Declutter Challenge 2026 - Day 1 - Garbage
- Karen
- 17 hours ago
- 4 min read
Okay everyone, on your mark, get set, GO.
Our first couple of days is about ONLY having items in the sewing room that BELONG in our sewing room. Chances are with the busy-ness of the past month, you have dumped a ton of stuff and debris in your sewing space thinking that you’ll deal with it after the holidays.
So today it's all about the garbage. For every item you look at today, you are asking this question...and only this question:
Is this garbage?
Set the timer for 15 minutes.
Give yourself a target of picking up 20 items. Repeat with another 20 items...if you have the time.
Throw it into your boxes.
Toss it in the dumpster.
Share with us.
Pacing
This is a long-distance event so pacing is very important. If you have more garbage than a 15-minute session can handle, be sure to take a break after 15 minutes. Have a cup of tea, read for 15 minutes or go for a quick walk. Remember, we are only looking at garbage. Go for another 15 minutes if you desire.
If this takes you more than 4 x 15 minutes sessions, chances are you are trying to organize. And organizing, while decluttering, will lead to burnout.
Try saying the question of the day out loud. You are more likely to stay on track.
The Obvious
What are you looking for?
The packaging from holiday gifts
Food wrappers
Old receipts
Flyers
Instructions in another language
Quick-start guides
Old post-it notes
Overflowing scrap baskets
Pens and markers that no longer work
etc.
Containers
And then there is garbage disguised as something else. It's amazing how much clutter is disguised as packaging.
Bags
Cartons
Tins
Wrappers
Boxes
It’s hard, but let the container go.
I learned this lesson in 2021. I love pretty packaging; however, I found that I disliked empty spots in the display box. Which sets up a desire to keep the collection together. And not only does the shape of the packaging make it hard to store it where you need it to be, it also causes extra steps for you to retrieve and put away items.
So I now release those pretty boxes...In 2021, it was the thread box. 2022 was an embroidery kit. 2023 it was a scissor gift box. Last year, it was a was a whiskey box. This year, I have been so strict with myself that there were no boxes to declutter.
Papers
And there are papers we are saving just in case we need the information. Unless you have an action attached to it, like the fabric requirements for an upcoming workshop, you can most likely let go of it. Almost everything is available online if you need it again.
I rarely keep manuals anymore. I used to tear off the other languages but now you can find all the manuals online. And on Youtube you can most likely find a video for use and care.
I like to do this challenge by find 20 pieces of trash at a time. I've always been a counter so this naturally works for me. But it also forces me to look harder at the items in plain sight. Look up, look down and don't forget the wall and bulletin boards. I found two movie coupons and a store gift card I forgot totally about.
Sewing Machine
You have a second task today, and that is to pull out your sewing machine. You might need to clear a path or deal with a pile of stuff that was dumped on top of it. Do not try to organize the stuff in the way. Just put it aside and deal with it on a later day in the challenge.
Now full disclosure, I had to do my Day 1 & 2 before the holidays as my #3 child and his partner come to visit for two weeks over the holidays (and just left yesterday). But still, today, I found that, because of Christmas and the chaos of having others in my home, there is a ton of packaging, wrappers and papers all over the house that needed to go into the recycling bins. From decluttering in previous years, I also know that it's important to get the garbage out of my room as soon as possible. So, I try to dump it in the outside bins daily.
You might find this all much more enjoyable if you have music or a podcast playing in the background. I like to listen to old episodes of my podcast, Karen's Quilt Circle, during the challenge. I forget how many amazing people I have interviewed. They are all still very inspiring. Here is a link to the playlist. Maybe you'll find one that you have not watched yet.
And new this year, I'll recommend 2 videos (either a podcast or one of mine) to listen to or watch on your break. Just click on the picture to start the video.
Remember that we are investing the time to make our sewing rooms a space where we create and recharge.
What was the oddest thing you decluttered today? Post your photos on our Facebook group and Instagram. And use the hashtags #declutterchallenge2026.
See you tomorrow for Day Two.