5 Quick Decluttering Wins That Take 15-Minutes or Less

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Summer has a naturally slower pace, and many of my friends have shared that they’re feeling especially unproductive and unfocused right now. For that reason, I am sharing five low-lift but high-impact decluttering projects that you can complete in 15 minutes or less. Let’s go!

De-Junk Your Junk Drawer

I have a soft spot for this mini makeover challenge because this is where my 15-minute-win method began. I had a client who felt completely paralyzed at the prospect of decluttering her entire home, so I suggested that she set a timer for 15 minutes and start with her junk drawer. She transformed her junk drawer in 10 minutes and then felt a surge of energy and momentum and knocked out several more micro-projects. Try it:

1. Remove everything from your drawer.

2. Give it a quick wipe down.

3. Return ONLY items you use regularly.

Bonus: Use drawer organizers to create an instant sense of order and clear boundaries within your drawer.

Junk drawer turned utility drawer #15minwin

Clean Out Your Daily-Use Bag

It’s time to confront those old receipts, gum wrappers, and mystery items. A sweep of your daily-use bag (or wallet) shouldn’t take more than five minutes, and this quick win will feel like a major victory.

Declutter Your Medicine Cabinet

Do you even have a medicine cabinet? I don’t, but we all have somewhere we store toiletries, toothpaste, and such. This is an easy one because most makeup and toiletries expire within six months to two years max. Toss anything that has changed in color, texture, or smell, or is older than two years. Take stock of what you have and make an effort to use it all up before investing in any new products (regardless of how convincing the targeted ads on Instagram are).

Tame Your Tea

I took on a few home editing projects recently and was once again stunned at the sheer volume of tea owned by the average person. Overflowing shelves, overstuffed drawers, loose tea, bagged tea, tins, canisters, and boxes. It’s WILD. Friends, we are not facing a tea shortage. Now is your chance to confront the excess and tame your tea collection once and for all. You can compost loose-leaf tea and donate unopened boxes. I believe in you.

Neaten Your Nightstand

Nightstands tend to be clutter magnets, and who wants to wake up to face a pile of old magazines, mail, bills, and work projects? Take just five minutes to relocate paperwork, recycle old magazines and newspapers, and tidy up your nightstand surface. If you have a sizeable lineup of books to read, I suggest sticking with the ONE you are currently reading and shelving the rest on a bookshelf or in a drawer. Once you have cleared your surface, add something that is lovely to look at, like a piece of art, a pretty object, or something living like a small plant or a bunch of fresh-cut florals. Your bedside table is one of the first things you see when you wake up and one of the last things you see before falling asleep - a quick spruce up will pay off in spades.

Just Launched: I’ve finally organized all of my curated recs for your home, life, and wardrobe into one centralized resource hub (including capsule wardrobe recs, organizing essentials, favorite books + more) Linked here.

Substack Love: Opting Out of Upgrade Culture via

Laura Fenton

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On My Wishlist: I don’t love cooking but boy do I love a good cookbook! This one from Atelier September in Copenhagen is just gorgeous. Linked here.

Quote I’m Pondering: “The secret of happiness, you see, is not found in seeking more, but in developing the capacity to enjoy less.” -Socrates

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