Declutter Challenge 2026 - Before We Begin
- sapphireassociates6
- 5 hours ago
- 4 min read
We are starting the challenge slightly differently this year...with a live Q&A to answer your questions and outline the challenge. It will be held Dec 26th at 7:00pm EST. You can just click the thumbnail above to watch it live or the recording.
Download this thumbnail and post to your social media with the hashtags
Like any challenge, we need to do a bit of prep before we get going.
Decluttering is all about getting stuff out of your space. That includes:
Garbage
Broken and damaged items
Things that belong in other spaces in your home
Stuff that needs to be returned to a Sew Mate
Objects you no longer need, use, or like
Things that no longer serve you
Stuff that no longer makes sense in your space
Already overwhelmed? Just take a deep breath, and tell yourself that "You Got This".
Be Ready With An Exit Strategy
Have donation boxes ready, and know to whom they will be sent. Have separate boxes for garbage, recycling, donations, and returns. Find out when they accept deliveries and plan when you will drop them off. I recommend a weekly drop-off of items so they don't sneak back into your space when you're sleeping. Understand what your local area can recycle, and where the recycling centre is.
Grab a timer
I like to use this cube timer ( I grabbed it off of amazon https://geni.us/FHElloG). It's easy and fast, but you can also use the one on your phone, your watch or your microwave.
Grab a Journal
Handling your stuff will create squirrels (i.e. cute and good ideas that distract you from decluttering). Have a journal, post-it notes, a copy of my weekly handout, or your smartphone ready so you can write them down and deal with them later. I have added white boards to my space as well. Whatever and how many methods you choose just remember that they need to be easily accessible.
Have a Declutter Buddy
A declutter buddy can be a roommate or someone you call for support. I have had to ask my son for some physical help to remove items too large to clear on my own.
You can also be a buddy to someone else. My husband, without any prompting from me, started cleaning his space. So I when I made a run to the donation centre and the garbage bins, I took his discards too. Please share your stories on Facebook or Instagram using #declutterchallenge2026. I'd love to see how you're doing, and we can all follow along.
Know Where You Are Going
Have a picture in your head of what your space will look like at the end. Forget the fancy filming sets or the 2,000 square foot sewing studios. See the potential in what you have.
You Need To Commit
Set time aside every day when you will get it done. I'm going to do it first thing in the morning because I like checkmarks, and checking something off at the beginning of the day energizes me. But that might not work for you. Maybe just before lunch, or after dinner, fits into your schedule better. Just make sure you pick a time when you still have the energy.
Know Your Limits
These are meant to be short 15-30 minute bursts of decluttering and if necessary can be broken down into twelve 5 minute bursts. It's not a daily marathon. Decluttering is a cycle. We live in a time where material things (no pun intended) flow in and out of our lives. So if, at the end of 21 days, you still have work to do, simply start again. Personally, I have cleaned spaces over a 3 month period doing only 5 minutes of decluttering a day.
If you have done the declutter challenge before, you might be wondering what's different about this year. Besides the new graphics, there are a couple of changes. The most important change is you. You are a year older, the people in your space are older, and the world around you has shifted. So from the get-go you will be looking at your space from a different perspective. The order of the days is essentially the same. And, this year we are tackling one or two HOTSPOT days for those spaces that need extra attention. We'll focus on those problem areas on specific days this year! So plan ahead if you have an area that needs tackling separately, and hold it until then.
There will be personal discoveries along the way. Within our home, there are always items that are too hard to deal with...until one year they are not. The relief when you find that you now have the inner strength to make that decision is powerful and can positively affect other areas of your life too. It took me four years to declutter my university textbooks and files and the volume of space it released in my home, in my brain and in my soul cannot be measured with a measuring tape.
So now I look forward to what I will discover this year. And I want you to have that experience too.
Take care. And see you on Jan 1st.