15-Minute Hack I Use To Declutter My Home Every Week

By nature, I'm an organized person and home management is just part of my daily routine. That being said, drawers, closets, desks, and counters in my home tend to get cluttered quickly — especially since my whole family is currently working, schooling, and living at home. I admit, I'm no Marie Kondo, however I do love a clean home.

So, here's my 15-minute decluttering hack that keeps my space feeling less messy: I've set a notification on my phone's Reminders app to be triggered every Sunday, prompting me to declutter for only 15 minutes. How I follow this cleaning schedule differs every week. I go room-by-room. Projects usually include cleaning out my makeup drawer, my spice cabinet, inside my refrigerator, the cabinet where I keep wrapping paper, my kitchen utensil drawer, my desk area, paper clutter, and of course, the junk drawer. I donate, recycle, or throw away items that no longer serve me and my family. It's my own fine art of tidying up and freeing up some storage space.

Each week is a different project — that is, until I see that it's time to address that area again, usually within three to six months.

Sanford Creative

So, as you see, I like to simplify and follow a minimalist routine. Instead of doing an entire decluttering project around my house, which feels like a daunting chore, I've broken it down into a once-a-week manageable task. Or should I say, a manageable ​habit​.

James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits, suggests that in order to build a new habit, you need to make it "easy enough that you don't need motivation to do it." And from there, you can increase your habit in small ways. Clear suggests to "start small and gradually improve. Along the way, your willpower and motivation will increase, which will make it easier to stick to your habit for good."

And, that's just what I did: Set up an automatic reminder so I don't need the motivation to do it. I just need the prompt. Keeping it to 15 minutes makes it easy enough, and by doing it every week, makes it a habit. If you want to start small, just set your notification for five minutes or 10 minutes — you can always increase your habit in small increments as you're ready.

Stephen Paul for Hunker

You don't need a professional organizer who will charge for organization tips. Save money and keep it simple. Think of it: Just 15 minutes a week to a clutter-free life — because a decluttered and organized home equals homemaking done right. Kind of like year-round spring cleaning.

For more cleaning hacks, cleaning products, and DIY cleaning solutions, visit Hunker's Squeaky page. Your home is going to sparkle!