Bin bag with yellow handle and text overlay of article title

3 Speedy Challenges To Do In Your Home To Stay Clutter Free

If you want to maintain a clutter free home every month, then these quick and easy challenges are all you need. Grab 3 bin bags and get decluttering – and you’ll be amazed at the results.

* This post may contain affiliate links. They don't cost you a penny, but do pay a commission to this site.


Bin bag with yellow handle and text overlay of article title

I love a quick challenge.

There’s something about creating an urgency, or a little excitement, to make even the dullest of tasks seem more enjoyable.

And let’s face it – clearing things away that we don’t want any longer, en masse, can be quite uninspiring to say the least!

It’s also one of those tasks that we do just the basics of to get by (emptying the bins, adding things to recycling from the kitchen as we open them up etc…) – but we often miss the trick of checking the less obvious places for things that are actually rubbish and taking up space in our homes.

I created these ‘challenges’ as a way to make things more fun – and they really do make a difference around the house – no matter how decluttered we think we already are.

In fact – I find it quite amazing that we can ALWAYS fill each of the 3 bags pretty easily. Where oh where does it all comes from?!

I wanted to share these challenges with you so you can join in if you want – and see what a difference they will make to your home too!

TIP – Why not add them to your cleaning schedule?  You could do one bag a week and have a week off at the end of the month, or do them all in one go – whatever works for you is key!

TIP – This is a great challenge to give the kids – as long as you check the contents of the bags! (maybe get them to sort just their stuff first…)

TIP – Set a timer to make things even more fun. Having a set number of minutes means you know it won’t last long, but you’ll feel great afterwards (the oven timer, or a timer on your phone, works well for this).

Bin Bag Challenge #1 – RUBBISH

TAKE A BLACK BAG AROUND THE HOUSE AND TRY AND FILL IT WITH ANYTHING THAT IS GENUINELY RUBBISH AND NEEDS TO BE THROWN AWAY.

Clutter Stat - How Much Each Person in the US produces

Your home will be easier to organise AND clean when thereโ€™s less stuff in it โ€“ and getting rid of genuine rubbish is the perfect place to start.

Remember to focus just on the actual rubbish in the house. Those things that can’t be recycled or given away.

Ideas of where to find your rubbish:-

  • Empty all the bins – easy win!
  • Look through the bathroom and bedroom cupboards for old toiletries and makeup you’re passing by and not noticing any longer
  • Hunt out damaged or broken items that cannot be fixed
  • Go through kitchen cupboards for out of date food
  • Venture into the shed, loft and the garage as well if you have time โ€“ things ALWAYS end up in the extremities of the house before they get to the tip, so youโ€™re likely to find loads there!
Your Home Will Be Easier to Clean with less in it - CLUTTER QUOTE

When you’ve finished – get the bin bag into the main garbage bin outside your home immediately. If that’s full – then consider taking it down to the tip so it’s gone straight away.

TIP – Double check that you aren’t throwing anything out that could be recycled. *spoiler alert* save these items for challenge #3!

Bin Bag Challenge #2 – CHARITY

GO ROUND YOUR HOUSE AND COLLECT TOGETHER ANYTHING THAT YOU NO LONGER WANT OR NEED โ€“ THAT COULD STILL BE USED BY OTHER PEOPLE.

WHEN FINISHED, TAKE THE BAG TO A LOCAL CHARITY SHOP.

Quote - Noone Ever Became Poor by Giving

This challenge tackles those items that you no longer want in your home any longer (clutter for you), but that are perfectly good enough for someone else to get use out of.

Charity shops are a perfect way to let these things go – and they will be grateful for what you have.

You may want to look for things such as the list that follows:-

  • Clothes that no longer fit you
  • Clothes that you no longer wear
  • Bedding (although only sheets, duvet covers and pillow cases because most charity shops donโ€™t accept quilts and pillows for hygiene reasons)
  • Towels
  • Home Accessories
  • Books
  • Pictures
  • Costume Jewellery and Accessories
  • Crockery
  • Glasses and Mugs
  • Childrens clothes
  • Childrens toys
  • Board games (with all pieces in tact)
  • Shoes and Boots

EXTRA TASK โ€“ You may have some specific types of Charity shops in your area โ€“ for instance โ€“ in my town there is an Oxfam Book Store, and in a neighbouring town there is a Furniture Store for a local Hospice. If you have shops like this then it’s worth making the extra trip to give them their particular items. 

Bin Bag Challenge #3 – RECYCLE

GO AROUND YOUR HOUSE AND COLLECT TOGETHER ANYTHING THAT YOU DONโ€™T WANT/NEED ANY LONGER THATโ€™S SPECIFICALLY FOR RECYCLING.

Clutter Quote - Rubbish and Recycling

We have already tackled proper rubbishโ€“ where you had to simply go around your house and get rid of stuff that was purely rubbish.

Then we looked at charity items.

Now it’s the third of the challenges โ€“ the turn of recycling โ€“ another form of unwanted stuff that lies around the house.

Recycling could include any of the following, and doesnโ€™t have to just be what your local council will take away for you โ€“ some of which you can get some cash back for, which is always a bonus!:-

  • Paper and Cardboard
  • Plastic
  • Glass
  • Clothes and bedding that arenโ€™t good enough for charity
  • Batteries
  • Print Cartridges
  • Bras (lots of tips and other places have specific bra banks to donate)
  • Magazines โ€“ give to your local doctors surgery and recycle that way!
  • Furniture
  • Electrical Items

WANT MORE RECYCLING HELP? –  To find out more about what can be recycled, and how to recycle it – and to read more stats that I’ve shared in this post – please take a look at the fantastic recycling site – http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/facts.html 

Bin bag with yellow handle, and wording overlaid saying "3 easy bin bag challenges you can do easily to stay clutter free"

There you have it. 3 simple but Oh! So effective challenges to stay clutter free at home.

I hope they help you maintain a clutter free home over the coming months, I know they help me loads!

Similar Posts