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I find this week so important that I was tempted to do storage and closets on week 1. If your “hidden places” are organized, the rest of the house follows suit. When your storage areas are overstuffed and overflowing, it spills over into your living spaces. However, when these areas are decluttered and organized, it usually means everything in your house has a place it belongs.
If everything has a place, it is so easy to tidy up your house quickly. When it takes someone a long time to clean and tidy their homes, the diagnosis is usually too much stuff without a set place to go. If you have to create new places to shove things whenever you cleanup, that takes so much more time than just simply putting something away. Not to mention, without the “where will this go” obstacle, you’ll find yourself cleaning up right away instead of procrastinating.
To say it simply: when it takes you a long time to clean your home, you probably have too much stuff and your stuff doesn’t have a designated place to be stored. Decluttering your storage and closets lays the foundation for having your entire house organized.
Take this week seriously and get your storage under control! The effect will create a positive domino effect across your entire household.
Reminders:
- Follow the steps in How To Declutter, which includes actually emptying each small area as you declutter.
- Continue to go back to the Required Reading for inspiration throughout the Declutter Challenge. Many of the posts have been updated and I’m slowly adding videos!
- If you’d like to see the whole plan at once, instead of one week at a time, you can get a Declutter Printable Pack. I’ve updated the Declutter Challenge guide and I think it will help you finish this challenge successfully.
- Just Joining Us? It may be tempting to start from the beginning, but I think you should start on the current week with the group.
Now on to your assignment for the week …
Week #5 – Storage & Closets
Here are the areas to declutter each day to complete storage and closets. Do your best to match closets and storage to the following list, but adapt as necessary.
Monday – coat closet
Tuesday – linen closet
Wednesday – mud area
Thursday – closet under stairs or other closet
Friday – holiday decorations
Saturday – attic or other storage
Sunday – rest for the week ahead
Take the time right now to plan these tasks into your week. Make arrangements and changes to your schedule when necessary. You may have to let go of something to focus on the challenge, but the sacrifice will be worth it in the end!
The Declutter Guide
👉 Only one week of the challenge is available on the blog each week during my 91 Day Declutter Challenge while I offer it freely once a year to my blog readers. My declutter program is only available via purchase the rest of the year. The complete declutter program can be found in the Declutter Challenge Guide I offer in my shop. I put it on a big sale during the annual Declutter Challenge as an incentive to get the guide because ultimately, I do think it helps you be more successful! Plus, it does contain things not found on the blog. Though the guide is definitely not required to participate, I really appreciate your support of my little blog!

And I’ll say it again for safe-keeping, please don’t forget to continue to read the Required Reading throughout the challenge to keep the declutter inspiration flowing.
Have a great week of decluttering!
From my home to yours,
Mary
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I’m trying to access some of the declutter challenge information. Where can I find it?
The challenge is available for free during the annual event, but the rest of the year you can purchase the printable – https://creatingmaryshome.com/store/2017-Declutter-Challenge-Printable-Pack-Digital-Download-p76439397
I am in a declutter dilemma. I have an original acrylic painting of a dump truck I did for our grandson when he moved into his big boy room. He is 16 now and hunting decor replaced it, ha. It measures 30W x 1.5D x 24H in. I just put it on marketplace but not getting much interest. Do I just donate to Salvation Army? Our DIL gave it back to us. She is in the new era of not saving sentimental things to pass on like we did.
I think your DIL giving it back to you says so much about the positive relationship you have with her that she feels comfortable doing that. It sounds like she is helping give your grandchildren a clutter-free home, which is wonderful. Nothing will take away the memories of the paintings. I think it’s okay to let it go. Stuff is just stuff, but family relationships are everything.
Getting the closets under control really helps minimize mess in the rest of the house. Great tips!
Thanks!