The All-or-Nothing Decluttering Lie
As a society, we’ve been taught to believe decluttering requires a massive, full-weekend effort. I think this is why we procrastinate and wait for the “perfect” four-hour block of time to dedicate to decluttering. Time that, let’s be honest, never actually gets on the calendar.
Maybe you, like my recent Declutter Dashers, thought, “I don’t have time to declutter,” or “My clutter is too far gone for a quick fix.”
That belief is a lie that keeps you trapped in the mess.
What if you didn’t need a whole weekend? What if you only needed five minutes?
The Declutter Dash is my simplified decluttering philosophy that changes everything. It proves that the secret to getting rid of clutter isn’t more time; it’s small, consistent action.
Why 5 Minutes of Decluttering Works
As an expert in decluttering, I’ve learned the biggest hurdle isn’t the physical work. In fact, it’s the mental battle required to start the decluttering process. When a task seems enormous, your brain generates a hard “nope.” Then, you procrastinate because the cost of starting seems too high.
But five minutes? That’s a commitment my brain, and yours too, can handle.
And this is exactly how you can conquer bigger tasks by building momentum, which I cleverly named the Momentum Effect. A single 5-minute win—clearing out a junk drawer, tossing old spice bottles—releases a small hit of dopamine.
That positive feeling encourages you to seek out the next win. We’re not aiming for a perfectly organized home today, we’re aiming for progress over perfection. When you prioritize five minutes of action over zero minutes of action, you start building a habit that lasts.
Decluttering In Real Life
At the end of September 2025, I held a free decluttering challenge called the 5×5 Declutter Dash. For 5 days in a row, participants received an email from me in the morning. Each email provided steps for a small decluttering victory with each day being a different space.
Hence, the 5×5; 5 minutes a day for 5 days.
I first held this challenge in Spring 2024 and it was a huge success but not in the way you might think. I didn’t have 100’s of people sign up. Just a few (around 35) dedicated people looking to start decluttering their overwhelming space.
This year, 35 people signed up again. Some returned from the following year, but most people were new. Look at what happened when these Dashers found just five minutes a day:
The Surprise Rediscovery
“This was great! I actually found new shirts I had for years, but never wore and now can wear them instead of my old ones!” ~ Jasmine ~
The Incredible Clutter Haul
“I filled almost two trash bags (expired items or old clothing items, items I just didn’t need/like, even from our wedding!), a bag to recycle, and also have three boxes of kitchen items and a huge pile of books and a full bag of clothes to donate!” ~ Anne-Marie ~
The Emotional Breakthrough of Decluttering
“This 5 minute challenge was a major milestone for me. So, I got rid of anything I was holding onto for sentimental reasons. I feel better. I feel ready. My closet is ready for the new me! I am so curious what will happen next because I did not expect to be hit so hard with the first day.” ~ Kate ~
The Instant Reward
These aren’t people spending their whole weekend clearing out the garage. They’re stealing 5 minutes in their day to be intentional with their space and then letting it go after the time is up.
One Dasher emailed me today and said she had a few minutes while brushing her teeth and decided to declutter the bathroom drawer. Now, that’s being intentional!
High Impact, Zero Burnout
During the challenge, I tell my Dashers to stop when the five minute timer goes off, even if they’re on a roll.
This is really important because it creates something positive in your brain by leaving the task “open”. When you start again later or the next day, you eliminate the mental energy of starting from scratch. Then, you actually look forward to decluttering instead of instant dread.
The secret to avoiding decision fatigue and declutter-burnout is consistency, not intensity.
Five minutes a day, five days a week, is only 25 minutes total. That’s enough focused time to transform an entire zone of your home over a month—without ever feeling exhausted or overwhelmed.
For example, over 30 days, that translates to two full hours of focused work, enough to completely clear and organize four separate dresser drawers or the entire main shelf of your linen closet. This is high impact, achieved with zero sweat.
Where to Spend Your 5 Minutes (Your First Wins)
Today, I want you to feel that immediate success—that dopamine hit—right now. That’s why I’ve curated a simple, high-impact path for you: Start with these three spots, then keep the momentum going with my free course, and finally, take on the full challenge!
The key is choosing a space where you can get a visible win fast.
Before you start, you want to get ready.
- You know that really good cardboard Amazon box you’ve been saving? Now is the time to use it. I love using cardboard boxes for donations because you can drop the box and its contents at one time to the donation center.
- Next, get out your phone for a 5 minute timer but don’t start yet.
- Before you do ANYTHING… take a before picture. Trust me. Even if you think you have nothing to get rid of or this space isn’t “that bad”, take the picture.
Ready? Here we go! The three high-impact, low-effort spots for your first five minutes are right here:
- The Living Room Side Table: Clear every single item off one side table. This is often where things go to die. Toss any old receipts, empty water bottles, or crumpled papers. If it’s not a lamp, a coaster, or a book you’re currently reading, move it to its proper home or the donation pile.
- The Coffee Mug Collection: Evaluate your mugs quickly. Are there chipped ones? Free promotional mugs you never use? Mugs you inherited but hate? Put a box near the cabinet and start filling it. The goal is to keep only the cups you genuinely love and reach for daily.
- The Shoe Bin or Entryway Basket: Dump out the contents of your main shoe storage area onto the floor. Find all the orphaned socks, worn-out sneakers, and shoes that are too damaged to wear. Only put back the pairs that are currently wearable and belong in that spot.
Now, after you’ve decluttered each space, take an after picture. This is why the before picture was so important. Once you change it and declutter, you’re not going to want to put the clutter back for the “before”.
Your Decluttering Roadmap: From 5 Minutes to 35 Days
If you’ve tried the 3 spots above and are feeling that Momentum Effect, it’s time for the next step.
I’m inviting you to take my free Declutter Jumpstart e-Course! This is the bridge between those first three quick wins and taking on the whole challenge.
This course gives you 5 days of 5-minute tasks to show you exactly how easy it is to start. I’ll walk you through five of the most popular, high-impact tasks from the full Declutter Dash.
What you get when you sign up:
- 5 Days of Email Tasks: A new, actionable 5-minute task delivered straight to your inbox daily.
- 5 More Quick Wins: You’ll build confidence and clean up five more high-clutter areas of your home.
- The Full 35-Day Planner: Once you complete the Declutter Jumpstart e-Course, you get the full Daily Declutter Planner to tackle every zone in your home!
Plus, I want to see your success! I encourage you to send me your before and after pictures of your spaces. Flood my inbox—I love seeing the transformations! (Email me at bonnie@binyourspace.com)
Stop waiting for the perfect time, and start making progress right now. Your first win is only 300 seconds away. Click below to sign up and get your first 5-minute task right away.
Start My 5-Minute Declutter Kickstart
For more related content about decluttering from Bin Your Space, check out these blog posts:
- Organizing Won’t Fix Clutter: Why You Need to Declutter First
- 12 Tips to Declutter Your Home For Good
- Why Your Kids Need to Learn to Declutter (& How to Teach Them)
To learn more about me, Bonnie from Bin Your Space, head over to my website and I’ll see you there: http://www.binyourspace.com/about
Bonnie Hintenach | Bin Your Space
Professional Organizer for Homes & Classrooms
Maryland
