21 Essential Things To Declutter For A Mess-Free Life

These are the 21 overlooked things to declutter regularly to keep mess and stress at bay.

I consider myself an organized person but even I find myself frowning at my space every other month or so.

You can try your best to keep things where they belong and go as far as to use cleaning checklists, but clutter has a way of getting accumulated in the most random of places.

If you’re nodding your head, it’s probably time for a good ol’ declutter session.

Don’t worry, I’m not talking about a full-blown Marie Kondo overhaul (unless you’re into that).

We’ll take it one step at a time, focusing on different areas that could use a little love and care.

Also, be warned that when I say decluttering, I am talking about every freaking area of your life, from your living space and storage to your screens and all the other everyday items.

Don’t be surprised if you find me sneaking in tips to declutter your mind and social life too.

You need this kind of intervention more than you realize, trust me.

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Ready for a clean-up? Let’s get started.

21 Things In Your Life That Need Decluttering

1. Wardrobe

We all have clothes that haven’t seen the light of day in years.

Start by doing a seasonal switch-up. Store away clothes that aren’t in season. Your winter coats don’t need to hog up summer closet space.

Next up, apply the 1-year rule. If you haven’t worn something in a year, it’s time to let it go.

Also, if you have a piece that makes you uncomfortable to even look at and causes no joy, then thank it for its service and say goodbye.

You can donate it if it’s still usable; it might mean a lot more to someone out there.

2. Bag

Try as you might to keep your bag clean, somehow mysterious objects still find their way in.

Make it a habit to empty your bag once a week.

Only keep what you absolutely need in there — wallet, phone, keys, a small makeup bag, and maybe a snack.

Use small pouches to keep things tidy. One for makeup, one for tech stuff, etc. 

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3. Phone

Considering the amount of time you spend on your phone, it’s only fair to take time to declutter it regularly.

An app audit is always a good place to start.

Go through your apps and delete the ones you don’t use. Your phone (and battery) will thank you.

Do a photo purge to get rid of unnecessary pictures. You don’t really need ten different selfies all taken in one spot.

Pick your faves and ditch the rest. Also, get rid of documents that you won’t need anymore.

While you’re at it, create app folders and group similar ones together. It’ll make finding things so much easier.

4. Email Inbox

An overflowing inbox can be a major source of stress. And it can make it difficult to spot important emails and read them on time.

Tidy up your inbox by going on an unsubscribing spree.

Do you really need updates from that store you shopped at once three years ago? Probably not.

Old newsletters, expired promotions, and irrelevant emails? Delete, delete, delete.

Create folders for different types of emails (work, personal, shopping, etc.) and set up filters to automatically sort incoming mail.

5. Work Desk

Your desk should be a productivity haven, not a cluttered nightmare.

A messy desk blocks your thoughts and makes it hard to focus on work.

Get rid of old pens, papers, and random junk. Use dividers to keep your drawers organized.

Only keep essentials on your desk, because a tidy space equals a tidy mind.

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6. The Kitchen

Being the place where the cooking and experimenting take place, it only makes sense for the kitchen to be a clutter hotspot.

Let’s streamline it for a happier cooking experience.

Do a pantry purge first. Check expiration dates, toss anything that’s past its prime, and donate what you won’t use.

Keep countertops clear by storing appliances you don’t use daily. It’ll make your kitchen feel so much bigger.

Use bins and racks to maximize cabinet space and keep things orderly.

At last, the fridge. Toss out expired items and leftovers, wipe down the shelves, and group similar items together.

7. Skincare And Makeup Products

What was the last time you went through your skincare and makeup box with the purpose of chucking away the unused stuff?

There are probably items in there that you experimented with only to find out that it doesn’t suit your skin, along with products you got bored of (like an overused shade of lipstick).

And don’t even get me started on the expired skincare products.

You don’t want a careless application ruining your skin, do you?

Declutter your skincare thingies and keep only what you use regularly or during special occasions.

The rest you can throw or give to a friend who’d love to get their hands on things your skin isn’t fond of.

8. Medicine Box

In case of emergencies, it can be easy to forget about the general rule of thumb for medicine usage — Always check for expiration dates.

That’s why, to stay on the safe side, it’s better to clean up your med box whenever you are on a decluttering spree.

Throw away the expired stuff and organize your meds in a way that makes it easier to find what you need urgently.

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9. Your Accessories

Even the least fashionable people have some accessories.

Be it earrings, belts, rings, neck pieces, anklets, or hats, sort through your collection of accessories to purge out the ones that you haven’t worn in ages.

I usually find a lot of crap items in my pile that I try to hold on to but then let go of.

Prioritize empty space and comfort over anything else here. If you don’t wear it or don’t like it, it goes. Simple as that.

10. Your Car

My brother says that the state of a person’s car says a lot about them. Even though I am not a big car enthusiast like he is, I agree.

You can tell whether a person is organized or not by looking at their interior.

Your car shouldn’t be a mobile junk drawer.

Look at your trunk first and make sure you only keep essentials there, like an emergency kit, reusable bags, and a spare tire. Everything else can go.

Take a few minutes each week to clear out the trash in your car (empty cans and packets, wrappers, used napkins), and wipe down the surfaces.

Keep your car documents in a small folder and avoid storing anything else in it for the sake of ease.

11. Computer Desktop And Downloads Folder

Your computer desktop can quickly become a digital dumping ground. The same goes for the downloads folder.

If you leave these two spots on your computer unattended, it can lead to chaos, confusion, and misplaced files in the future.

Organize the files in these places into folders and delete what you don’t need.

Your downloads folder should be as empty as possible, and your desktop shouldn’t contain any important files unless they’re backed up elsewhere.

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12. Books And Stationary

It can be hard to part way with books, but we all have some paperbacks with us that don’t mean much to us.

If you’ve read it and don’t plan to read it again, donate it.

Whenever I decide to declutter my bookshelf, I always find something that I don’t need.

Other than your books, your stationary space could also be in need of some decluttering.

I am talking about filled notebooks, paper clutter, and used pens.

I don’t know about you, but every time I clean out my pen stand, I feel like I’ve won a battle.

It’s sometimes the tiniest things in our room that need frequent decluttering, and stationary items are one of them.

13. Sentimental Stuff

It’s tough to declutter items with sentimental value, but it can be done.

Find ways to repurpose sentimental items into something useful or display-worthy.

Keep a small box for sentimental items and limit yourself to that space.

You can call this your memory box. Digitize photos and create online albums. This will save you space and keep your memories safe.

14. Toys

If you have kids, you know how quickly toys can take over the home space.

Declutter your kids’ toy boxes on the weekend, with their help, of course, because they should also learn.

Keep a few toys out and store the rest. Rotate them every few weeks to keep things fresh.

Donate what your kids have outgrown, and use labeled bins to keep toys organized and easy to find.

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15. Linen Closet

A cluttered linen closet can be a nightmare, especially when during season change.

Go through your linen closet refold the sheets and organize them according to their purpose.

Keep only two sets of sheets per bed in your closet, and store away, donate, and repurpose the rest.

Keep a set number of towels per person, separating them from guest towels.

Comforters should be neatly folded instead of sloppily thrown inside the closet.

Wrap some naphthalene balls in a cloth and keep them amidst your linen to have them smell good throughout the year.

15. The Garage

The garage is often a catch-all for everything we don’t know where to put.

Go through the garage every few months to keep it from becoming too cluttered.

Create zones for different types of items (tools, sports equipment, seasonal decor).

Use wall-mounted racks and shelves to keep the floor clear.

17. Papers

Paper clutter can pile up quickly if not dealt with on time. Let’s get it under control asap.

Shred old documents you no longer need but that contain personal information.

Go paperless with bills and statements whenever possible. Create a simple filing system for important documents.

Whenever possible, deal with paper clutter the moment you lay your eyes on it.

If you form a habit of decluttering paper on the spot, it won’t get accumulate as often.

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18. Hobby Supplies

Hobbies can bring joy, but their supplies can bring clutter.

Go through your hobby stuff like old instruments, paint brushes, and sketchpads, and deal with whatever is no longer of use.

Use bins and shelves to keep hobby materials sorted and easy to find.

If you’ve abandoned projects, let them go and free up space for new creative endeavors.

This is the whole purpose of decluttering — To make space in your surroundings and in your mind for new and better things.

19. Social Media

Even your social media can use a declutter session. It will make your online life more meaningful and manageable.

Time and again, go through your friends/followers list and remove those you no longer interact with.

Have a YouTube unfollow spree where you hit the unfollow button on channels that don’t bring you joy or add value.

Social media curation is a real thing, you know.

Your social media feeds should inspire you, not overwhelm you.

20. Shoe Collection

Got any worn-out heels, shoes, or sandals? Or any pairs that you’ve outgrown?

Time to declutter your shoe closet and put those pairs to rest.

Start by taking out all your shoes that are in no condition of repair, and then with a strict mind, discard those that you know you won’t be wearing again.

It’s okay to part ways with shoes that don’t bring you confidence or make your feet hurt.

Just make a note to avoid such shapes and designs in the future, and donate what you can to someone in need.

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21. Your Social Circle

Sometimes, the most impactful decluttering we can do is within our social circle.

It’s important to surround yourself with people who uplift and support you and distance yourself from those who give you trouble.

Are there friendships that drain your energy or bring negativity into your life?

Set your boundaries and distance yourself from such people for the sake of your mental well-being.

Focus on nurturing connections that bring you joy, inspire you, and help you grow.

Remember, it’s not about the quantity of friends, but the quality of those relationships that truly matters.

Time To Start Decluttering

I’ll admit that decluttering isn’t the most fun task in the world. I find myself putting it off too much for my liking.

But one thing I’ve realized about such daunting tasks is that you gotta break them to crack them.

Instead of embarking on a long and confusing decluttering spree, it’s better to take it one area at a time and do it at your own pace.

My advice is to pick something from this list whenever you have free time at home and cross it off your decluttering checklist.

Once you’ve crossed all the items off, you can start all over again and keep going this way.

I hope you’ll give this method a try. Happy decluttering!

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Got any decluttering tips of your own? Share them in the comment box below! It’s always lovely to chat with you.