Declutter Challenge 2026 – 7 Weeks to a Clutter-Free Life
The Declutter Challenge is back for 2026, and this year’s version is more comprehensive than ever. If you participated in past years, you know how rewarding these seven weeks can be. If you’re new here, welcome to a proven system that helps you tackle clutter room by room without overwhelming yourself.
What’s new for 2026? We’ve significantly expanded every single checklist based on your feedback and our own experience working through these spaces. The 2026 checklists now include over 250 items across all seven weeks – that’s more than double what we had before. These aren’t just random additions. Every item on these lists represents something that commonly gets overlooked, forgotten in the back of a closet, or rationalized into staying when it really should go.
But here’s what makes these checklists so valuable: they’re jumping-off points, not limiting boundaries. When the checklist prompts you to check for expired makeup, you’ll naturally start noticing other bathroom items that need to go – those emery boards worn smooth from use, the bobby pins that have lost their grip, the hair ties that are stretched out beyond usefulness. One prompt on the checklist often leads to discovering three or four other items that should go. The checklists give you permission to start looking with fresh eyes, and once you start, you’ll see things you’ve been overlooking for months or even years.
The expanded checklists mean you’ll get even more specific prompts to help you identify what’s actually taking up space in your home. Instead of just reminding you to check for expired makeup, we’ll prompt you about those hotel toiletries you keep collecting, the nail polish that’s separated, and the bath products you bought but don’t really like the scent of. Each specific item mentioned helps train your eye to spot similar items that need the same honest evaluation.
Each week for seven weeks, you’ll receive an email with a detailed checklist for specific areas of your home, plus a link to practical tips for clearing the clutter in those spaces. The beauty of this challenge is that you can join any time of the year and complete it at your own pace. There’s no pressure, no judgment – just practical guidance to help you create a home that feels lighter and more functional.
Table of Contents
I find the 2026 Declutter Challenge checklists very handy as they prompt me to look for items that might be out of sight and, therefore, out of mind. The checklists are a little like a ‘Declutter Scavenger Hunt!’ Anything we can do to make the process a wee bit more enjoyable is always good.
Click the following button to join the 7-Week 2026 Decluttering Challenge at any time.
What you can expect during the 2026 Declutter Challenge
Week 1 focuses on bedrooms and bathrooms – those personal spaces where clutter tends to hide in drawers and under sinks. This checklist includes 31 items that you can evaluate and most likely discard without missing them. From stretched-out bras to expired prescriptions to shoes that hurt your feet, this week helps you create peaceful spaces where you start and end each day.
Week 2 turns our attention to the kitchen and laundry room. With 52 items on this week’s checklist, you’ll tackle everything from mismatched storage container lids to specialty baking pans you’ve used once in five years. These are the spaces where “just in case” items pile up, and this week gives you permission to be honest about what you actually use.
Week 3 has us working through the den, living room, and linen closet – those catch-all spaces where things tend to accumulate. The 26 items on this checklist will help you address everything from games with missing pieces to threadbare towels to throw pillows that no longer bring you joy.
Week 4 tackles offices and craft rooms, and this is our most comprehensive week yet with 59 items on the checklist. From dried-out pens to unfinished projects languishing in bags, this week helps you let go of the “someday” items and focus on what you actually use and enjoy now.
Week 5 switches gears entirely to address digital clutter on our computers and mobile devices. These black holes of clutter often get overlooked, but with 30 items on this checklist, you’ll clear out everything from duplicate files to old payment methods in your wallet app. Your devices will run faster and you’ll find what you need more easily.
Week 6 moves to the garage and attic with a robust checklist of 55 items. These spaces often become dumping grounds for things we can’t decide about, from paint in colors we’ll never use again to boxes we haven’t opened in years. This week gives you the push you need to finally clear out these overlooked spaces.
Week 7 addresses mental clutter – those invisible burdens that weigh us down just as much as physical items. This new addition to the challenge helps you identify and reduce the mental load that accumulates alongside our stuff.
Frequently Asked Questions About the 2026 Declutter Challenge
I will begin sending Week 1 emails in the first week of January, but you can join at any time throughout the year. Once you sign up, you’ll receive the first week’s checklist right away, and then a new checklist will arrive each week for seven weeks. Start whenever works best for you – January, spring cleaning season, or when you’re finally ready to tackle the clutter that’s been weighing you down.
There’s no pressure to keep pace with anyone else. The checklists are yours to use. Use them as they best work for your schedule. Take two weeks on the kitchen if you need to, skip ahead to the garage if that’s calling your name, or pause the challenge entirely and pick it back up when life settles down. This is about making progress, not perfection.
That depends entirely on how much you have to declutter and how deep you want to go. Some people spend 30 minutes tackling one drawer, while others dedicate a whole Saturday to a room. The beauty of the checklists is that they break things down into manageable items so that you can work through them bit by bit. Even 15 minutes a day makes a difference.
Check out this post on Where to take your Donations and Discards.
Use the checklists for the spaces you do have. Many items on the craft room list apply to junk drawers or hobby supplies, wherever you keep them. The garage checklist works for storage sheds or basement areas. The goal is to use the prompts that make sense for your home.
The challenge is completely free. You’ll receive seven weekly emails with checklists and tips – that’s it. No upsells, no hidden costs, just practical help to get your home in order.
The challenge itself is delivered via email, but you’re always welcome to reach out to me directly with questions. Many people share their progress on social media or with friends who are also doing the challenge, which creates built-in accountability.
If you’re overwhelmed by clutter, this challenge is precisely what you need. The whole point of the checklists is to break down the overwhelming task into specific, manageable items. You don’t have to declutter your entire bedroom – look for socks without mates. Then the shoes you don’t wear. One item at a time. That’s how real progress happens.
The 2026 checklists are more than twice as comprehensive as before, with over 250 specific items across all seven weeks. We’ve added more detailed prompts based on what people commonly overlook, and we’ve included a new week focused on mental clutter. If you did the challenge in previous years, you’ll find fresh items to tackle and new perspectives on spaces you’ve already worked through.
Yes, the checklists are designed to be printable so you can check items off as you go. There’s something satisfying about physically marking your progress.
So, once again, if you’d like to participate in the 7-Week 2026 Declutter Challenge, click the following button, pop in your email address, and look for the first email to arrive the first week of January 2026.
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