to tackle your entire house in one exhausting weekend. You start small and gradually build momentum. By the end of 30 days, you could have 465 fewer things taking up space in your home.

Although there's one important rule I'm adding: The 465 items cannot all be your children's stuff.

Nice try, moms.