Stop the Chaos, Declutter 2023 Things THIS YEAR

Are you up for a challenge? Let’s declutter 2,023 things in 2023!

It all started in 2008. Someone suggested we declutter 2008 things that year. It was so motivating to me to have a number goal in mind; my husband Brian (a graphic designer) created a tally chart to keep track of how much I was getting rid of.

And now, every year, he makes a chart that I can share with my community:

The RULES:

Please keep in mind that these are basic guidelines. There is no perfect, no cheating, and no doing it wrong.

This chart is simply a tool to help you stay motivated and consistently declutter to the extent YOU want to.

  • For each item you declutter, check one box ❌ ✅
  • Count items you wouldn’t usually get rid of (don’t count everyday trash)
  • Count every single thing OR estimate a number.
  • Give yourself more credit for things that were difficult to get rid of.
  • Use colors (if you want) to represent different rooms of the house, the months you work, or the different people working on decluttering with you.
  • Get kids involved – they love counting and marking off the boxes.
  • Give yourself a reward when you reach large amounts: plan something fun to do after you get rid of 500 things, 1000 things, and 2023 things.

Staying motivated is often the most challenging part of decluttering. Along with the decluttering chart, I also have a free online community that is the most amazing supportive decluttering community a person could ask for. Click here to join. (You will need to answer the questions to join.)

About Rachel Jones

Hi there! I’m Rachel Jones, and I founded Nourishing Minimalism in 2012 at the beginning of my minimalist journey. If you're looking for encouragement in your journey, I created a FREE Facebook Group - feel free to join me there: Nourishing Minimalism Facebook Group and I share videos each week on YouTube

9 Comments

  1. Larissa on 12/16/2022 at 4:16 pm

    Thank you Rachel, I’ve watched many of your YouTube videos, and have been motivated and inspired. I have 90% decluttered my house and find it’s an easier way to live and to enjoy the space. Happy Christmas and 2023 to you and your loved ones.

  2. New Beginnings on 12/16/2022 at 8:07 pm

    I even printed it!!!! I’m so excited 😆

  3. Karyn Edwards on 12/26/2022 at 4:07 pm

    I neeeeeed this in my life right now. PLEASE…x

  4. Katische Vinning on 01/03/2023 at 10:55 pm

    I can not believe how this one chart and me colour coding family members has created a decluttering like I’ve never seen before! My highly competitive 14 yr old daughter who rolls her eyes every time I comment about her room has undergone a cluttered room transformation. She has ticked off over 500 items. Now she did count every poster, photo and justified with me that technically a pair of socks is two ticks LOL!. Last night she said to me, ‘Mum, now I know what you’ve been talking about. My room is so much calmer and it is much easier to keep clean’.
    We have only just touched the surface. I’m expecting we may end up with 4046.
    Thank you Rachel!

    • Rachel Jones on 01/04/2023 at 8:13 am

      I love it!! ❤️

      • Illuma Bernstein on 02/02/2023 at 12:25 pm

        Looking forward to beginning my 2023/2023

  5. Danetta on 01/04/2023 at 3:37 pm

    I decluttered 1405 things using your declutter tally chart during the last 10 months of 2022. About half was paper and brochures in files and the other half was physical objects like cups, candles, nylons, and so on. This was a fun challenge. It is fun to make big projects into a game, and I plan on trying it again this year! I’m glad I ran across your site! Thank you!

    • Rachel Jones on 01/05/2023 at 4:51 pm

      That’s wonderful Danetta! ❤️

  6. Sarah Smith on 02/18/2023 at 12:35 am

    We started the 2,023 in 2023 in January, but at the time I couldn’t find anyone else doing it. It works out to alternating 5/6/5/6 items a day. Five items one day, six the next. We are actually a week into “April,” even though it’s still February. So glad to see we aren’t alone!!

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