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Decluttering Cure

20 Things in Your Bedroom You Can Declutter in 20 Minutes

Taryn Williford
Taryn Williford
Taryn is a writer, editor, content strategist, and homebody from Atlanta. I might have helped you declutter your apartment through the magic of a well-paced email newsletter. Or maybe you know me from The Pickle Factory Loft on Instagram.
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updated Sep 20, 2019
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It can be all too easy to fall into the trap of using your bedroom like a giant junk drawer. It’s probably the most private place in your home, so it’s an easy target when you’re looking to drop clutter that needs to be kept away from casual viewers.

Plus, your bedroom ends up collecting all sorts of extra items during your nighttime routine, like glasses of water, bottles of medicine, and stacks of books and magazines.

It all adds up after a while, unless you take a little time to keep it in check. In fact, all you need is 20 minutes.

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Today’s Assignment:

Do a 20-minute decluttering sweep of your bedroom.

We’ve done this a few times now with the September Sweep, so you know the drill. Set a 20-minute timer and do as much as you can to get errant effects out of the bedroom before the clock runs out on you. It’s like your own little game show, and the prize is a less-cluttered bedroom.

Where to Look:

  • side tables and nightstands
  • nightstand drawers
  • the dresser top and other surfaces
  • consoles and armoires
  • closets and drawers where you keep linens or other non-clothing
  • hooks and storage racks
  • vanity tables
  • open shelves
  • under the bed
  • on and inside a storage ottoman or bench
  • the purgatory clothes chair or hook

What to look for:

  • books and magazines
  • drinking glasses and mugs
  • electronics
  • random objects and decor
  • dingy or very old sheets and linens
  • clothing tags and other trash
  • safety pins, bobby pins and out-of-place grooming supplies
  • clothes piled and draped where they shouldn’t be
  • shoes, handbags and accessories where they don’t belong

When time is up, stop decluttering. Everything you took up during your 20-minute sweep should be taken out of the room and either returned to where it belongs, or sorted out of the house (into the trash or into your “sell” and “donate” boxes).

And don’t forget:

Clear three things from your monster zone.

All month long, we invite you to share your progress here in the comments and on Instagram with the #septembersweep hashtag!

Check out all the assignments so far on the September Sweep 2018 Main Page.

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(Image credit: Kath Nash)

Download the printable PDF calendar:
September Sweep 2018

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Bedroom