10 Minute Decluttering Tasks that Have a BIG Impact

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Are you caught up in the KonMari craze, but lacking the time or motivation to declutter your entire house?  Are you eager to declutter but overwhelmed by the scale of the job in front of you?  I’ve got you covered.

I’ve rounded up five high-impact decluttering tasks that can be completed in 10 minutes or less.  These are small, simple, and most of all easy decluttering tasks that will have a big impact in your day-to-day life.

These may give you the motivation to kick off a larger decluttering spree, or they may be enough on their own.  Either way, I guarantee you’ll be glad you tackled them!

1. Declutter your email

Digital clutter is clutter – and we collect a lot of it.  If you’re anything like me, your email inbox becomes a catch-all for everything – things you need to deal with, remember, and save.  It isn’t long before it gets completely overwhelming.

Delete what you can.  File the rest.  If you’ve saved an email because of something you need to do or remember, deal with it now or transfer it to your calendar or to-do list, then delete or file the email.

If you want to go one step further, unsubscribe from all of the emails that you never read.  I did this a year ago, and can tell you that I don’t miss them in the slightest!

Related: Simplify and Organize your Digital Life

2. Declutter your mind

The invisible mental load is real, and it’s exhausting.

Take a few minutes to do a brain dump – write down everything you need to do and remember, no matter how minor.  From scheduling appointments, to buying birthday gifts, to figuring out summer camps, to items you need to return to the store, write down everything.  Write down events in your calendar, and write down tasks on your to-do list.

The simple act of writing things down is enormously helpful for me.  It may be that writing things down makes them less likely to be forgotten, or perhaps it creates the illusion of being organized.  Whatever the case, once I’ve written things down, I’m able to take a step back and come up with a plan of action.

Related: How to Manage the Invisible Mental Load of Motherhood

3. Declutter your purse

With small kids, your purse (or diaper bag) quickly becomes a repository for everything. I’m always amazed at the items that end up in my purse.  While writing this I found 2 hairbows, 2 temporary tattoos, 4 pieces of artwork, and a pipecleaner bracelet.  At least there was no toddler underwear or crushed granola bar this time?

Empty everything out of your purse or diaper bag, and only let items back in if they belong and they’re organized.  If you want to go the extra mile, tackle your wallet too – if you’re anything like me you’re probably carrying around a stack of receipts and loyalty cards that you don’t need.

Related: 8 Simple Habits for an Organized Home

4. Clean out the fridge

Cleaning out your fridge is another simple task that has a big impact.  Your fridge is one of the most-used appliances in your home, and a disorganized fridge causes aggravation every time you open it.

You don’t need to do a full deep clean here – although you can if you want to.  If you do, I suggest waiting until grocery shopping day, so the fridge is as empty as possible.

Toss the expired and spoiled food, and the unidentifiable leftovers.  Give the shelves a quick wipe.  When you place items back in, organize them by type (salad dressing, condiments, beverages, etc.) – and explain the organization system to your other family members!

5. Tackle your trouble area

This last one is specific to you. We all have an area in our home that collects clutter. For me, it’s my dining room table. For you, it might be your kitchen counters, your nightstand, or the coffee table.

Clean it off and put everything away. Deal with any paperwork that needs to be dealt with, then shred it or file the paper.

Don’t create piles. Instead, return every item to it’s proper home. The goal is to get back to a clear surface. Clutter begets clutter – a cleared-off surface can actually help prevent clutter from accumulating in the first place.

Related: 191+ Things to Throw Away

That’s it! As promised, these tasks are simple and quick. By tackling areas that you deal with every day, decluttering is going to make a big difference.