How To Purge Your House In One Weekend

It’s the time of year when I get to talk about three of my favorite topics; decluttering, purging, and organizing. To be honest, I talk about these things all year round, but I know most people focus on these topics around the new year. It’s the time of year people are looking to get organized and to clear out the clutter. I honestly could organize every day. I love it. When I start organizing a space, my family will say, “Watch out! Mom is in one of her organizing moods again.” HAHA! Today, I thought I would share how to purge your house in one weekend.

It doesn’t have to be overwhelming. I want to share some tips that will help you get a good start on getting organized and clearing out the clutter for the new year. Let’s start 2021 on the right foot, get ahead of the clutter, and finally get organized! 

How To Purge Your House In One Weekend

• Be Clear On Your Goal

Just like with any project, you should be clear on your goal before you get started. If you don’t have a goal in mind, you will find excuses for stopping, stalling, or just not getting it done. You will also lose so much momentum if you start and stop a lot. Your goal is to get the entire house purged (not organized) in one weekend. That’s your goal. Stick to it.

Hold yourself accountable. I promise it will be worth it in the end, but if you lose sight of your goal, you will be defeated before you even start. With your goal, set a time limit. Something like – all the purging needs to be done by Sunday evening at 5 PM. Something measurable and something that can track your progress throughout the weekend. 

• Add The Purging Weekend To The Calendar

The purging weekend should be put on the calendar just like any other appointment or getaway. Schedule it. Mark it down so the entire family knows when it is happening. Everyone will be on the same page, know what to expect, and know that they can’t schedule anything else on that weekend. 

• Bring Your Honesty

How to purge your house in one weekend can’t happen without this. This one is so important with any organization or purging process. If you aren’t honest about the items you are going through, the process will not be successful. You want a more functioning, less cluttered, less stressful home, but you get hung up on “things” and “stuff”.

If you aren’t using the “thing” or the “stuff”, it needs to be purged. This is a fast process. Too much thinking and back and forth will guarantee you don’t get this done in one weekend. I like to say if I haven’t used it in a year (sometimes I push it to 6 months), then it has to go. If I don’t like it, it has to go. If it doesn’t fit, it has to go. You have to be willing to make quick decisions to get the process done. 

• Have Boxes/Bins/Totes & Garbage Bags Ready

Don’t start this process without the right supplies ready to go. Stock up on boxes and/or totes to separate things as you go through them. Create three piles –  “DONATE”, “KEEP”, and “BELONGS IN ANOTHER ROOM”. You also need garbage bags for the items you need to throw out. Set up these “stations” before you go through anything to ensure the purging process is a successful one. 

• Tackle One Room At A Time

DO NOT try to purge multiple rooms at a time. DON’T DO IT! Focus on one room at a time. In the tip above, I said to set up a box or tote for “goes somewhere else”. Those items need to be put in another room or drawer, but don’t waste your time walking things to other places as you are purging. Put those items into the box and when you are done with the room, you can put them in the place they need to go.

• Work Top To Bottom Or Bottom To Top

This one may seem a little weird, but I find that it really helps. Decide if you are going to purge rooms top to bottom or bottom to top. Are you going to start with the top cabinets or the bottom cabinets? Are you going to clean out the top of the closet or the bottom where the shoes are? This will help you stay on task and not forget where you have been or what you need to complete. Do it the same way in every room because then it will be like second nature and everything will be gone through and not forgotten.

• Limit Time In Each Space (some spaces will need more time)

Your goal is to get the purging process done in one weekend. You want to limit the amount of time on making decisions to keep, donate, trash, etc. That will save a lot of time, but you also need to refrain from trying to organize or clean during this process. That will come when you are all done purging your house. You need to get the purging done in one weekend – nothing else. Limit the time you spend in each room and really push yourself through the process to get it done in the time you have scheduled to do so.

• Turn Off All Distractions 

This one is huge for me because if I have my phone in my hand, I am working so I need to either turn on a podcast, listen to music or just turn everything off altogether and get the work done. What are your distractions? Is it your kids? Take them to grandmas. Is it a neighbor? Make sure to tell him/her what your goal is and what you are doing. You will catch up with them after the weekend. Is it your spouse?

Make them a list of errands that need to get done or outside work while you tackle the inside. Hey, maybe they can purge the garage or shed! If it is the TV, your phone, computer, etc., turn them off and put your full focus on the weekend of purging. To be honest, I love having an excuse to turn off all the distractions and “noise”. It feels good and I am much more productive without it. Your distractions need to be turned off or figured out before the weekend to ensure you hit your goal before the weekend ends.

• Drop Off At Donation Site That Weekend

This is another important one because sometimes we have a tendency to grab things out of the “donate” box after we have put something in there. To make this process successful, put that donate box inside your car or to the donation drop off when you are done. Out of sight, out of mind is my motto. You don’t want it there to tempt you. If you get the purging done on Sunday evening and the donation sites are closed, put the boxes in your car so they are ready to be dropped off first thing on Monday.

I hope these tips on how to purge your house will help you get rid of the clutter and the things in your home that you don’t like or want any longer. The purging process is the first step in getting organized. It is my favorite step because I feel lighter (physically and mentally) when I get it done.

This process can be done in one weekend if you use all the tips I shared above. It is doable. It is attainable. I promise. I would love to see your progress photos! Share them on your Instagram page and tag me @mycreativedays so I can them and cheer you on!

Now, you know how to purge your house in one weekend, so what are you waiting for? Get it on the calendar and start the work to make your organization goals a reality.

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Now that “purge your house in one weekend” is over, I can help you through the next step! I have created many organization resources and I also have a FREE 5-day organization guide that will walk you through the organization process. Click on the photo below to get it!