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Life · Household

How to declutter your home: a calm, step-by-step plan

Six short lessons: start small, decide what stays, rehome and dispose of things responsibly, wipe old devices and sort paperwork, organize safely, and keep it clear. Built on US EPA, FDA and CPSC guidance, the UK NCSC and NHS, GOV.UK and the NSW EPA.

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About this course

How to declutter your home: a calm, step-by-step plan.

Starter · About 1 hour of learning · 6 lessons · 15 quick checks · 1 download

  • Who it's for

    Adults in Australia, the UK, the US and elsewhere who want a clearer, calmer home without overwhelm.

  • How it works

    6 guided lessons in your browser, with worked examples, exercises and a quick check after each lesson. Progress is saved in this browser only, and you can restart at any time. You start with just your first name and email, and you can take one whole course that way. After that, a free account lets you continue past lesson 1.

  • Sources we rely on

    8 published sources, mostly regulators and official bodies, listed below so you can check the original guidance yourself.

By the end you can

  • Start with small, finishable zones and a clear reason
  • Decide quickly what stays, including sentimental items
  • Donate, sell, recycle and dispose of hazardous items and medicines responsibly
  • Wipe old devices and sort paperwork safely
  • Organize safely and keep your home clear with simple habits

Downloads

  • Declutter plan and tracker .docxA zone-by-zone four-week plan, decision questions, a where-it-goes guide (donate, sell, recycle, hazardous, medicines, e-waste), a device wipe checklist, a paperwork sorter, a safety check and a maintenance routine, with June’s worked example.

Rules by country

Australia
NSW EPA Household Chemical CleanOut accepts household quantities of household chemicals and items (up to 20 liters or 20 kilograms of a single item); vapes never go in a kerbside bin. Other states and councils run similar services. Pharmacies generally accept unwanted medicines.
United Kingdom
GOV.UK helps you find how your council collects recycling, including phones and computers. NCSC: back up, then use Erase all Content and Settings or Factory reset before passing on a device. NHS: if clutter may be hoarding disorder, encourage the person to speak to their GP.
United States
EPA: paints, cleaners, oils, batteries and pesticides need special disposal; contact your local agency about collections. FDA: use a drug take-back location or mail-back envelope for unused medicines. CPSC: anchor furniture with drawers, doors and shelves to the wall.

Learning time

About 1 hour of learning. May count towards your CPD or professional development; check your professional body's rules. Estimated from reading time, exercises, quick checks and downloads.

Sources

Check the originals.

How these courses are made. Spotted an error or out-of-date rule? Send a correction.

General information only. Life courses don't give health, financial or legal advice.

Publisher

Who publishes this course.

Published by trainyourself.org, a trading name of Combine TRS Pty Ltd (ABN 42 112 983 678), Brisbane, Australia.

How it's made: researched from published official, government and vendor guidance, then run through automated quality checks against our course depth standard and automated source checks that match each rule to its official source, listed above. Read how these courses are made.

Last updated:

General information, not legal, financial, medical or professional advice. Spotted an error or an out-of-date rule? Send us a correction.

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