Welcome to the 30 Days to Less of a Hot Mess Challenge! We’re focusing on decluttering, reorganizing, and taking a breath so you can create a home you love. If this is your first time joining the challenge, consider starting from the beginning to get oriented and build momentum.
Now that we’ve defined our “why” for decluttering, the next step is to set clear, achievable goals. Goals are every bit as important as knowing why you want to declutter: they give structure to your action plan, help you stay motivated, and keep you focused when the process becomes tedious or overwhelming.
Ready to find peace in your home again?
You can’t create a peaceful, decorated home while living with clutter. Begin your decluttering journey with a simple plan, small daily wins, and consistent encouragement. Commit to the process and give yourself permission to simplify.
Why goals matter: Goals help you stay inspired, decisive, and focused—especially when you’re working through drawer number eighteen and feel like giving up. A clear goal turns vague intentions into practical actions.
When making goals for decluttering and home organization, follow a few simple steps:
- Make S.M.A.R.T. goals: specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and timely. Saying “I want to declutter my home” is too vague to drive real action.
- Write your goals down. The act of writing increases commitment and recall.
- Place your written goals where you’ll see them regularly—on the fridge, in your planner, or beside your “why” statement.
Post your goals next to your why statement or on the same sheet of paper so they remain visible and top of mind. I find that when I write goals at the start of the year and display them, they naturally become part of my routines—even if I’m not rigidly intentional every single day. Over time, those goals work their way into the corners of my life and my home.
Here are some sample S.M.A.R.T. decluttering goals to inspire you:
- Donate 20 items of clothing to a local thrift store within the next 30 days.
- Eliminate two storage boxes from the closet by sorting, donating, and consolidating items.
- Donate any clothing that doesn’t fit within two weeks.
- Reduce your book collection by 25 titles via donation or resale this month.
- Sell five decorative pillow covers or other small home items within 30 days.
Those examples give a clear target, a way to measure progress, and an achievable deadline. You get the idea—small, specific wins add up fast.
Here were my personal decluttering goals for this month (and beyond):
- Create one designated place for all incoming paper so loose piles don’t accumulate.
- Simplify my craft closet organization and remove two excess storage boxes.
- Methodically declutter every drawer in my home—yes, all 41 of them—so nothing is neglected.
A quick note about the KonMari method: the approach popularized by Marie Kondo emphasizes being intentional about what you keep and honoring the items that serve you. I don’t practice it perfectly, but the principles have helped me make bold decisions about what truly brings value to my home.
If you like printable tools, create or download a simple yearly goal-setting worksheet and write your decluttering goals in the section for personal objectives. Structured planning tools—whether a printable or a guided planner—can make it easier to break big goals into manageable steps.
Another tool many people find useful are intentional planning pages that help you map priorities, milestones, and the small habits that support long-term progress. The key is the combination of thoughtful prep work and repeated action throughout the year.
One more thing before you start …
Before we jump into hands-on organizing, there’s one mindset shift that makes all the difference: you must change how you think about “stuff.” If you don’t change the way you relate to your belongings, you’ll find yourself holding on to items out of fear instead of usefulness.
I’ll be honest—letting go can be hard. I grew up in a large family without abundant resources, and that shaped my instinct to save things “just in case.” Later, as a young married person paying off debt, I naturally held on to items because they felt valuable to keep. That scarcity mindset is very common.
Over time I learned to reframe those thoughts. When scarcity creeps in, I remind myself: there will be more if I need it. If you haven’t used something in years, the odds are you won’t miss it—let it go. If you do need it again, borrowing from a neighbor or finding a cheap replacement is almost always easier than holding onto clutter indefinitely.
The Messy Work: Today’s action is simple and powerful—write down your decluttering goals and post them where you’ll see them regularly. Make them S.M.A.R.T., keep them visible, and check them often.
Tomorrow we’ll talk about organizing your daily schedule and creating the routines that turn goals into results. See you then!
In the mess with you,
Laura
More favorite posts you may enjoy:
- 30-Day Decluttering E-mail Challenge
- The Best Holiday Planner Printable Binder
- Daily Simplified Planner Review & Favorite Hack
- Top 10 Family Command Centers to Get Organized
- How to Organize a Pantry