Key Points
- Put away breakfast items, do dishes, and tidy bathroom products each morning.
- Keep a donation bin in your closet or laundry area and drop in clothes that you don’t want.
- Fluff pillows, fold throws, and clear surfaces in one living space, and declutter small zones.
Minimalists are all about keeping their living spaces clutter-free all week long; you can find them engaging in basic household cleanup tasks any day of the week. While no one has time for a major clean out before heading to their nine to five, some of the most impactful tasks only take a couple of minutes, so you can definitely make an effort to weave them into your getting ready schedule.
Here, three professional organizers highlight smart habits that minimalists will often practice in the mornings before heading out the door. Taking a cue from these individuals and trying to incorporate these behaviors into your everyday routine—you might be amazed at just how much more relaxed you feel when you return home in the evenings as a result.
Cleaning up the Kitchen
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Minimalists understand the value in carving out a bit of time to clean up the kitchen each morning before heading out for the day, Millie Naor, the founder of Bella Organizers, notes. She recommends that everyone take some time to put food where it belongs after making breakfast and do the morning dishes.
“This way you can come back to a clean kitchen,” she says.
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Tidying up the Bathroom
No one wants to wind down for the evening applying skincare in a cluttered bathroom, so spending time to put your products away after using them in the morning is essential, Naor explains.
“Try to put back any products you used, hang your towel, and put your dirty clothes and towel in the hamper,” she says.
Equipping your bathroom with proper storage receptacles such as under-sink bins, standing drawer organizers, and sizable medicine cabinets will make stashing away everything from perfume to lip gloss a bit simpler
Editing Their Wardrobes All the Time
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Angela Nguyen, the founder of Bring It Home Style, recommends keeping an ongoing donation bin within reach inside of a closet or laundry room at all times and adding to it any time you see fit.
Maybe that means placing an item or two in there in the morning as you get ready for work (rather than tossing it on a chair to deal with later the moment you realize it doesn’t fit or flatter you).
“Minimalists don’t just get dressed; they notice,” Kimberly Hairston-Neal, the founder of The Modern Steward, says who agrees with this approach.
Following this decluttering method is extremely beneficial, she adds.
“Over time, this one small habit adds up to a wardrobe that’s clear, calm, and aligned with where you are right now—not who you used to be,” Hairston-Neal says.
Engaging in a Living Room Reset
Spruce up your main living space before leaving for the day in order to ensure that you have somewhere peaceful to return to once work is over. Nguyen suggests keeping this simple and quick by choosing just one area to tackle.
“Fold a blanket, fluff pillows, toss shoes in a basket,” she says.
Don’t assume that just because you’re not hosting guests in the evening means that your living area should become an afterthought. You deserve to make the space nice and welcoming-looking solely for your own enjoyment.
Taking on Miscellaneous Decluttering Projects
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Minimalists are experts at making the most of small pockets of time and using them to tackle important decluttering tasks rather than letting everything pile up and become too out of hand, Hairston-Neal explains.
“Minimalists don’t wait for a big decluttering day,” she says.
Think you don’t have time to make decluttering part of your morning routine? Think again.
“Each morning, while your coffee brews or the house is still quiet, take two minutes to edit one invisible zone: the junk drawer, your bag from yesterday, a random bin under the sink,” Hairston-Neal says.