The 30-day declutter challenge

Each month, MoneyWorks invites you to a 30-day challenge, a fun way to shake off old habits and get a fresh perspective on your money.

Go it alone or see if your friends and family can keep up with you!

This month's challenge

Clutter can cost hundreds of dollars—and maybe much more. Think about it. How many times have you bought something new because you couldn’t find the one you already had? It could be just about anything—a pair of dress pants, a pair of scissors, or a pair of glasses. A leaf blower, a hair dryer, or (gulp) your passport just days before your trip. And let’s take a moment to honor the many earbuds lost forever to couch cushions and the spaces between car seats.

Not sure where to begin? Start here:

• Clear the room of all trash and anything that’s broken and can’t be (or will never be) fixed.
• Keep similar things together. Put all your shoes in one place. All your clothes for work in one place. All video games in one place. All gift wrap and ribbons in one place.
• Once you have similar things together, see how many duplicates there are. You can immediately cut down on clutter by selling or donating the extras.