The 20-minute decluttering method involves setting a timer for 20 minutes to intensely clear, organize, or remove items from a specific, small, and manageable area—like one drawer or shelf—without getting distracted. It is designed to overcome overwhelming, "just-in-case" clutter by making quick, decisive, and consistent progress, rather than tackling an entire room at once.
The 20/20 decluttering rule, popularized by The Minimalists, helps you decide what to toss by asking if an item can be replaced for under $20 and in under 20 minutes from your current location; if the answer is yes to both, you likely don't need to keep it, especially for "just-in-case" items, freeing up space and reducing clutter by letting go of things you probably won't miss.
The 5 5 5 decluttering rule refers to a few different methods, but most commonly it's either the 5-Year Rule (if you haven't used it in 5 years, let it go) or a time-based approach like the 5x5 Method (5 areas for 5 minutes each) or the 5-Minute Challenge (5 minutes daily) to make the task less overwhelming and encourage quick decisions, often using timers and focusing on small zones or items to build momentum.
The 333 method philosophy revolves around one simple rule: you choose 33 items to wear for 3 months. This includes clothing, accessories, outerwear and shoes, but excludes essentials like underwear, sleepwear or workout gear.
20 Easy One Minute Habits for Minimalism and Decluttering Your Home
What is the 10 10 10 rule for decluttering?
The 10-10 decluttering method is pretty simple — choose an area, set a timer for 10 minutes and get rid of 10 items in that space. "If you notice other items you don't need, remove them as well, but make sure to stick to the 10-minute timeframe," says professional organizer Tonia Tomlin of Sorted Out.
The 12-12-12 decluttering method, created by Joshua Becker of Becoming Minimalist, is a simple strategy to tackle clutter by finding 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to put back in their proper place, making large organizing tasks feel manageable and less overwhelming, often by completing these three small tasks in a specific area. It works as a great starting point, encourages quick decisions, and can be repeated as often as needed to reset a room or home.
Galia Ivanova, owner at Cleaning Estimate, explains, 'The method consists of 20 minutes focused cleaning followed by a 10 minute break – making cleaning feel less like a chore and more like a manageable, repeatable rhythm.
The best order to clean a house is top-to-bottom and back-to-front, starting with tidying, then dusting high surfaces (fans, shelves, vents) and walls, moving to windows and furniture, tackling wet areas (kitchen/bathrooms), and finishing with floors (vacuuming/mopping) to let gravity work for you and avoid re-cleaning dirt. Start in the rooms farthest from your exit (often bedrooms), work through them, then move to communal areas like living rooms and the kitchen, finishing with your final exit point.
Most people probably think the hardest thing to declutter is sentimental clutter. While it's true that presents its own challenges, I actually think the hardest thing to declutter is aspirational clutter. This type of clutter is tied to your actual identity!
home, the 1% rule involves doing just one small thing to make your home better. The habit definitely leads to a more tidy home, but, more importantly, it also creates a more peaceful emotional state.
Because the kitchen is a high-traffic zone, organizing this space can quickly ease stress and improve your daily routines. It also sets the tone for decluttering other rooms. If you can tackle the busiest space in the house, everything else becomes more manageable.
What happens to your brain when you declutter your home?
Research confirms people think more clearly, and even become less irritable and more productive, in an organized setting than in a cluttered one. By decluttering, you free up mental bandwidth.
Here are 5 clever tips to help you declutter and bring order back to your living space: 1️⃣ Embrace the "One In, One Out" Rule: For every new item you bring into your home, let go of one you no longer need. This simple rule will keep your possessions in check and prevent unnecessary buildup.
Be clear about the sentimental items that should have a place in your home. You only have so much space to store them all. "Family photos, heirlooms, and keepsakes are often decluttered because they feel like clutter, when the real challenge is deciding how to honor the memory," says Hines.
The idea behind Project 333 is simple: Wear only 33 articles of clothing for the next 3 months. All clothing, accessories, jewelry, outerwear, and shoes count towards your number. Exceptions include wedding rings, underwear, sleepwear, in-home loungewear, and workout clothing.
You pick a room, grab a tote, and fill it fast with things that don't belong in there—whether it's stuff that you can trash or stuff that belongs in another room. Then, you dispose of the contents, and prep your bag for another go the next day.
The 5Ss (sort, set, shine, standardise, and sustain) have been adopted by professional home organisers and enthusiastic declutterers alike as a way to – you guessed it – organise the home. Like the Japanese organising principle of inyo-onyo, the 5S method has become increasingly popular lately.
The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy.
The Core 4 Method was created by professional organiser Kayleen Kelly. It's designed to keep things simple and strip decluttering right back to the basics. The four steps — Clear Out, Categorise, Cut Out and Contain — give you a structured plan that says exactly what it does on the tin.
As mentioned, 10 items a day quickly adds up and it gives you a real, quantifiable way to track your decluttering progress. Being able to put a number to the amount of things you've decluttered in just a few days can be motivating, encouraging you to keep up the progress.
