Free Declutter Checklist
The list below is a tool you can use to get started today. You can check off each item and before you know it, your home will be a clutter free zone. Print off the list and add to it. Once you make the initial run through, maintaining your clean home will be easy.
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Declutter the Outside
Start outside your home. This will set the mood for what to expect inside. When you go home at night and find a neatly trimmed yard and welcoming front entrance, it won’t matter how rough your day was. You’ll be able to rest and relax in a clean and organized home.
Outside Front Entrance:
- Remove dead leaves and limbs from walkways, entrance and yard
- Trim shrubbery and trees
- Wash windows (keep windows clean)
- Remove cobwebs regularly
- Sweep debris away from front door as necessary
- Collect mail daily
- Mow your yard
- Put away all tools in the garage or outbuilding
- Roll hoses up
- Clean out gutters
- Repair shutters
- Paint where needed
- Mulch flowerbeds
- Repair fences and anything else
Start Inside the Front Door
Once you have the outside decluttered, start at the entrance and work your way through the house room by room.
Foyer:
- Hang up coats in closet or armoire
- Place shoes in closet
- Vacuum or sweep
- Dust and polish furniture
- Add an umbrella stand or storage area for umbrellas
Den:
- Make sure furniture doesn’t block natural traffic pathways when entering the room or moving through it to the rest of the house.
- Pick up discarded items, clothing, magazines, toys, games, empty plates or glasses. Return each to the proper storage areas.
- Sort through stacks of magazines and newspapers. Give them away or take them to a recycling center periodically.
- Repair blinds, shades, curtains, draperies or broken rods. Bbroken items are considered clutter.
Kitchen:
- Don’t allow dirty dishes to stack up in the sink or on the table
- Declutter countertops tops
- Organize and maintain cabinets
- Wash floors regularly
- Keep sinks clean and unclog drains
- Replace worn out scrub pads, sponges and kitchen towels
- Replenish soap dispensers
- Clean cabinets, stove range and oven regularly
- Throw out spoiled food in refrigerator
- Wash around light switches and doors
- Clean pet bowls
- Clean windows
- Keep blinds dusted
- Don’t allow trash to overflow or accumulate several bags of trash before taking outside
Laundry:
- Keep up with laundry, don’t let it accumulate
- Fold and put laundry away. Don’t allow it to grow into a heap on top of the dryer
- Clean dryer filter regularly
- Remove soap residue before it builds up
- Clean washer and dryer
- Wash floor, windows and clean sinks
- Organize closets
- Store detergent, softeners and other products on shelves or in cabinets
- Keep lids on all products used
- Throw lint into trash cans
Bathrooms:
- Deodorize regularly
- Turn off exhaust fans when not in use
- Keep shower stalls, tubs and sinks clean
- Regularly clean toilets
- Wash windows
- Don’t allow toothpaste buildup in sinks or toothbrush holders
- Clean mirrors
- Pick up towels from floor and hang to dry for reuse or take to laundry room
- Take washcloths to laundry room
- Empty trash can
- Unclog sinks, tubs or showers
- Collect all cosmetics strewn over bathroom or loose in drawers and organize into bins and tubs. Store in drawers, cabinets or closet
Bedrooms:
- Make bed in mornings before leaving bedroom
- Dust furniture
- Vacuum regularly
- Hang up clothes
- Put away shoes and other items
- Use armoire and dressers for additional clothing storage
- Keep towels out of bedroom and in bathroom
- Place dirty clothes in hamper or take to laundry room
- Don’t eat food in bedroom. This is a bad practice and can create rodent and bug infestations
- Take any dirty dishes to kitchen for washing
- Keep windows clean
- Dust overhead light fixtures and fans
- Replace burned out light bulbs
- Keep nightstand free of clutter
- Organize closets and drawers
- Store suitcases in attic or garage, not under the bed or in closet
- Dust regularly underneath bed
Home Office:
- Keep desk clean
- Sort through any stacks of paper and file.
- Empty trash can
- Replace burned out light bulbs
- Remove stacks of boxes and store in attic or garage
- Open, sort and handle any unread mail or bills
- When working in office make it a work zone only
- Untangle wires, tie together to keep out of sight
- Organize drawers, files and closet
Other items:
- Remove any cobwebs in corners
- Mop or vacuum floors regularly
- Remove shoes when entering home so you don’t track in germs and dirt.
- Store shoes in closets, never in the open, never beside the front or back door or underneath furniture.
- Clean and remove stains on rugs, carpets, floors, sinks, tubs, or showers.
- Keep windows clean inside and outside.
- Designate place for keys and use it
- Vacuum carpets, rugs and floors regularly
- Empty trash regularly
- Wash and maintain windows
- Replace burned out light bulbs
- Organize closets
Vehicles
- Clean out cars, trucks and SUVs
- Keep a trash bag in your vehicle and empty regularly
- Empty cigarette trays
- Wash, wax, vacuum and detail and regularly
- Check fluids
- Replace worn out parts
Why All These Things Work
Using this free declutter checklist, you can achieve immediate results. Chi energy is in all living things and needs to be free to move through your home without being bogged down by clutter and dirt. Stagnant chi can make you and your family ill. It can stop the flow of money and opportunities. Not only does it make good feng shui sense to keep a clutter free home and vehicle, it also will make you feel better and help you to be more efficient. You’ll benefit by being more productive and having more free time to spend with your family.