Let’s take a closer look at what family meeting agendas are, why they’re useful, and what to include on yours. I’ll also share some conversation topics and agenda item ideas for your next family meeting.

What is a family meeting agenda?

A family meeting agenda is a lot like an agenda for a business meeting. It features the date, time, and agenda topics. The goal is to help you stay organized, discuss what’s important, and cover everything you want to say.

With a family meeting agenda, it’s easy for the whole family to see what’s going to be discussed at the weekly family meeting. It promotes open communication, trust, and encourages everyone to get involved — especially older children that can help contribute to the agenda.

You could start a digital family meeting worksheet or template, or use a printable family meeting agenda template. Whatever works best for your family.

Why do you need a family meeting agenda?

Family meeting agendas are a great way to simplify the process of hosting weekly family meetings. They make everything easier — from planning, to staying focused, to following up on what’s happened since last week.

A family meeting agenda can help you:

• Stay more organized
• Feel prepared ahead of your family meetings
• Create a template you can re-use to save time
• Work on problem-solving obstacles together
• Focus on what’s most important to you
• Stay focused, so you don’t get distracted and veer off track
• Help you share more compliments and praise
• Keep track of what’s happening in your family

These are just some of the benefits of family meeting agendas. Introducing one to your own family get-togethers will help you understand just how impactful they can be, and might help you find some other benefits too.

What to include on the family meeting agenda

Most family meeting agendas feature very similar structures and talking points. If you’re about to run your first meeting, or you just want to improve what’s already happening, we’re here to help.

Here’s what to feature on your family meeting agenda.

When the meeting is happening

First up, let everyone know when your family meeting is happening. Set a date, time, and location. This will almost always be at home, and you’ll probably meet at the same time and on the same day each week. Creating a habit around this can help everyone commit to the process.

Family values

Create time on your agenda to highlight family values. You might want to talk about your family rules, family goals, or family culture. Say together what family looks like to you all — and how you’ll embrace this in your everyday behaviors.

Topics to discuss

Next up, list out the topics you want to discuss. Maybe you want to brainstorm ideas together on where to go for your next family vacation, or you want to discuss family life to see what’s working and what isn’t.

Upcoming events

Make sure you include a section all about upcoming events. Look at the family calendar together to see what’s happening next week and for the month ahead. Now’s the time to make sure you have gifts ordered, travel arranged, and appointments booked if you need them.

Time for compliments

Before you finish your meeting, create time for compliments and praise. Encourage every family member to highlight something positive that another has done, and express gratitude or praise. Compliments can be a great way to make everyone feel appreciated and loved, and encourages a culture of kindness.

Family activity

Last but definitely not least, end your meeting with a fun activity. Try something to improve your family bond — like a co-op board game, or head outside to play some casual soccer together. Use this spot to improve on a hobby or interest every week, or mix things up and try different activities together.

35 questions to ask at your family meetings

Stuck for ideas on what to discuss at your next family meeting? Here are some of our favorite tried-and-tested ideas for your family meeting agenda topics.

1. What should be on next week’s meal plan?
2. How do you feel about the time we spend together?
3. What do you love most about family time?
4. How can we introduce more family fun?
5. Which family traditions do you enjoy? Are there any you don’t?
6. How can you be a better friend?
7. What should our family ground rules be?
8. Do you know how to keep a budget?
9. How can we improve our listening skills?
10. Is there anything you need support with right now?
11. What did you enjoy most in the last week?
12. Which life skills should we work on next?
13. How should you apologize?
14. How would you rate your contributions in the previous week?
15. What should we add to the grocery list this week?
16. What random act of kindness could you try this week?
17. Do you know our family emergency plan?
18. Where can you find help if you need it?
19. Which home project should we tackle next?
20. Who can you confide in?
21. Do you know how you can help around the house?
22. Do you need help with any homework?
23. Where should we go for our next family vacation?
24. Have you made time for self care?
25. How can you express gratitude?
26. Which of our family rules needs to be reworked?
27. How do you feel about the idea of getting a family pet?
28. How is everything at school/college?
29. What does it mean to be kind to someone?
30. How do you feel about lying?
31. Do you have any ideas for family days out?
32. What should you do if you see someone hurt someone else?
33. How can you be better at managing money?
34. How do you stand up for yourself?
35. What makes you proud?

These are just a few ideas — the possibilities are endless! You could even introduce some of these as standing questions each week, or rotate through them to keep the conversation fresh.

Host successful family meetings with a family meeting agenda

Running effective family meetings takes patience, kindness, and organization. Use a family meeting agenda to help your meetings go smoothly and take some of the pressure off your plate. Take these ideas to help you build your own agenda template or structure, then re-use it every week — simply change the agenda topics and any questions you want to ask.

That was something I thought I was okay with, but actually when I stopped and paused I realised that the environment we live in has a huge effect on how we feel, act and what we achieve.

When our home is organised and we’re on top of the paperwork, cleaning and clutter I feel much calmer and more inspired. It’s easier to grab the laptop and get cosy at the dining table for a writing session if you don’t need to clear away the post and discarded toys first, after all.

That’s not the only benefit from having a clutter free home – I’ve shared some of my favourite reasons to declutter your home below.

7 Reasons to Declutter Your Home

Decluttering makes cleaning quicker

If you find cleaning to be a chore or have limited time (don’t we all?) then this is a major plus point. Reducing the amount of items we keep on surfaces and decorating our home means less objects to pick up, move, clean and re-organise. It’s much quicker to give the dining table a daily clean if it’s not home to yesterday’s forgotten objects, and window sills are easily freshened up if there’s no ornaments to move first.

A decluttered home reduces stress and anxiety

One of the happiest outcomes for me personally is that having a tidy, clutter-free home has an overwhelmingly calming effect. My stress levels and anxiety are always lower when my living spaces are clear – freeing me from that guilt you get when you know the post needs dealing with or there’s a stack of dishes waiting to be washed. If you find yourself feeling stressed or weighed down see if you can take a few moments to declutter your home, even if it’s just a corner of a room, and see if it brings you some calm.

Decluttering akes you a more conscious shopper

Knowing what you have and heading towards a life with less ‘stuff’ means that you’re more conscious and intentional with what you buy. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve bought the kids a jacket only to look in the washing basket, their backpack and the car and realise they don’t need another at all. Owning less and putting things where they belong contributes to a better sense of what we need or don’t need. A bonus from this is that you should see a healthier bank balance too, thanks to not buying items you don’t need.

Clutter free living helps you be more organised

Putting things where they belong and not letting them clutter your home means that it’s easier to stay organised and on top of things. No more wondering whether you’ve paid that bill (because you’ve actioned it, then filed the bill away) or wondering where your keys are (on the hook instead of hiding underneath a coat, two books and five lovingly-made kids paintings). If you’re trying to become more organised, especially if you’ve got a busy family or lots of commitments, living a clutter-free lifestyle definitely helps.

Decluttered spaces can be more appealing to look at

If you love the way a minimally-styled home looks then this is another reason to reduce the clutter. Alongside the appeal of how a simple, focused sideboard looks there’s the added benefit that removing the clutter helps you figure out your own style – and it’s easier to choose pieces that you’ll love to look at every day. Even if you don’t go down the minimal route, removing clutter means you can show off your treasured possessions and photo frames without anything getting in the way.

Decluttering saves time

If you declutter your home you’ll save time when it comes to cleaning but it’s much wider than that. You’ll save time spent looking for things you need for work that day or the school run, plus if you keep your surfaces tidy there’s no tidying to do when you get home from a long day. As a busy parent I love anything that saves me time, leaving me more of it to spend with the kids.

A clutter free environment allows creativity to blossom

A tidy, simple home gives you plenty of space to explore your creativity. If you’re a fellow blogger, creative or business owner then this could have a big effect on your productivity and the quality of your work. I know that I struggle to write if there’s clutter on the desk and taking product photos becomes a chore if you need to tidy the room first. Eliminating as many barriers as possible to creativity and working productively is so, so rewarding.

So those are some of MY top reasons to declutter your life, but I’d love to know why you keep your home tidy and organised or why you think it’d help if it’s something you’re aiming for.

If you don’t keep on top of it though, these chores easily mount up. You find yourself lost in cluttered surfaces, a bathroom that needs a clean and dishes that need washing up from the night before. We all have those moments, and I don’t know about you but if I’m not on top of the household tasks and chores it really affects how I feel about myself and my home.

The good news is that if you’re at a point where you’re not keeping on top of things or your home could do with a spring clean, it’s easy to start and make a dent in it. I’ve recently been through one of those moments myself – with illness and trips away surfaces had become dumping grounds for clutter and the washing mounted up. I took some time out this week to tackle it and bring our home back to the way I love it, so I thought I’d share some of my best house cleaning and tidying tips.

How to keep your house clean and tidy

Create a cleaning schedule

This is my number one tip to keep your house clean and tidy – create a cleaning schedule!

Even if it’s a loose one or one that’s in your head rather than written down, a rough plan is better than none. Having a cleaning schedule gives you a starting point and cuts down on the wondering what to tackle first, and brings some order back into your life if you’ve felt yours has been missing.

I’ve recently created a cleaning schedule based on rooms of the house. I try and work on one room each day of the week and find that this helps cut down on the ‘big cleans’ that need doing, with dusting, tidying and cleaning throughout the week keeping everything fresh.

Keep reading to the end of this post to find a free download for my cleaning schedule template, which you can print out and customise to fit how you like to clean and organise!

Do a little tidying every day

Along with having a focus for each day of the week, cleaning and tidying as you go and doing a little every day makes it less of a big task and more of an integrated part of your life. Staying on top of the household tasks and chores just becomes something that you do daily without much thought – a huge bonus if you’re like me and the idea of ‘chores’ is not your thing at all.

Make a list of the cleaning and tidying tasks that need doing every day and work on them as you go about your day. Here’s a few starters:

• Washing up
• Making the beds
• Wiping surfaces in the kitchen, dining room and bathroom
• Vacuuming any rooms that need it

Use your time wisely

Try and find moments in your day where you’re waiting around and fill them with a chore or two. The best example of this is to wash up pots and pans while you’re waiting for dinner to cook in the oven, or wiping down kitchen surfaces while you’re waiting for the kettle to boil. This is an easy way to keep your house clean and tidy without it taking up extra time in your daily routine.

Make sure you have all the cleaning supplies that you need

Have you ever gone to clean the bathroom and found you’re out of toilet cleaner? Yep, that’s happened to me! Be prepared, plan ahead and make sure you have all the cleaning products and items you need to work through the day’s tasks and chores. It helps to have everything easy to find too – we have all our laundry products in a storage box by the washing machine, and surface cleaners live in the cupboard under the kitchen sink.

Declutter your home and keep surfaces tidy

This is something that’s made a huge difference in how much time I spend cleaning (or agonising over it). By keeping surfaces clear of clutter and tidy it means you only have to move a handful of things before dusting and wiping. Getting into the habit of putting things away after they’ve been used also means you don’t have to do as much tidying at the end of every day – which for me has meant more time to enjoy the evening.

Involve the kids in tidying and cleaning

If your children are old enough (and responsible enough) introducing them to chores at a young age sets them up to be great little helpers. Now that my son is older we’ve introduced some chores that he can join in with – like making his bed and tidying away his toys before bedtime. It’s encouraging him to be responsible and take pride in having a clean and tidy room – hopefully something that he’ll remember when he’s a teen!

Book a day off to do a spring clean if you need to

Sometimes we’re just not on top of things and the housework piles up to a point where doing a little here and there won’t make a dent in it. At times like this I actually book a day off work if I need to (or use one of my at-home days) and dedicate the morning to tidying, cleaning and making our house a home. It’s a great way to help with home cleanliness if you’re at home – like during lockdown. If your home needs a little extra love and you can afford it, take a morning, afternoon or day out and blitz it – it’ll create the perfect foundation for a new, more organised weekly cleaning habit.

Focus on the joy you get from having a clean and tidy house

If you just can’t love the idea of cleaning the bathroom, turn the situation around and think about that feeling you get when everything’s clean, sparkling and organised. The way that everything’s so easy to find and you’re not rushing around in the mornings, stressed out about not being able to find the things you need for your day.

I’ve found that this approach really helps me on days where I want to curl up on the sofa and ignore the washing up. Knowing that I’ll regret that decision later on, and having to give up some of my blogging time for chores, motivates me to work through the chores quickly and positively.

To help make things easier, I’ve put together this decluttering challenge. If you want to have a tidier home in under two weeks then follow this 12 day decluttering challenge.

12 Day Decluttering Challenge

There’s no exact science to decluttering. All our homes and lives are unique, which means that we could approach tidying and organising in a million different ways. But the good news is, once you’ve decluttered it’s easy to create habits that keep your house tidy and organised.

If you’re not sure where to start though, or want the accountability of a set list, this 12 day declutter challenge should help you to transform your home and how you feel about it.

Here it is!

Day 1: Living room and kitchen surfaces

For day one of this decluttering challenge, let’s clear and organise the main surfaces in our living room (lounge) and kitchen. This is the perfect place to start, as it means that your surfaces are nice and clear for organising on the days ahead.

Some of the key areas to declutter today are your:

• Kitchen worktops
• Coffee tables
• Sidetables
• TV stand/media centre

Day 2: Fridge and freezer

Let’s stick with the kitchen for today’s decluttering session and concentrate on the fridge and freezer.

Here’s how I usually declutter and organise our fridge and freezer:

• Take everything out of the fridge/freezer (do these one at a time)
• Sort through any food that’s out of date or has gone bad
• Properly dispose of any unwanted food (in food waste bin) and packaging (recycle if possible)
• Clean the inside of the fridge/freezer
• Clear away any ice
• Put food back into the fridge/freezer and organise in a way that works for your family (I like to group similar items together)
• Clean and organise the fridge/freezer door (if you have magnetic boards/meal planners)

Day 3: Art supplies and stationery

It’s day three of our decluttering challenge and time to tackle the art and stationery supplies cupboard. We keep all of our art supplies for the kids, notepads, and other stationery in boxes in our kitchen/diner and it’s always a mess. If you have lots of festive arts and crafts fun planned, organising your supplies now can make it easier to find what you need.

It can be challenging to organise supplies when everything’s a different shape or size, but here are my storage solutions right now:

• A4 Zippa Bags for loose papers or flat materials
• Kuggis boxes for general arts and crafts supplies (you can stack two per cube in IKEA’s Kallax unit)
• Drona boxes for anything that’s too tall for the Kuggis boxes

Day 4: Seasonal clothing

It seems like the seasons almost sneak up on us, right? With changing seasons it’s time to store away any now-unseasonal clothes and accessories from the warmer or cooler months. I’m guilty of having swimwear and Summer hats lying around the house in January, when they could be stored away in a cupboard out of the way instead.

Before you pack up your seasonal gear, check that you still need them – if you don’t, consider donating or recycling them.

Day 5: Toiletries and makeup

Moving onto day five of our decluttering challenge, and let’s tackle a collection that can quickly mount up – toiletries, skincare, and makeup.

It’s a good idea to regularly revisit your toiletries because some items, especially makeup, should be disposed of after a certain length of time.

As you look through your collection, see if you can recycle your empty toiletries instead of throwing them away.

Day 6: Dining table

In our home our dining table becomes the ‘dumping ground’ for post, paperwork, school bags, and shopping.

If this is the same in your home, today’s the day to declutter your dining table – and introduce a new habit to keep it free from clutter for the rest of the month (and beyond).

Day 7: Toys and games

With two young kids at home, throughout the year we seem to pick up new toys, games, and things to play with. While we’re cutting back this year and focusing on gifts we know they’ll love and play with the most, birthday and Christmas months are especially challenging for new toys.

As new toys and games come into our home, it’s time to have a clear out to make way for them. If your toys and games are in a good condition and still playable, here are a few places you could donate them:

• Charity shops
• Local nursery, preschool or playgroup
• Local primary school for a fayre/tabletop sale

Day 8: Kitchen cupboards

It’s day eight of our decluttering challenge and we’re back in the kitchen. Today’s task can be as big or as small as you want – you could declutter and organise one shelf, one cupboard, several cupboards, or even all of them. Start with the cupboard that makes you say “oh, not again!” every time you open it for the most impact.

My process for cleaning and organising cupboards is pretty similar to how I organise our fridge and freezer, but with extra attention on where things go. If you have the extra time, you could re-shuffle your cupboard contents to make a system that works better for you.

Day 9: Shoes and accessories

Today let’s take a look at your shoes and accessories like scarves, bags, and umbrellas. Similar to Day 4, sort through and store any seasonal items that you no longer need. If you have them in storage, bring out your new season gear if you haven’t already, and make a place for those year-round must-haves like an umbrella.

Organising your shoes and accessories in a small space can be tough. Our entranceway is small, but we’ve used the Hemnes shoe cabinet which works perfectly. The top drawer is a handy place to keep spare change, batteries, a torch and a small umbrella. If your storage isn’t working for you, make a plan, measure up and look for a storage cabinet or solution that fits your space and how you use it.

Day 10: Receipts and paperwork

Is anyone else drowning in receipts, vouchers and paperwork? We’re still finding our feet with a paperwork system that works for us, but in the meantime it’s time to organise any receipts and paperwork that’s lying around.

Here are a few tips to help you eliminate as much paperwork as possible:

• Ask for bills and paperwork to be emailed to you instead of sent via post
• Scan and then shred any paperwork that’s not essential to have in paper form
• Store all your important files in one place (like a lockable fireproof box)
• Sort through incoming post and papers straight away and recycle anything you don’t need

Day 11: Wardrobe

We’re almost at the end of our decluttering challenge, and day 11 is one of my favourites – it’s time to declutter your wardrobe.

If you have a lot of clothes (or a big family) this task could take some time, but it’s also possible to do in sections if you’re short on time. There are lots of resources available on how to declutter your wardrobe – here’s a good place to start.

Day 12: A space of your choice

Welcome to day 12 of our decluttering challenge! Today’s an easier day – a cheat day if you will. Take some time today to declutter a space in your home of your choice. This might be your dining room, your bedroom, your loft space, or another room or cupboard that you want to tackle.

Enjoy a less cluttered home with this simple decluttering challenge

You’re now on your way to enjoying your home more. It’s amazing what a change in your environment can mean for your mindset and approach to life, too.

Like life, the things in our home are always on the move. Some clutter is inevitable, but with these tips you’ll be able to keep a clutter free home.

1. Only buy what you need

It may sound simple, but it’s a remarkably hard habit to form and stick with. If you can get used to only buying what you need, when you need it, your home will soon feel less cluttered. There are fewer boxes entering your home, less packaging to dispose of and fewer items to find a home for within yours. 

There’s plenty of other benefits to this other than a clutter free home, too. You may discover a healthier bank balance or be tempted to make changes in other areas of your life, like finances, food or fashion. There are lots of benefits to decluttering regularly.

2. Have a place for everything

Unless it’s truly disposable, everything you bring into your home needs a place to live or be stored. Our homes only have so much space in them, so once you’re out of hidden storage space it’s no surprise your visible surfaces can become cluttered. 

Take a look around your home and look for areas where there’s visible clutter. Tackle these rooms first, and pull out items from your cupboards or other storage areas so you can see everything at a glance. Declutter, then find a suitable home for each and every object. If there isn’t one, evaluate whether it’s something you need. If it is, it may be that you need to invest in your storage options. But make that a last resort. 

3. Keep things close to where you need them

If you have to travel halfway around your home to find something or return it back, chances are sometimes it’ll only make it halfway there. I know in our home a lot of the clutter is made up of kids toys that live upstairs, or paperwork that hasn’t made it to the file storage in the other room.

To make things easier and help create a clutter free home, find ways to group items together by task and keep them close to where you’ll need them. Keep all your laundry necessities together, and do the same for other clutter problem areas like paperwork, toys, games and toiletries. 

4. Put things away when you’re finished with them

Lots of people are great at this, but it doesn’t always come naturally. Most of the clutter around our homes can be attributed to items that just haven’t made it back to their place yet. 

Get into the habit of putting things away after you’ve used them. If you live with others, encourage them to do the same. This is especially great for kids, as they’ll grow up with this habit that’ll help them keep their future homes clutter-free. 

5. Take care of paperwork as it arrives

It’s tempting to put off dealing with paperwork – especially bills – until the last minute, but try to take care of it as soon as possible. Not only will you be able to rest knowing you’ve taken care of everything before due dates, but it means less paperwork on your surfaces and more clutter free home.

If you can’t take care of paperwork straight away, give it a useful home. Create an ‘in tray’ or a paperwork file that you look at on a regular basis. Weekly is great, so you can make sure you don’t miss any important deadlines for financial, legal or school paperwork. 

6. Dedicate time to decluttering regularly

A clutter free home often starts with one big moment (or small decluttering steps) but it works best if done regularly. We’re all bringing new things into our homes on a daily or weekly basis, so over a month or two it can start to add up. 

Create a decluttering routine that works for you and stick to it as best as you can. You don’t need to get formal with this, but aim to tackle an area or two of your home every month to stay on top of things. 

7. Let friends and family know you’re aiming for a clutter free home

For even the most minimal among us, there’s a few times a year where our homes become overfilled with items, gifts, cards and decorations. The holidays are wonderful, but they can come with a lot of ‘stuff’. 

A good way to try and keep a clutter free home even over the holidays is to let friends and family know you’re on a minimalism journey. If they ask for gift ideas, suggest experiences or a day out with them as a top present idea. If you find your home overwhelmed by gifts over the holidays or your family loves to pass things on to you, don’t feel bad about finding a new, loving home for them after some time. 

8. Dispose of recycling as soon as possible

It feels like companies are making steps to reduce packaging more than ever, but most items still come with some packaging, padding or stuffing that needs disposing of. If you’re buying for a birthday, holiday or to furnish a new home then you can quickly end up overwhelmed with recycling. 

To help your home stay clutter-free and maintain your hard-earned habits, move recycling and rubbish out of your home as soon as you can. It doesn’t always make sense to do this right away, but when you get a chance to pop things in the recycling box then take it. If you’ve ended up with a build up, see if you can get someone in to take everything away at once. 

9. Create a ‘junk drawer’ for miscellaneous items

If you find your home cluttered with tiny objects and miscellaneous items, it might be time to create (or better use) your junk drawer. You don’t want to get to the point where it’s hard to close, but having a place to store small items that don’t fit anywhere else can really help you keep surfaces tidy. 

If you’re like us and your kitchen doesn’t have a junk drawer, try creating a junk box instead. Find a box designed for paperwork storage, or a clear organisation box, and pop your little things in there instead. Keep this in your kitchen or in another area of your home, wherever makes sense for the items inside. 

10. Have a daily tidy up routine 

No matter how tidy and organised you are, there’s no escaping the fact that every day we use things and our home environment is dynamic. It’s a lived-in home, not a show home. This means there’s always something to tidy up or put away from an activity, game or daily life. Keep the daily clutter at bay with a daily tidy up routine. 

For some people, this works best in the evening before you wind down for the night. You can put everything away and know that it’ll be clear and tidy for you to start the next day fresh. For others, a morning tidy up works best. Try both and see which fits into your routine smoothly. 

Stay dedicated to your clutter free home

Next time your home feels overtaken by clutter or you know it’s time to have a refresh, keep these tips in mind. They’ll help you stay focused on the end goal and help you create positive habits that keep your home clutter-free.

Sometimes, finding the motivation to start tidying can be the biggest problem. When there are so many places to clean, the task can feel overwhelming, and many of us just put it off. If you’re lacking the motivation to start decluttering your home, this post is jam-packed with tips to help you out! 

How to find the motivation to declutter your home

Decluttering motivation can be hard to come by even if you’re not a hoarder, especially when you don’t know where to start and only have a limited amount of time. Stuffing items into drawers isn’t always the best solution! Here’s how to find the motivation to clean your house and be excited to organise it! 

Choose a decluttering project that excites you!

It’s hard to start something when you’re already dreading a task. If something doesn’t excite you, you aren’t going to want to do it. Find a decluttering project that makes you excited and willing to put in the work. You don’t need to work on your entire home, but choosing something you’ve wanted to change for a while will increase your motivation and productivity. If you have a project that excites you, the task doesn’t feel like hard work. It can actually be fun! 

To find a project that excites you, think about the first place you’d want to redecorate if you had the available funds. The first place you think of may be the decluttering project that excites you the most. It’s probably a good idea to start there. 

For me, I’d love to declutter the kitchen and living room. There are many surfaces with junk on, and after lockdown, I’d love to invite guests over! This would be the first place I start and is a project that excites me! 

Set a decluttering goal

Goal setting is one of the best ways to motivate you to start the decluttering process. You could list your little goals or come up with a big task you want to tackle. Whenever I want to motivate myself, I create a mood board on Pinterest or set it as my lock screen. I usually include pictures of organised pantries or minimalistic rooms!

Write down any goals that you set for yourself. It will keep you accountable, and when you write things down, it makes them feel real. You’ll be more motivated to declutter once you’ve challenged yourself.

I’ll admit, setting goals can be hard when you don’t know where to start. It’s much easier to think about where you’d like to be once you’ve tidied everything up. To help you with your decluttering, consider where you want to be at the end. If you want a minimalism lifestyle and house, where are the areas you’d like to tackle first? Knowing where you want to end up can help you to create a plan that works.

Create a decluttering plan

When you’re taking on a decluttering project, try to come up with a plan of action. Whether you create your own or use a premade challenge, it’s good to have an idea in mind before you get started on the entire house.

I love using free printable sheets to help me plan how to spend my time. Having a plan can motivate you to declutter because you know where to start. It can be overwhelming when you’re left to clean without a clear idea of what you’re doing. Having a plan can help you save time and give the rest of the family an idea of what’s happening. 

Start with something small

Every big project has small steps to help you get to the end. Splitting your big goals into smaller jobs can motivate you to keep going and going until you have less stuff lying around. Plus, when you start something small, you may be more motivated and willing to take on larger tasks.

Starting with something small can make a daunting task seem easier to do. If you chip away at little bits, you’ll soon be in a position to finish the big projects. Remember, organising your entire home is a big task, one that you can take your time on. Some ideas to start could be tidying up a desk or the kitchen counters, or sorting the toy box. Even small jobs contribute to progress.

Remove distractions

It can be tempting to put your favourite show on Netflix and watch it as you declutter. However, it can also demotivate you to tidy and help you to procrastinate. Removing distractions can help you to focus on decluttering, and you may even finish quicker. That means no TV on in the background or constantly checking your notifications. You can only use your electronics for a digital declutter or listening to music. 

If you don’t like to work in silence, you can invite your friends to join. You could also listen to Spotify or a decluttering podcast. I find it motivating to watch cleaning videos on Youtube as I work, but I am not easily distracted. Try to find what works best for you.

There are some apps and extensions that you could consider using if you’re still easily distracted. For your phone, there is an app called Forest. It lets you grow virtual trees while your phone is off. Your forest will die if you use your phone. For your laptop, you can get similar apps, or you could try a blocker. These blockers are Chrome extensions that will temporarily block you from accessing certain websites. You can set the time limit and enjoy a productive decluttering session! 

Track your progress

I love planners and journals as they make tracking progress fun. When you track your progress, you can see how much you have left. You can also have a visual overview of your decluttering progress. It can be motivating to see how much you have completed already.

When I track my progress, I like to use a planner. I also treat myself to some cute stationery as I am more motivated to use things I think are pretty. If planners are not your thing, you could also try a bullet journal, checklist or use photos to track your progress!

When tracking your progress, you don’t need to make it complicated. Start by writing down the goals you previously set for yourself. If you want, you can write a plan of action. I like to start by decluttering surfaces and working my way to the drawers last. Once I have done that, I can simply tick it off in my planner. If you want to keep better track, you could write the completion date and include a before or after picture. When tracking your journey, you can go into as much detail as you like! 

Reward yourself

After a long day of sorting through junk, you’ll be tired and ready to rest. You deserve a reward — like a mini self care day —  so when you tackle a big decluttering task, give yourself a treat. Self care is something you should do regularly, so after a long day, find some ways to relax. Winding down can lead to less stress, and it ensures you give yourself a break. If you’ve had a day of lifting boxes, relaxation can help you feel refreshed. 

Planning your rewards ahead of your decluttering session can motivate you to start. It will also push you when you’re hitting a bit of a low and are feeling bored. You can reward yourself by watching a new film, reading a book or even taking a long bath. Rewarding yourself can give you that feel-good moment and help you stay motivated. Plus, now you can relax in a decluttered home — which is rewarding in itself!

Get others involved

Including everyone who lives in the house can make decluttering more fun. Set a decluttering challenge between you, your family and friends, and see who can complete the most!

Working together or competing can motivate you to declutter as no one wants to lose a challenge. You can also share decluttering tips with each other. Maybe you learn a life hack that will benefit you for years to come! One of my favourite decluttering life hacks is the “one in one out” trick. When you purchase a new item for your home, you need to throw another away. I use this hack for clothes especially! 

Getting others involved can also reduce the number of arguments you have. There have been numerous occasions where I move or throw something away, and suddenly everyone needs that item. Working with your family to declutter means you can collectively get rid of things without upsetting others. 

Make it a regular habit

You can make decluttering easier by making it a habit. This also means you don’t have to spend a whole weekend organising everything. Tidying as you see mess isn’t the only beneficial habit you could form. Being more mindful of your spending and having a monthly clean and declutter can also be good habits.

Building habits take time, so don’t worry if you aren’t a minimalist overnight. As long as you keep up to date on cleaning, organising and sorting through drawers, you shouldn’t have too much clutter to go through every month. 

Building good habits around decluttering has many benefits. Not only will your home look amazing, but you can begin to lead a more minimalist lifestyle. Reducing the amount you spend on materialistic items can save you money and give your room back. We recently cleaned out our back room, and it’s now an office! Having a clean home can also reduce stress and anxiety levels. Cleaning and organising can make you feel good, but so can walking into a clutter-free home after work. 

Uncover the motivation to declutter your home

Decluttering can feel like an endless task, but keeping on top of it and splitting up the jobs can help you get it done faster. I don’t feel like organising is a chore anymore as I have used these tips to keep myself motivated and made it fun. What is your favourite motivation tip? I’d love to hear how you’re getting on with your decluttering journey!

If you’re struggling with keeping your kitchen free from clutter, I’ve got just the thing. Here are five simple tips to help you declutter your kitchen the easy way. 

1. Keep your countertops free from clutter

The countertops are the first place that becomes a mess. They’re a dumping ground for anything and everything that enters the kitchen. Tackle them first by setting a habit to keep them as free from clutter as possible.

Having clear countertops makes it easier to find what you need, plus it looks super organized. I know I always love when the counters are free from clutter as it helps me feel calmer when I’m cooking. 

Put anything away in its rightful place, and look to organize your countertop appliances too. Move your kettle and toaster to the side when you’re not using them, and see if there’s a place you can store your airfryer or multicooker too if you have one. If not, display them proudly on the surface, but keep the area around them tidy. Use this as an opportunity also to review your appliances and see if you still need them. If not, donate to a family member, friend, or your local recycling centre. 

2. Organize your kitchen drawers and cupboards

This is one of those jobs I really don’t love but I know it always needs doing. Organizing drawers and cupboards is a big task, but it feels so great when they’re tidy and you can find everything you need in a snap. 

I really recommend doing this as a big task if you can, where you get all your drawers and cupboards emptied out, cleaned, and organized. That can take a whole day though, so it’s best saved for when you’re free to focus or have someone to help you out. If that’s not an option now, start small and do it one drawer at a time.

Take everything out of the drawer or cupboard and put it to one side. Take a moment to give the inside of your drawer or cupboard a big clean — chances are it’s been a while. Once you’re done, look over the things you’ve taken out. Do you still use them? If it’s food, are they out of date? Could these work better somewhere else in your kitchen? Split the items into three piles — one to stay, one to find a new home, and one to leave your home completely. 

As you organize things back into place, group items together where you can. Put utensils, cutlery, appliances, and baking supplies where they make the most sense. Stack your pots, pans, and baking trays, and pile your dinnerware so it looks smart. Hunt down any lost tupperware lids if you can, or make a note to replace them if you need to. 

It can help to have baskets, bins, and dividers handy to help you organize — especially if you have a deep drawer or cupboards without much built-in organization. If you don’t have any already, take a look at your kitchen once you’ve organized it and see what you could invest in to help improve the way you keep things tidy for the future. 

3. Do a food audit and clear out any expired products 

I’m willing to bet that there’s a tin of beans in your kitchen somewhere that’s definitely out of date. If not, you’re doing better than I am. Whether it’s in the fridge or lurking in your cupboard, every kitchen has something that’s already or just about to go out of date — so remove them whenever you can. 

Go through your cupboards, fridge, and freezer and take out all the food. This takes up a lot of space, but it’s a necessary evil. Do it in stages if you prefer. Work your way through all your food and remove anything that’s out of date. Now’s a good time to declutter any items that are in-date but you just don’t see yourself eating, too. Donate these in-date items to a food bank or local group if you can. 

Staying on top of your food and eating it before it expires can be a challenge. I get it, I’ve been there — good intentions with a grocery order and just not getting around to eating everything before it turns old. If you find this happening to you regularly, give meal planning a go — or create a simple list of what needs eating and prioritize making meals with those ingredients if you can. I personally struggle with eating fresh foods in time, so choose frozen vegetables or tinned items instead to help reduce food waste. 

4. Keep your dried goods as organized as possible

We’ve all been there — you unpack the grocery order and everything gets flung into the nearest cupboard until it’s piled high and you don’t know what’s in there any more. That’s how my pantry cupboards look right now, so don’t feel bad if yours do too. Starting now, make an effort to do a big organization effort now and keep things tidy every time you add or remove something. 

Like most items, I find it best to organize your pantry or dried goods by type. Seeing as you’ve already cleared out anything that’s out of date, you have a fresh starting point to work from. Group items by type or how you’d use them (e.g. all breakfast foods together) and work out the best place for them with the storage space you have. 

As with your general kitchen storage, containers can work wonders here. Decant your dried goods and ingredients into glass or plastic canisters if you can, with labels to help you easily find what you’re looking for. This can be an upfront investment, but it works great if you love to have an organized and streamline pantry. 

5. Make your fridge super organized 

Our last tip for today is one of my favorites — who doesn’t love an organized fridge? I used to just stuff my fridge full of things then wonder why I never got around to enjoying things, and it was because I just couldn’t see them at a glance. Avoid that by keeping your fridge (and freezer) organized. 

Like everything else that needs decluttering, you’ve gotta take everything out of your fridge. Use this as an opportunity to give your fridge a good clean, too. Take a look through your items and remove anything that’s out of date. For anything else, group it by type, and make a note in your mind of expiration dates — we’re going to stack anything that goes out of date first at the front. 

Put everything back into your fridge and organize it however works best for you. It’s best to keep fresh meat separate from other perishable goods, so I store these on the bottom shelf. I keep ready meals stacked in one place, and group cheese and yoghurts together. Condiments and drinks find a place in the fridge door. There’s no rule for how your fridge should be organized, so do whatever makes sense for you and your family. 

Declutter your kitchen one step at a time

It’s tempting to attempt a massive overhaul of your kitchen all at once, but unless you have a lot of time, energy, and space it can quickly become overwhelming. Follow these tips and you’ll find new ways to get and stay organized by taking one small step at a time.