30-Day Decluttering Game Helps Purge Hundreds of Items

Good Housekeeping editors put the minimalism game to the test with impressive results.

Published on Feb. 26, 2026

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Three Good Housekeeping UK editors - Bethan Rose Jenkins, Bobbie Edsor, and Katie Mortram - decided to take on the 30-day decluttering challenge, also known as the minimalism game. The concept is simple: for each day over one month, you declutter the number of items according to the date. The editors found the game to be an effective and motivating way to purge their homes of hundreds of unnecessary items, from magazines and cosmetics to expired medications and kitchen gadgets. While the process was not always smooth, the end result was a dramatic reduction in clutter and a more organized living space.

Why it matters

The 30-day decluttering game taps into people's competitive nature to make the often-dreaded task of decluttering more engaging and achievable. By setting a clear daily goal, the game encourages people to tackle clutter in small, manageable steps rather than feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of a major overhaul. The editors' experiences show how this method can lead to significant results, even for those who consider themselves relatively tidy and organized.

The details

The three editors - Bethan, Bobbie, and Katie - all participated in the 30-day decluttering game, with varying levels of success. Bethan reached day 23 and decluttered 266 items, including 37 magazines, 46 documents, and 52 cosmetics. Bobbie reached day 21 and decluttered 231 items, including a smart speaker, 4 pairs of boots, and 16 teaspoons. Katie was the most successful, reaching the full 30 days and decluttering 465 items, including 22 candles, 11 glass ramekins, and 20 boxes of expired medicine. The editors found that the game motivated them to tackle areas they had been putting off, like overflowing kitchen drawers and bathroom cabinets. While it was sometimes challenging to find enough items to declutter each day, the sense of accomplishment and the resulting organized spaces made the effort worthwhile.

  • The 30-day decluttering game took place in September 2025.
  • The editors participated in the game over the course of 30 days in September.

The players

Bethan Rose Jenkins

The deputy features editor at Good Housekeeping UK, Bethan described herself as generally tidy but with overfilled wardrobes and stuffed cupboards. She decluttered 266 items, including magazines, documents, and cosmetics.

Bobbie Edsor

The social media manager at Good Housekeeping UK, Bobbie lives in a small one-bedroom flat and was unsure if she could make it past day 10 of the challenge. However, her competitive nature kicked in, and she ended up decluttering 231 items, including a smart speaker, boots, and teaspoons.

Katie Mortram

The household advice editor at Good Housekeeping UK, Katie was the most successful, reaching the full 30 days and decluttering 465 items, including candles, glass ramekins, and expired medicine.

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What they’re saying

“I would describe myself as generally a very tidy person but, in true Monica-from-Friends fashion, I am guilty of having overfilled wardrobes and stuffed cupboards hiding all my sins.”

— Bethan Rose Jenkins, Deputy Features Editor (Good Housekeeping UK)

“Luckily, my competitive nature kicked in rather quickly as Bethan, Katie and I compared the items we were managing to declutter each morning in the office.”

— Bobbie Edsor, Social Media Manager (Good Housekeeping UK)

“Little did I realize, I had 20 boxes of expired medication in there, as well as 4 expired medications for the cat and 7 expired covid tests. I filled days 11 through 16 in these cabinets alone.”

— Katie Mortram, Household Advice Editor (Good Housekeeping UK)

The takeaway

The 30-day decluttering game proved to be an effective and motivating way for the Good Housekeeping editors to purge their homes of hundreds of unnecessary items. While the process was not always easy, the sense of accomplishment and the resulting organized spaces made the effort worthwhile. This challenge could inspire others to tackle their own clutter in a systematic and rewarding way.