I've been doing decluttering monthly/weekly challenges since my blog started in 2011. While the challenge has evolved tremendously over the years with the help of clients, followers, and family/friends, the challenge now includes a simple way of planning your attack for these monthly decluttering challenges. Below is how I laid out the Let's Streamline Your Home Declutter challenge ebook for this year.
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Why should you do this streamline your home declutter challenge?
You may be wondering why a monthly decluttering challenge is essential. As the name implies, it will allow you to visit areas you may not have visited in a while. This will enable you to be accountable for these areas and see what can be tossed or given away. If you do not look at these areas, you may never decide if you need all the things in those areas. So, doing a declutter challenge will remind you to declutter areas in your home - resulting in cleared surfaces, emptied closets, kitchen cabinets, paper files, and so much more.
Peace of mind knowing you have visited these areas is also an added benefit of doing a declutter challenge. You may think you know what is in the area, but over time, we all forget. So, going back and being completely aware while visiting these areas will remind you of things and tasks that you may have overlooked.
Another benefit of this decluttering challenge is that it can help you save money and even make money. Over the past 20+ years, several clients found thousands of dollars in cash and gift cards hidden in piles while decluttering their areas. They also ended up selling valuable items because they remembered they had them, resulting in extra money in their pockets.
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If these benefits seem enticing, continue reading and get your free ebook today.
After you sign up and get the link, you will see ALL of our Declutter Challenges ebooks as well as other Free ebooks.
What areas will I be decluttering?
There are ten(10) areas to visit and declutter/organize. I broke down the areas below:
Note: To plan ahead of the beginning of the month, make a copy of the Planning phase section and implement phase pages for each month.
January - Planning
This area is new this year. You will focus on yearly, quarterly, and monthly goal setting. You decide what you want to do this year and how to divide up the tasks for the month. For this area, when you use the Planning Phase, you will decide on places you want to declutter in your planner. Answer these questions:
- Is your planner still working for you? Has your life changed in the last year? Are there areas you wish to track in your planner, such as your healthy habits or journal (Affiliate Link) writing?
- Do you need to write down other things to ensure you remember them every week, every month, or every quarter? What are these things?
- Do you want to go entirely digital with your planner? If so, how will you do this? Will you use your Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, iOS Calendar, or something else?
- Do you want to use a paper planner? Do you want a daily calendar or a week-at-a-glance calendar? What size do you prefer: an 8x11 size planner or a 5x7-inch planner? Do you prefer a particular brand, like AT-A-GLANCE or Day-Timer?
Below are some affiliate links that are running specials right now.
AT-A-GLANCE: 15% off + free shipping with code FREESHIP15
Day-Timer: 15% off + free shipping with code FREESHIP15
February - Home Office
This month is all about the home office. I have also included paper management posts you can visit to help you organize. You may want to organize computer (Affiliate Link) or mobile files, paper files (current and long-term), cloud storage files, paper files, or important documents—whatever you wish to do.
March - Entryway
Some areas you may want to organize are the Landing zone, shoes (Affiliate Link), coat closet, keys area, and bag storage.
April - Bedroom
The bedroom areas you may want to organize are the nightstand (Affiliate Link), closet, dresser, bags, and luggage.
May - Garage
Here are examples of areas you may want to organize: Tools (Affiliate Link), Donation Area, and Hobbies
June - Basement
You may want to visit these areas in your basement: long-term storage, seasonal decoration, zones in the basement, and food storage.
July - Living Room/Family Room
In your shared living room area, you may want to visit the storage areas like coat closets, books, and kids' toys.
August - Kitchen
Creating zones in your kitchen is a great way to divide the tasks of decluttering this room throughout this month. Here are some areas you may want to visit: baking zones, spices (Affiliate Link)/herbs zones, beverage zones, serving zones, drop/paper zones, washing zones, prep/cooking zones, and pantry (Affiliate Link) zones.
September - Photos
This month's topic can be a tricky and time-consuming declutter challenge. Some areas you may want to visit are digital photos, photo albums, picture frames, and loose photos.
October - Holiday decor
Lastly, you may want to visit your seasonal Decorations and Christmas decorations this month before the holiday season begins.
What do you do in November?
No matter what you decide to do throughout the year, this month, you will do what everyone else will do in November. You will be revisiting each area that was streamlined this year. Jot down the room zone(s) that need modifying. These areas would be those that are not working well for you and your family. Even after decluttering, they look messy and like the system isn’t working. In the dotted box, assign a priority order number. Then, assign a deadline for each troubled area to be revisited and modified. Visit these areas during November for a quick readjust.
How to Use the Planning Phase Sheet
This section is the same as last year's challenge.
Label (Affiliate Link) the Planning Phase sheet with the month and theme of that month. Then, write each area to declutter on the lines below. Under that, jot down the tasks you want to do for each zone. Be specific. In the zone box, write down things you must remember when decluttering/organizing that area. Then, in the dotted square box, write down the priority order. What zone will you do first, second, third, etc?
How to Use the Implement Phase Sheet
This section is also the same as last year. It helps you determine the more specific tasks you must do throughout the month. It is divided into weekly tasks. You can add the particular functions and priority order for each weekly assignment.
Use the planning sheet as a reference. Each week, you should have at least three specific tasks for the area to help you see an improvement in streamlining it. Then, add task deadlines and notes if needed.
What else is in this Streamline the Home Challenge ebook?
I have included links to my blog posts about each month's challenge. This way, you can find help as needed throughout the year.
If you download the ebook and take on the challenge, please connect with me and my outstanding members in our Facebook Group page.
I hope this Streamline Your Home Declutter Challenge helps you organize your new year with minimal stress. Please comment below if you wish to share your goals for next year. We would love to hear from you.
Visit our other declutter challenges!
Julie Bestry says
What a stellar and robust approach. Your followers and clients are so lucky to have you as a resource. I like the fact that the challenges goes from January through November, because everyone is always so overwhelmed in December. This ebook and challenge gives people a focus for each month; without that focus, it would be too easy to get distracted or overwhelmed. I love it!
Seana Turner says
Congratulations on the new e-book. I do think that assigning certain spaces to certain dates is a great way to "force" myself to work in areas I might otherwise neglect.
I'm looking at September, "photos," and thinking, wow, I really need to do that one. July I want something easy, as this is my favorite month of the year, and I try to be on teh beach as much as possible!
Janet Schiesl says
You have a great challenge! I love the support your subscribers get.
Linda Samuels says
What a comprehensive way to handle clutter and organization throughout the year! I'm curious if you have any stats about the people who did the challenge. How many stuck with it for the entire year? And if they didn't, at what point did they stop?
So often motivation to 'get organized' is highest at the beginning of the year. It's always one of the top ten New Year's resolutions list. But then motivation can wane. I'm curious what you've noticed.
Having a plan helps, and what you offered is specific yet customizeable. Love that!
Sabrina Quairoli says
Thanks for stopping by and commenting, Linda. I hope it helps visitors who want to change their life through decluttering and organizing their lives.
Diane Quintana says
I love the way you have presented this decluttering challenge, Sabrina. Having a clear focus for each month, and then each week within the month will make it easier for the person to follow through and complete each challenge they assign themselves.
Sabrina Quairoli says
Thanks, Diane. I appreciate that you stopped by and commented. =)
Janet Barclay says
This looks like a great resource, especially for someone who's committed to getting organized in the new year! Also a reality check if they think it can be done in a day or a weekend. 🙂