Exactly 1 year ago, I shared my personal challenge to complete a full-house purge BEFORE the New Year.
It was a very simple, very doable plan that I plugged away at little by little, each week for the last 16 weeks of the calendar year… meaning my house was purged, decluttered, and organized BEFORE the New Year!
It was glorious!
I shared my progress on the blog every 5 weeks, and from what I gather, MANY of you enjoyed following along with me and decluttering your own homes before the New Year!
Here are a few quick-links to my purging updates from last year:
My Initial Challenge and “Instructions”
My 15-Week Update (this was my final update as I didn’t have 16 spaces.)
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Since this post series was so popular last year, I thought it would be fun to try again… I even have a FREE printable this year too (it’s editable!)
Feel free to download it and edit directly on your computer or print and fill it in by hand. Then use it to help you purge every space in your home!
A FEW NOTES:
I intentionally left the printable blank because, in my opinion, there is no way I could create a functional printable for the vast majority if I chose the items to purge or the tasks to complete in each room of the home (I wouldn’t even be able to identify each room for other homes).
Also, due to the way this challenge works, it can be started and stopped ANY time throughout the year, so please feel free to start whenever the timing feels right for you (however, don’t use this as an excuse to put it off “until later”!)
If you don’t have 16 spaces in your home, enjoy finishing your challenge earlier, or divide up some of your larger spaces into 2 weeks.
And finally, if you’re really ambitious (and like fun number games), you could actually complete this 16-Week Challenge THREE times each calendar year — taking roughly 1 week off between cycles and one “bonus week” off for a vacation (for a total of 52 weeks!)
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The Basic 7-Step Process:
** You may want to go back and read my initial post to familiarize yourself with the concept.
STEP #1 = Download and print (or edit electronically) 4 copies of my free printable (this will give you a total of 16 “cards” to fill out).
STEP #2 = Dedicate areas in your home/garage for Trash, Donations, Items to Sell, Items to Give Back, and a “Maybe” pile.
STEP #3 = Make a list of every space in your house and write/type the name of each space on one of your printable cards.
STEP #4 = Assign each space to one of the next 16 weeks and jot down some of the things you’d like to accomplish in that space on the provided lines.
STEP #5 = Allot a little extra time to each particular space in your home on the “scheduled week”, doing as much as you can and stopping when the week is finished. Enjoy checking tasks off your list!
STEP #6 = Repeat Step #5 with every space in your home.
STEP 7 = Share your progress with me in the comments, by shooting me an email, and on social media (make sure to tag me if you do!)
I know it might seem simple — maybe even TOO simple — but in my opinion, this 16-Week Full-House Purge Challenge is a GREAT way to quickly work through your ENTIRE house without getting bogged down by perfectionist tendencies, sidetracked by procrastination, or overwhelmed by everything else you COULD be doing.
Simply focus on ONE room for ONE week…
Do as much as you can in that space, then move on to the next space (even if you don’t finish everything on your list).
So what do you say?
Will you join me this year?
Download your FREE Printable and get started purging your first space THIS week!
Just think, in 16 weeks, you’ll be ringing in the New Year with a list of spaces you have ALREADY decluttered… instead of a laundry list of organizing goals waiting for you!
Won’t that feel amazing!
As a little extra motivation for those of you feeling STUCK and PARALYZED by the clutter in your home and life, I created a mini workbook with 15-Minute Projects to Simplify Your Home.
If you’re a procrastinator or a perfectionist, or if you have a hard time motivating yourself to get started, THIS workbook is just what you need!
Lori says
Are you doing this purge again this year????
Andrea says
Hi Lori — I probably won’t be blogging about it, but I do the 16-week purge almost every September – December as a way to clear out the clutter from all the nooks and crannies in our home before we bring in all the new stuff at Christmas time. 🙂
Suzanne says
I just did a huge purge-started anyway- of my 12-year-old’s closet two weekends ago, as we were getting ready to take down his bunkbed to donate to a neighbor and put together a queen sized platform bed for him (he’s going to be a tall boy, well is already, and needs that space). My husband kept saying our son needed to help, but I knew it would take so much longer and he’d want to keep the many toys he’s gathered. We’ve struggled with that for years. So I chose, while he had a friend over, just to box up and move anything I think he’s outgrown and shouldn’t be in his 12-year-old room, taking in to the side of our bedroom to sort through another time, when he’s in the headspace, decide what we could maybe sell, donate, etc, or even if he wants it back in his closet. It was a huge task, doing just that, but he was able to start out fresh with his new bedroom furniture this past weekend, and he just loves his space! I think it will encourage him, moving forward, to be able to get rid of some prior items. I personally hate that the stacks are piled up now in my bedroom, but I am trying to have patience, knowing that I made headway, and that’s the next big project. Sometimes it feels like you have to make a bigger mess in the process of purging and reorganizing. I am one to get rid of things quickly too, have no problem doing that if it doesn’t fit my current lifestyle, but have, in the past, regretted a few things I’ve gotten rid of. Sometimes giving something time to consider what to do with is important too.
Andrea says
this is fantastic Suzanne!
I think your method sounds perfect and I’m guessing it’s the best choice for your family right now.
I think you are smart for not just trashing everything, but giving your son a bit of time. Who knows, he might realize he doesn’t need any of that stuff and you can purge it all!
Andrea Schwake says
I love the idea of doing this purge rotation several times a year. That way, if you “fall off the wagon” or get busy and miss a week, you know that it will come back around in the rotation again. Thanks for all the great ideas!
Andrea says
it is a fairly simple way to make sure you work through your entire house a couple of times each year… and yes, if you skip or miss a space, you know you can come back to it later!
Natalia says
Thanks for the reminder! AND for the printables! I love lists (on paper) and these are very cute!
I’m doing it again! This week is the “Fridge and freezer” week (yes, I added this because I want to give it special attention to make plans to eat from the freezer and clean it out before the “stocking” season begins. Next week it’s the garage.
And then I’ll start all over again, with the living room.
Andrea says
That’s a great category — Fridge + Freezer! It should really be separate since they take up a decent amount of time.
See… that’s why I don’t write out everything for people and just leave the printables blank — thanks for sharing your good idea!
Ashley Gaver says
I’m definitely diving into this. How exciting to already be ahead of the game when everyone begins their New Year Declutter!
Andrea says
I love being “ahead of the game!”
Christine says
I’m with you this year! We’ve been in our new house for a year and it’s time. My problem is always figuring out what to write on the checklist. I have one of those minds that both doesn’t see mess and gets overwhelmed by it simultaneously! Gonna go reread your first post…
Andrea says
I’d write things like:
dresser drawers
nightstand
closet shelves
closet rods
under bed storage
etc. etc.
Or for the kitchen:
fridge
freezer
pantry cabinet
food storage
spices, seasonings, condiments
baking items
linens
etc.
Give yourself lots of small spaces so it doesn’t seem as overwhelming to tackle one and then be done!
Christine says
Thank you, that was actually super helpful! Subcategories instead of single tasks. That will work for me!
Andrea says
oh good — have “fun”!!
Cristiana says
I’m in!
You inspire me. You make everything feel so doable, your readers have no excuse. Thank you for being here!
Greatings from Portugal.
Andrea says
Hello Cristiana! Welcome aboard this fun (and totally doable) challenge!
Ashley Gaver says
Andrea,
I have been following your blog for years now. I just wanted to say I’m continually so impressed with your consistency. No matter what, I know that you’ll always have several new posts up during the week. It’s so comforting and refreshing to know that you’re always there with fresh ideas to inspire me each week.
Thank you for all the effort and time you put into your work!
Christine says
Completely agree!
Andrea says
Thanks Ashley!
Consistency is KEY for me — in all things in life. If I stop, it’s really hard for me to get going again! 🙂
Christina says
I wondered if you would do this again. I just said to my husband I was going to do a room purge a week until the first of the year, like Andrea did last year! Perfect timing!
Andrea says
yay — glad to have you following along this year!
Machee says
I’m in! I have 13 weeks until my 4th is born, so I’ll adjust a bit, but this will help with all the nesting energy I’ve had lately! It will be nice to not feel like I have to ‘do it all’ right before the holidays and new year.
Andrea says
yay — congrats on baby #4! It will be SOOOOO nice to have much of your house purged before the baby arrives (plus, you can totally use your “nesting” instincts to your advantage here!)
Kari says
I’ll join you! I always switch from working part time to full time every January. It will be great to have this done before that time comes. I always see so many challenges around the New Year that are motivating, but I know that it definitely isn’t the time of year for me to add anything to my plate. This will work out perfect. Thanks Andrea!
Andrea says
oh wow — this is great timing for you then!