Welcome to week 5 of the OWK Declutter Your Home Series!

Every Monday during the month of March I have been adding a new blog post to serve you with all of the tools and encouragement you need to declutter & simplify common problem areas in your home!

A home that is lived in will need constant decluttering. Consider adding in these simple daily decluttering routines to keep your home clutter free and an organized space that works for you and your family. 

Remember, you can start this 5 week series at any time! Choose to utilize the tips that work for you and let go of the rest!

Week 5: How to Create a Simple Decluttering Routine

Embrace the power of 10 minutes

Sometimes we feel like we just don’t have the time to declutter our homes. Perhaps you have a baby and have lost routine, you’re working full time, you’re wanting to spend time with family rather than deal with the clutter or maybe you are just overwhelmed with everyday life.

But, here’s the truth, everyone has 10 minutes in their day that they can commit to this important task. And, in just 10 minutes of decluttering you will notice a big difference! Turn on your favourite tunes to keep you motivated and clear clutter from surfaces to make an immediate change in your home.

Evening Routine

A good, consistent evening routine will set you and your family up for a smooth, stress free morning. Embrace the habits that work for you and feel free to add strategies to address your specific pain points. 

1.Dishes + Clean Sink

  • Try to get into the habit of loading the dishwasher right after dinner and turn it on. Before you head to bed spend 10 minutes unloading it and give your sink a quick wash. Waking up to a clean, decluttered kitchen will give you an instant mood boost!

2. Daily Clean Sweep

  • I like to get my kids involved in a 10 minute quick tidy before bed. We put the toys back in their bins, the pillows back on the couch and books back in the bookshelf. This helps messes to stay under control instead of just compounding on the last days activities.

3. Put Away Laundry

  • While the kiddos are in the bath, I put away the clean daily load of laundry and set out the next days outfit for the girls and myself. Gone are the days when we are looking for that missing sock or have nothing to wear during the morning rush!

Morning Routine

Mornings are such a great time for self care, quiet reflection and getting in the right headspace to have a great day! To do some important mental decluttering, the key is consistency and big picture thinking. To be honest, this advice is just as much for me than anyone else … that darn snooze button is pressed more often than I’d like to admit!

1.Get Up Before Your Kids

  • If you have young children, I cannot stress how much of a difference getting up before them makes to your personal well being! Even having 5 or 10 minutes to yourself to gather your bearings and your thoughts gives you a head start in meeting the demands of the day. Avoid the usual morning rush, enjoy the breathing room and more relaxed pace by waking up a little earlier.

2. Make Your Bed

  • This simple task has many benefits! You will feel like you have accomplished something right at the start of your day which can be a motivator to getting more things checked off your to do list. Your bedroom will get an instant refresh and it’s always nicer getting into a made bed at the end of the day.

3. One Load of Laundry a Day

  • I incorporated this simple routine into my mornings over a year ago and to say it has been life changing is an understatement! I have not had to deal with “piles of laundry” over the past year. When I throw one combined load into the washing machine first thing & into the dryer before the kids head to school, I can stay on top of getting that small load put away before I hit the hay in the evening.
  • A few things to note, I have noticed zero difference in the quality of my clothes when I put in all of the colours together and socks with pants, etc. I just make sure to pull out “hang to dry” items to avoid shrinking. I also do a separate load of towels and sheets on Saturdays.

4. Self Care: Exercise, Devotional, Journal: Declutter Your Mind!

  • I don’t know about you, but if I don’t get my exercise done in the morning, it’s pretty much a guarantee that its not going to happen! The more the day moves on, the more tired this mama gets. So, even if its a quick stretch or a 10 minute walk on the treadmill, moving my body in the morning is good for both my mind and body. I also like to get fresh perspective for my day by reading a devotional and journaling my thoughts.

Get your kids involved in the decluttering process

We love to turn on some music and a 10 minute timer when tidying toys. It instantly makes cleaning up so much more fun and the kids like to race to see how much they can get accomplished. This method goes a lot further than being stern and yelling about the toys on the floor. I know this is true because I have tried both!  

Consider adding in daily or weekly decluttering as part of a chore list. We love the Vivo Fit Junior chore tracking system to motivate and reward our grade schooler as she learns the importance of decluttering and showing respect for the things in our home.

  • Toddler: They can do simple tasks during the daily clean sweep such as picking up pillows and putting them back on the couch and putting toys back in baskets.
  • Preschooler: They can set the table, put dishes in the dishwasher, put toys and crafts back in their place, and help clean the bathroom once a week.
  • Grade Schooler: They can get dressed independently, make their bed, put their laundry away, help clean up after dinner, tidy their desk and room, and help clean their bathroom once a week.
  • Preteen: They can make their bed, put away their laundry, help with making dinner, help clean up after dinner, vacuum, clean their bathroom, and keep their desk and room tidy.
  • Teen: They can do all of the above! 

Create Your Own Weekend Prep List

Set aside about 30 minutes each week to create your own Saturday or Sunday prep-list. What makes you feel prepared for the week ahead? Things like meal planning, scheduling in your daily habits, deciding what you’ll do on date night and putting your upcoming appointments in the calendar can make you feel on top of your game the whole week through. Sync your personal or paper planner with your family and digital calendar so everyone is on the same page!  

You have completed the 5 week Declutter Your Home series! It’s my privilege to say a big CONGRATS to you! Imagine me giving you a big high five and doing a little happy dance in the middle of my kitchen … or not, if that’s a little too over the top for you! Hopefully the physical clutter in those key areas of your home has been reduced and you may be feeling like “a weight has been lifted” from your shoulders!

Remember, you can start this 5 week series at any time and work through each week on a timeline that works best for you. The key with decluttering is to find what works for you and your family and stick to that! You may have found a few useful tips over the past 5 weeks so hold onto those things and leave the rest!

If you would like to read the other parts to the 5 week Declutter Your Home series head here:

And, if you are still feeling overwhelmed and are looking for more one on one help to get your decluttering project started please feel free to send me an email or DM to set up a virtual coaching session. We will get your problem areas simplified, organized, refreshed and transformed using an organization strategy I created called “The SORT Method.” It works every time!

Sharing is caring! Pin this image so you can easily refer back to these simple decluttering routines.

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