These 72 decluttering quotes are perfect if you’re feeling overwhelmed by the mess and chaos of your home and you need some motivation to start on your decluttering journey!
Nothing motivates me like a good inspirational quote!
When I just need a kick in the butt to be productive, or to set big goals, or to finally finish that ugly and un-fun thing on my to do list, nothing gets me going like the words of Benjamin Franklin or some old philosopher or the queen of clean herself, Marie Kondo.
And if you find motivation in other people’s words too, then you’re in luck! Dive into this collection of decluttering quotes tailored just for you. Let these words of wisdom inspire and uplift you, reminding you that amidst the mess, there’s always a moment of clarity waiting to be discovered.
So, pour that lukewarm coffee, take a seat (preferably not on a LEGO), and let’s find our decluttering mojo together with these awesome decluttering quotes!
How I Like to Use Inspirational Decluttering Quotes
Reading through a list of inspirational quotes is great, but chances are, you’ll forget them quickly and revert back to your unmotivated ways. Instead, here are some ideas for how to put these decluttering quotes to work for you:
- Write quotes in your planner. Write an inspiring quote at the beginning of each week or month in your planner. This way, every time you open your planner, you’ll be greeted by a motivational message, setting a positive tone for your tasks and goals.
- Write quotes on sticky notes. Place post-it notes with uplifting quotes on your bathroom mirror, refrigerator, or any frequently visited areas in your home. A quote like “Small steps every day lead to big results” can serve as a daily reminder to stay focused on your goals and maintain a positive mindset.
- Make your phone wallpaper a motivational quote. Set a motivational quote as the wallpaper on your phone or computer. Every time you unlock your phone or start your computer, you’ll be greeted by an inspirational message. For example, “Believe in the magic within you” can be a gentle reminder of your inner strength throughout the day.
- Use these decluttering quotes as morning affirmations. Create a routine of starting your day with a positive quote. Write a motivational message on a chalkboard or a whiteboard in your kitchen. A quote like “Today is a new beginning” can set a hopeful tone for the day ahead and help you approach each morning with renewed energy.
*Need more motivation to get started decluttering? Grab these free printable declutter checklists here!
Decluttering Quotes
Quotes about Just Getting Started
Half the battle of decluttering is just getting started! Go here to check out some tips to start decluttering when you’re overwhelmed and don’t know where to start, and then read these motivational quotes to help pump you up for a decluttering session:
- “You don’t have to be good to start… you just have to start to be good.” – Joe Sabah
- “A little action often spurs a lot of momentum.” – Noah Scalin, The Design Activist’s Handbook: How to Change the World (Or at Least Your Part of It) with Socially Conscious Design
- “The secret of getting ahead is getting started.” – Mark Twain
- “The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” – Joshua Becker
- “You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
- “The best time to start was yesterday. The next best time is now.”
- “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe
- “A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” – Lao Tzu
- “The hardest part of decluttering is getting started. Once you start, you’ll wonder why you waited so long.”
Quotes about Decluttering
- “The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.” – Marie Kondo
- “Have nothing in your house that you do not know to be useful, or believe to be beautiful.” – Williams Morris
- “Clutter isn’t just the stuff in your closet, it’s anything that gets between you and the life that you want to be living.” – Peter Walsh
- “Outer order contributes to inner calm.” – Gretchen Rubin
- “Life is a constant series of cleaning up the last mess.” – Jillian Lauren
- “Get rid of the clutter and you just might find that it was blocking the door you’ve been looking for.” – Katrina Mayer
- “Out of clutter, find simplicity.” – Albert Einstein
- “Cleaning and organizing is a practice, not a project.” – Meagan Francis
- “Declutter your mind, declutter your life.”
- “The more you have, the more you are occupied. The less you have, the more free you are.” – Mother Teresa
- “Out of clutter, find simplicity.” – Albert Einstein
- “Clutter is the physical manifestation of unmade decisions fueled by procrastination.” – Christina Scalise
- “Surround yourself only with items that spark joy.” – Marie Kondo
- “The first step in decluttering is admitting you have too much.”
- “Decluttering is the art of letting go.”
- “The things we own, end up owning us.” – Chuck Palahniuk
- “Every object, every being, is a jar full of delight.” – Rumi
- “Decluttering is like peeling an onion. You remove one layer at a time, and sometimes you cry.” – Unknown
- “Own less, live more.”
- “Don’t let your stuff own you. Own your stuff.” – Unknown
- “Simplicity is the essence of happiness.” – Cedric Bledsoe
- “Less is more.”
- “Whatever you have, you must either use or lose.”
- “The fewer things you own, the fewer things own you.” – Unknown
- “When we clear the clutter, we open up space for our true desires to surface.” – Robin Sharma
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
- “Live simply so that others may simply live.” – Mother Teresa
- “Clutter distracts; space inspires.”
- “The clearest space reflects the clearest mind.”
- “There is beauty in simplicity.”
- “If you don’t love it, don’t own it.”
- “The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t.” – Joshua Becker
- “In a world of clutter, every piece you let go of makes room for clarity.”
- “You can’t reach for anything new if your hands are still full of yesterday’s junk.” – Louise Smith
- “Clear space, clear mind.”
- “Simplicity is the keynote of all true elegance.” – Coco Chanel
- “A home for everything, and everything in its home.”
Quotes about Tidying Up
- “Tidying is the act of confronting yourself.” – Marie Kondo
- “Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” – Barbara Hemphill
- “Simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.” – Leonardo da Vinci
- “Clear clutter, make space for you.”
- “Less stuff, more life.”
- “A cluttered space is a cluttered mind. Clear the space, free the mind.”
- “Tidying is the act of restoring balance to our home, and by extension, our lives.” – Marie Kondo
- “The magic of tidying up is the magic of confronting yourself.” – Marie Kondo
- “Decluttering is not about getting rid of things, it’s about making room for what matters.”
- “Organization isn’t about perfection; it’s about efficiency, reducing stress, and clutter, saving time and money, and improving your overall quality of life.” – Christina Scalise
- “When we clear the physical clutter from our lives, we literally make way for inspiration and ‘good, orderly direction’ to enter.” – Julia Cameron
Marie Kondo Decluttering Quotes
A list of decluttering quotes wouldn’t be complete without mentioning the queen of decluttering, and the muse for all of the memes about “sparking joy”… Marie Kondo!
Here are some of Marie Kondo’s best quotes about decluttering, from her best-selling book and from her Netflix reality show:
- “The question of what you want to own is actually the question of how you want to live your life.” – Marie Kondo
- “The best way to find out what we really need is to get rid of what we don’t.” – Marie Kondo
- “The act of folding is far more than making clothes compact for storage. It is an act of caring, an expression of love and appreciation for the way these clothes support your lifestyle.” – Marie Kondo
- “The process of assessing how you feel about the things you own, identifying those that have fulfilled their purpose, expressing your gratitude, and bidding them farewell, is really about examining your inner self, a rite of passage to a new life.” – Marie Kondo
- “When we really delve into the reasons for why we can’t let something go, there are only two: an attachment to the past or a fear for the future.” – Marie Kondo
- “The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.” – Marie Kondo
- “Visible mess helps distract us from the true source of the disorder.” – Marie Kondo
- “To truly cherish the things that are important to you, you must first discard those that have outlived their purpose.” – Marie Kondo
- “People cannot change their habits without first changing their way of thinking.” – Marie Kondo
- “The space in which we live should be for the person we are becoming now, not for the person we were in the past.” – Marie Kondo
- “The process of tidying up can transform our lives on both a physical and emotional level.” – Marie Kondo
My Favorite Decluttering Quote
“Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.”
Barbara Hemphill
This is one of my favorite decluttering quotes, because it’s so simple and SO true! Think about it… holding on to all of your stuff is just postponing the decisions that you will have to make later about what to do with that stuff.
Whether you move and have to downsize a bunch of your knick-knacks , or you’ve outgrown your favorite sweater, or you’ve got 3 potato mashers and you don’t even like mashed potatoes, eventually you will have to figure out what to do with your clutter… unless you want to end up on an episode of Hoarders.
More Decluttering Tips and Guides
Remember, decluttering is a journey, not a destination. Each item you let go of, each space you clear, brings you closer to a home that truly reflects who you are and supports the life you want to live. Embrace the process, celebrate your progress, and enjoy the freedom that comes with a clutter-free home.
And if you need some more resources for getting started with decluttering, then be sure to check out some of these posts for free printable checklists, decluttering challenges, and more:
Free Printable 30 Day Decluttering Challenge – Grab this printable calendar with a new decluttering task on it for each day!
Bedroom Decluttering Checklist – Grab this list of things to declutter in your bedroom and go through the items, checking off as you go.
Decluttering Clothes – Check out this post for my 7 best tips for decluttering your wardrobe and accessories! A great read for when you’re ready to declutter your closet and drawers!
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