18 Lazy Ways to Keep Your Home Clutter-Free

Minimalism is about less.  Less stuff, less busyness, less debt, less stress.  Less time spent cleaning, organizing, fixing, and looking for things.  Less effort, which allows you to put your best effort toward the pursuits you really care about.

So shouldn't staying clutter-free be nearly effortless?  If it's meant to save your time and energy for better things, then you need lazy ways to accomplish it.

Here it is – the lazy way to declutter and stay that way.

Easy tips to get and stay clutter-free

1.  Understand.

This first one is a realization instead of an action, but it's essential.  You need to understand that the world is finite.  Your time and energy are finite.  Everything you bring into your life takes the world's resources and your time and energy to acquire and maintain.  You're trading all of that for more stuff.  Is it worth it?

2.  Use the Five Minute rule.

Get a box.  Take five minutes and walk through your home (or just one room) and pick up things that don't belong.  Some of this stuff will be garbage (trash it now).  Some will be recyclable (put it in the appropriate bin).  Some of it will belong somewhere else (dirty dishes, dirty clothes, hobby stuff, etc.).  Some of it will be extras you can donate (get it to your car so you can donate it next time you're out).

This is one of the easiest ways to declutter, and if you do it every evening, stuff won't pile up and become a huge mess.

Another way to use this rule is to work in one small area for five minutes.  Take everything out, trash, recycle, or donate what you can, and return only the items you actually need, use, and love.  Try this in your medicine cabinet, utensil drawer, purse, or one of the 31 places I list here.

3.  Take a picture.

Sometimes what looks "cozy" to us is really messy and full of clutter.  But if you're used to it, you may not see it.  Take pictures, and imagine you're looking at someone else's house.  Does this new view make you itch to clean up?  Let the truth inspire you.

4.  Switch your hangers.

This is one of the easiest decluttering tools out there.  Instead of making decisions about what to remove from your wardrobe, let your wardrobe tell you what needs to go.

Simply flip all of your hangers backwards, and when you wear something, turn its hanger back the correct way.  Set a reminder on your phone for 30-60 days, and whatever is still pointing the wrong direction needs to be donated or sold.

There's no dithering, no saying "what if."  The proof is there in front of you.  You see what you wear and what you don't.  Easy.

5.  Double your dinners.

Cook double (or even triple) batches, and freeze the leftovers in glass containers* for later use.  You'll save time cooking and cleaning up, save money by eating at home more often, and save the effort of deciding what to eat all the time.  If you rotate 6-7 favorite recipes, you'll have plenty to choose from.  You don't eat the huge variety of foods you think you do.

*  This blog is powered by reader support.  If you buy through my links, I may earn a small commission.

6.  A place for everything

I'll admit, this can take some effort at first.  But once you've decided/created a spot for each of your possessions to belong, it's super easy to return things when you've finished using them.  I call this "closing the loop."  Whatever your activity, be sure to close the loop by putting things away when you're finished with them.  Otherwise you're just leaving a trail of clutter behind you.

7.  Touch it once.

This means that when you bring mail into the house, you sort through it and recycle, file, or take action right away.

Maybe that sounds like a lot of work, but it's much less work than if you set the mail down day after day until there's a huge pile of who-knows-what, and it will take an hour to deal with it.

When you open your texts or email inbox, deal with whatever is there now.  Respond (be brief; no one reads long emails), save in a folder, or (if it's more involved), add it to your to-do list.  Don't just let it pile up until you dread opening your program.  (BTW, unsubscribe to everything you can.)

When you come in the door with all of your stuff, hang things up, put them away – just do it.  It only takes a couple of minutes, but if you lay it down to deal with later, you might not even get to it.  This is how piles and messes begin.

Use the touch it once method in the kitchen too.  When you take out ingredients for a recipe, measure them, add them, and then return the bottle, box, or bag to where it belongs.  Don't leave everything out, making a big mess to clean up later.  Touch it once, and it's as if your workspace cleans itself!  (Psst... this works when you're showering and getting ready in the morning, too.)

8.  Reverse one in, one out.

Here's a great idea from blogger and podcaster, Gabe Bult.  You've probably heard of the one in, one out rule for keeping your possessions from growing out of control.  You might even have heard of the one in, two out variation, which helps you reduce the number of things you own.

Gabe's idea is the inverse.  Instead of getting rid of a coffee mug whenever you get a new coffee mug, only buy a new coffee mug when your old one is already gone.  With Gabe's version, you only shop when you actually need something.  No more letting yourself feel virtuous about donating "old" things because you already acquired something new.  Wait until something breaks or wears out – then you can shop.

This will revolutionize your relationship to shopping.  You'll get so you don't even look at new stuff unless you have a need.  No more shopping because you're bored or tempted.

9.  Wait before buying.

Some of your best purchases will come from delayed gratification.  If you want to buy something online, add it to your cart and give yourself time to think about it, research it, maybe even forget about it.  If you see something in a store, make a note of it on paper or the list app on your phone, including the price.  Wait a day or two or more, especially before buying something that is not a replacement for an item that's broken or worn out.

After your waiting period, if the item is still something you want, your purchase will be intentional rather than impulsive, rational instead of emotional.  You'll bring less into your home, which is the best way to clear clutter.

10.  Choose your favorites.

Imagine your house filled with just what you use and love, the things that enhance your life.  You can get there by choosing what I call your "ultimate classics."  This is the best you can afford, the most useful and versatile, the items that are just right for you.  When you choose these favorite, necessary items, you realize that anything else is less valuable to you than what you've already selected.  Now you can streamline your belongings without worry or guilt.

11.  Maintain clear zones.

This could be one counter or table that you always leave bare (unless you're actively using it).  Or it might be the top of your dresser, desk, bedside table, or coffee table where you only "allow" one or two items, such as a lamp and a photo.  Even if the rest of your house is out of control, practice keeping this space clear and inviting.  You can gradually expand the space to an entire room, and then your whole house.  Give yourself a vision and encouragement for what you can accomplish.

12.  Say no to freebies.

If you're a frugal person, it can be hard to turn down that free pen, mug, tee shirt, water bottle, tote bag, etc.  However, they're not things you need, so they're instant clutter.  It's crucial to learn the habit of not giving up space to something you wouldn't pay money for.

13.  Enlist help.

Talk to the people you live with about why you want to live with less clutter.  Outline some of the benefits, and see if you can get them on the same page with you, at least in the parts of your home that you all share (i.e. let their bedroom really be their domain).  You can double or triple your decluttering effectiveness when others work with you.

14.  Use my dad's "one minute" rule.

If it only takes a minute (or two), do it now.  Take out the garbage, put your shoes and purse away, hang up your towel, fold the blanket you were cuddling with on the sofa.  You get the idea.  One minute is easy, lazy, and makes a surprising amount of difference!

15.  Watch an episode of Hoarders.

If this doesn't scare you into decluttering, I don't know what will.

16.  If you can borrow it, don't buy it.

This works for books.  It works for tools and equipment for the house, yard, or kitchen.  It works for camping gear.  It works for something dressy for that wedding you've been invited to.  If you only need it once (or rarely), and you can borrow it from a friend, family member, party rental, library, etc., don't buy it.  It will just get dusty in storage.

17.  Make it last.

If you own something useful, take care of it.  Instead of upgrading to a new phone or computer, take care of the one you have.  Do regular maintenance on your car and keep it clean.  Wash your clothes in cold water and hang delicate items to dry.

These and other actions can make your belongings last, which saves you money.  Some of these actions take a little time, but shopping for new stuff takes time.  Earning the money to pay for new stuff takes time.  Doing without what you need because you were careless and wrecked it is aggravating.  Taking care of your belongings will repay you in many ways.

18.  Find your uniform.

Most people wear 20% of the clothing they own 80% of the time, so discovering your 20% will save you the time, money, effort, and hassle of acquiring the 80% that's just going to clutter your closet.  You may be reaching for the same things over and over anyway, so why not become intentional about wearing a uniform?

If the idea of this scares you or sounds too boring, start small.  Choose a weekend uniform, perhaps a pair or two of just-right jeans, a favorite color and style of shirt, comfy shoes, and one jacket in a versatile hue.  Try sticking with these 7-8 pieces for your leisure time.  (If you also need workout wear, choose just a set or two.)  After a few weeks, evaluate.

I think you'll love the straightforward ease of a uniform.

The easy way to declutter.

I love a clean house, but I don't love cleaning, so I use these lazy methods of decluttering and staying clutter-free.  I think they'll work for you, even if you've struggled before.  Which of these quick and easy methods do you like best?