How to Declutter an Entire Room in One Day – Decluttering Series #8

Declutter An Entire Room

Is there one room that is driving you crazy? Decluttering is a bummer, but it must be done and there are a variety of ways to approach the process. If you want to just get it done and complete one room all at once, read on and follow the tips below to declutter an entire room in one day.

Gather Your Tools

Here is a list of tools to make your job easier.

1. 1. Large Garbage Bags for trash and recycle.
   2. Baskets or Boxes to hold things you plan to keep or sort through, and boxes or bags for donations.
   3. Sticky notes/Labels and Sharpie Markers.

1. A Timer to help keep you on track. (There are a lot to choose from!)

If you truly want to declutter an entire room in one day, set aside the time and a large space for sorting; this can be on a bed, a card table or just the middle of the floor. Happy music and a big mocha or latte could not hurt either. Try putting on some music to keep the mood light and have one of your favorite yummy drinks by your side.

Label Your Baskets

Use the Sticky notes and marker to label your boxes or baskets. If you like labels that you can stick on a box better, get a pack of those. You will want one for Keep, one for Action Needed (for repairs, returning to friends, etc.), one for Sell and one for Move (to another room). You may also wish to label your boxes if you plan to donate to separate places, but this is not always necessary.

Make A Game Plan

Think about how you plan to tackle the room. You can go in a single direction, focusing on one shelf or drawer at a time, and commit not to return to an area you have already gone over. Otherwise, you may wish to start with the back of the room and work from left to right, then toward the door. Or, you could begin at one side of the room, moving steadily across to the other side. Just have a plan.

When I decluttered an entire room in one day, I removed all items that did not belong and placed them in the center of the room. This did not include items found inside of drawers. I put labeled boxes and a trash bag next to the pile. Then, I sorted everything until the pile was gone. Finally, I took all boxes to their proper location and the trash bag outside.

If there was still time in my day, I went through all drawers and closets in that room and repeated the process. Seeing a visually pleasing room kept me going. Here is how I did it.

Remove the Big Items First

Before you get down to the nitty-gritty of emptying drawers or clearing shelves, it makes sense to get rid of any large items you can. Set a timer for 15 minutes. Enlist a friend to help carry, and start moving large items you plan to get rid of. Items like furniture fall into this category. Take another 15-minute sweep if need be.

Next, Comes The Medium Sized Items

You will have more space for sorting after removing big items that are no longer wanted or needed. Medium-sized items come next in this decluttering process. Anything on desk, dresser, or counter tops that are taking up space or creating a cluttered view should be moved elsewhere. Simply repeat the same steps you took for the large items, except, put these items in their designated containers or drawers instead of removing them from the room completely. Of course, if there are things you no longer want, get rid of them.

Now The Small Stuff

Once again, repeat the process with the small things. This is probably where you will need your sorting space like the bed or table. Handling the smaller items might take longer due to the sorting process, so feel free to set your timer a few extra rounds. In a perfect world, all of the small stuff would find a new home. However, you might want to keep a small box on hand for things you want to keep but do not know where to put.

Even with a lot of clutter, to declutter an entire room should not take more than a day to complete. You just have to commit to it and dig in. That means, turning off all distractions. Also, be firm with yourself when it comes to deciding what to discard. This is the part that trips up many people. Keep only what enhances your life. If necessary, come back the next day to organize. The important part is removing what is no longer needed.

Until next time…

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