The 40 Day Decluttering Challenge Returns, And This Year, It’s All About Building Habits
Sorted is bringing back our 40 Day Decluttering Challenge post-Mardi Gras, and this year we’re going deeper: decluttering isn’t just a project, it’s a practice.
Why Decluttering Is a Lifestyle, Not a One-Time Event
Decluttering often gets framed like a race. Finish, and you’re done. But in Victoria’s recent appearance on Great Day Louisiana, she shared that keeping your home organized is really about consistent, daily habits, little tasks that prevent chaos from creeping back in.
Victoria’s key message? Maintaining an organized home doesn’t happen overnight. It happens on purpose, one small action at a time, just like any other healthy habit.
What the 40 Day Decluttering Challenge Is (And Isn’t)
Our challenge guides you through your home one focused area at a time. In the original version of this challenge, participants committed to removing at least 25 items each day — kitchen drawers, closets, linen cabinets, digital clutter and more — and by Day 40, you’ll have removed over 1,000 items from your home.
But here’s the twist: this year, the focus isn’t just on the number of items you remove, it’s on the pattern of practice you build. This challenge is a way to:
Practice decision-making about what you truly use, love, and need.
Reinforce habits like sorting mail daily, decluttering a drawer each week, or letting go of duplicates.
Shift your mindset from “finish this once” to “maintain progress and peace.”
As Victoria emphasized, making organizing part of your day like making your bed or clearing your counters, keeps small messes from becoming big ones.
How to Make the Challenge Work for You
Here’s how to get the most out of the next 40 days:
🗓️ 1. Start Small — Commit to 15 Minutes
You don’t need hours, just 15 minutes a day. Whether it’s a cupboard, a shelf, or your email inbox, small consistent actions beat big occasional bursts.
📦 2. Use a Simple System
Sort into keep, donate, and discard piles. When in doubt, think about how often you use an item — if it hasn’t been used in months (or years), it might be ready to go.
🔁 3. Turn Tasks Into Rituals
Once you finish the 40 days, don’t stop! Turn what you’ve learned into routines:
Daily Habits: put things back in their homes as soon as you’re done with them (this prevents clutter before it starts).
Weekly Check-Ins: take just a few minutes to reload your priorities and clear anything new that’s accumulated.
Seasonal Sweeps: plan mini declutters each season to refresh your home (just like spring cleaning).
A Habit That Keeps Giving
You don’t “arrive” at organized. You show up for it. Every drawer you tidy, every stack you sort that’s practice. Over time, those small, consistent steps become instincts. And that’s when a calm, intentional home becomes your everyday normal.
So enjoy the remainder of Carnival season, savor the king cake, and when the confetti settles, let’s get started. Your future self (and your home) will thank you.
👉 Ready to join the challenge? Gather your boxes, set your timer, and let’s declutter together one day at a time.
Daily Decluttering Focus Areas
Here’s a sneak peek at some of the areas we’ll cover:
Week 1: Kickstart with high-impact areas like the entryway, living room surfaces, and kitchen counters.
Week 2: Clear out the kitchen and dining spaces, including the pantry, refrigerator, and kitchen drawers.
Week 3: Tackle the bathroom and utility spaces, such as under the sink, medicine cabinets, and linen closets.
Week 4: Focus on bedrooms and closets, sorting through clothing, dressers, and nightstands.
Week 5: Declutter miscellaneous spaces, like your car, storage closet, and outdoor areas.
Week 6: Wrap up with digital and sentimental clutter, including emails, photos, and keepsakes.
Tips for Success
Set a Timer: Spend just 15 minutes a day to keep it manageable.
Use the Three-Box Method: Sort items into keep, donate, and discard piles.
Stay Accountable: Tag @sortednola on Instagram and share your progress!
Celebrate Small Wins: Every decluttered drawer or shelf is a step toward a more organized home!
Join the Challenge
Enjoy Mardi Gras and savor the king cake, then follow our city’s rhythm of renewal. By the time French Quarter Fest rolls around, you’ll be 1,000 items lighter! Let’s take small, consistent steps together and share the big changes you see at the end. Download the challenge list, cross off each completed space, and enjoy a refreshed, decluttered home!