Why You Should Follow the “Outbox Rule” Before Starting Any Decluttering Project
Apartment Therapy’s Decluttering Cure is a free two-week decluttering program that’ll help you achieve a tidier home. Sign up here and get all 14 assignments delivered to your inbox.
Decluttering your home is an ongoing process that can be stressful if you don’t know how to begin. Luckily, that’s where Apartment Therapy’s Decluttering Cure can help. This free 14-day program will guide you on how to start decluttering your home, and by the end you’ll achieve a tidier space in just two weeks.
The Decluttering Cure starts today — you can sign up here or in the box below if you haven’t already! — and for 14 days straight we’ll be dedicating time to decluttering your home in a manageable way. If you participate in this program you’ll walk away with a “tool kit” of strategies, tips, and tricks that can be used the next time you need to get organized.
Whether it’s your first time joining us or you’re a seasoned pro, I’m so happy you’re here. Let me introduce myself! I’m Stephanie Nguyen, Apartment Therapy’s senior editor of cleaning & organizing. As the person in charge of the program, I am so excited about all the decluttering we’ll do together.
If you have any questions about the program or decluttering in general, I’ll answer them in the Apartment Therapy community forum today, Monday, September 16, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET. Stop by to submit your questions and share how your first day went!
Now let’s kick off the first day of the Decluttering Cure with an easy and essential assignment.
AT Decluttering Cure 2024
Sign up now to clean and curate your coziest home just in time for fall. It all begins on September 16.
Day 1: Set up your three outboxes.
The first step in our decluttering journey is to set up three outboxes, which serve as a catchall for the items we’ll need to toss, reconsider, or give away. These outboxes don’t have to be traditional cardboard boxes; you can (and should!) use what you have at home to store items, whether it’s an unused storage cube, an Amazon box, or even a garbage bag. They don’t have to match, either — as long as you have three things to use.
Once you have three outboxes to use, you’ll want to label them accordingly (you can simply write on the boxes, attach a Post-it, or use a label maker).
- “Donate”: For things that are in good shape and you want to donate or give away to friends and family.
- “Maybes”: For things that are undecided, whether you’re not sure if you want to get rid of them or find a new place for them. You can also set aside items to fix here too.
- “Sell”: For things that are in good condition and sellable. You can skip this one if you don’t intend to sell anything.
Once your outboxes are picked out and labeled, select a spot for them to stay during the decluttering process. They should be easily accessible, but out of the way, such as the back of your closet or a corner of your room. And that’s it! Your outboxes are ready to be used throughout the Decluttering Cure.
PRO TIP: Along with these three outboxes, consider having garbage cans or bags nearby as your “outboxes” for trash and recycling.
What did you use as your outboxes? Tell us in our community forum!
More ways to participate in the Decluttering Cure:
- Sign up for email updates.
- Visit the 2024 Decluttering Cure page and catch up on assignments.
- Download the Decluttering Cure calendar.
- Join the conversation by checking out the Decluttering Cure board in our community forum.
- Check off that you’ve completed this task and track your overall Decluttering Cure progress here!
- See all the winners from our 2024 Organization Awards to get your home organized.
The Cure Program is a tradition here at Apartment Therapy — it happens every January, April, and September. Click here to learn more about the year-round program and when to sign up.